Jack loves rainbows! I love rainbows! Scientists loves rainbows! I mean there are so many science websites out there explaining the science of rainbows (here's one from How Stuff Works), which is totally great for explaining rainbow science to children. But what is even better than explaining the science of rainbows is making an edible rainbow out of candies!
You'll Need
Skittles
Water
A light colored plate (best for full rainbow color)
Instructions
1) Arrange the Skittles in a pattern on the plate. STEM Spark choose the classic rainbow arch, but you can do circle, square, heart, etc and whatever colors you want too-- don't have to stick to purple, blue, red, orange, yellow, green!
2) Poor water onto the plate, just enough for the Skittles to sit in.
3) Watch as the color dissolves off of the Skittles.
Then maybe eat some of the candy (what? STEM Spark also loves candy, and it's not edible science for nothing 😁). I'd like to also note that Jack first performed this science experiment in his two year old preschool class. It's a great experiment to do with young children (for under 3 just watch for chocking if they eat some of the candy) since it introduces the concept of rainbows (yay science) and patterns (yay math), and if they suck their thumb or rub their eye after, there shouldn't be any problems (again just watch for chocking if they eat the candy).
Leave us comment on the pattern that you chose for the dissolving rainbow candy experiment and/or which flavor of the Skittles rainbow is your favorite. Happy STEM-ing everyone!
