Rainbow Celery Experiment
Learn about capillary action with this simple and colorful rainbow celery food coloring experiment. This experiment allows you and your child to talk about the circulatory system and "capillary" action. The small "vessels" in the celery stalks carry the water and color to the leaves, like the way blood travels through your body.
Materials
Directions
Fill the jars or glasses about halfway with water and place them by sunlight.
Drop different colors of food coloring into each of the glasses.
Cut or rip stalks of celery and place them in the cups of colored water.
Let the celery sit. Check every few hours with your child to see how the colors change! Keep the celery stalks in water for a few days and see how the leaves change color. Help your child make notes about what changes they see.
Explore Further
Cut a single stalk of celery into three pieces and submerge each section into a different cup of colored water to see if the colors mix or blend in the leaves. Write down the reactions!
MaryLea Harris is a mother of two and a former elementary art teacher to more than 500 students. She lives in Oregon, where she likes to create, play and explore with her kids. MaryLea shares their adventures and more than 600 "craftivities" on her blog, Pink and Green Mama. Bring a smock!
Science