Add two primary colours of food colouring to the bath and let the child mix them to discover the secondary colour. Blue + yellow = green, red + blue = purple. Food colouring is safe and washes off skin and tub.
What you need
- food colouring (2–3 colours)
How to do it
- 1Which two colours should we mix tonight?
- 2Add three or four drops of the first colour to one end, second colour to the other.
- 3Child swirls the water and watches the colours meet and change.
- 4Name the result out loud: what did blue and yellow make?
Variations
- Korb-Tür: If they won't mix — just watch the colours drift and change on their own. Pour one colour slowly and watch it travel. No mixing needed.
- Ausstieg: Save the colour water for next bath night. 'That mix stays for now. Next time we'll make a different one.' Drain it slowly so the colour fades.
💡 Parent tip
Two colours only. Three or more makes brown. Save the third colour for a future bath night so each discovery stays clean.
What your child develops
- Colour theory — primary colours combine to produce secondary colours as a physical fact
- Prediction and observation — forming a hypothesis and checking it
- Cause and effect — child's own movement causes the colours to mix
Safety notes
- Food colouring is safe for skin but may temporarily stain light-coloured tubs. A quick wipe removes it.
More for “Calm down”
See allThe Invisible Journey
Close your eyes. You're traveling somewhere right now. Where do you go?
Ages 4–910–20 minHousehold items
The Favorites Lists
Make 5 lists of your favorites. A different category for each list.
Ages 5–1015–30 minHousehold items
The Eyes-Closed Drawing
Draw something specific with your eyes closed. Open, look at the disaster, laugh, try again.
Ages 4–1015–30 minHousehold items