Rainbows are one of the most beautiful natural wonders. They are created in the sky when just the right combination of rain and sunshine mix. Sunlight is reflected off of raindrops in the air, making the light we usually think of as "white" split into a gorgeous array of different colors. In this science activity the kids are going to create rainbows on paper that can be enjoyed year-round, rain or shine.
Total Time: About 5 minutes
Safety Concerns: None. This is a fantastic activity that even toddlers and preschoolers can do on their own.
Materials You Need:
A bowl filled with waterClear nail polish
Small pieces of black paper
- Add 1-2 drops of clear nail polish to the bowl of water. Watch it disperse over the surface of the water.
- Quickly dip the paper into the water. Let it dry on a paper towel.
- Once it is dry (this only takes a few minutes) tilt the paper in different directions to see the rainbow patterns appear. Hold it next to a sunny window for best results.
- NOTE: The nail polish will dry quickly on the surface of the water, which will create a film that won't stick to the paper. To do this activity successfully you will need to do it quickly. Be sure to dip the paper into the water within 10-15 seconds after you drop the nail polish in. If the nail polish does create a dry film on top, simply scoop it off and try again more quickly!
What is going on?
When you dip the paper into the water it gets coated with a thin layer of nail polish. Light is reflected by the nail polish, creating rainbow patterns. This is basically the same thing that happens when a rainbow is naturally formed in the sky.
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Saturday Science
And now on to our STEM Saturday link up! Check out our wonderful co-hosts and link up your own math and science activities:
Rainbow Rockets from Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
Thanks for hosting! Rainbow paper is a great idea. We will surely try this out!
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! We have to try it out!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, it's one of the easiest and most impressive science activities we have done :)
DeleteThis is the coolest science activity! My son would get a kick out of this! I'll have to see if I have an clear nail polish!
ReplyDeleteYes, give it a try!
DeleteVery interesting project! Diffraction is one oft favorite things.
ReplyDeleteI know, anytime you can make a rainbow it's going to be a hit :)
DeleteWe first tried with my old OPI sparkle nail polish since I was *pretty* sure it's kind of a top coat with sparkles in it, lol. I was wrong! It didn't work! Since the nail polish drops would just sink to the bottom.
ReplyDeleteWe tried it again, with a top coat (I went and bought some) on Monday morning. It was perfect since it took only ten minutes and cheered him up to get ready for school! Thanks :)
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I am so happy to hear that it worked well for you the second time! And it's good to know about the sparkle nail polish. I love that you experimented to see if it would work. Now we all know something new!
DeleteThis looks amazing. I wonder how old the nail polish can be - it's been a while since I've had time for a manicure!! Your pictures are lovely as well. #pintorials
ReplyDeleteI know, right? The nail polish I used is very old, it kind of looks yellowish in the bottle. It worked for us!
DeleteWhat a wonderful activity!! I have always wanted to do this but never really knew how to! Pinning and sharing. Thank you for posting on my facebook page.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! I'm so pleased that you like this activity :)
DeleteThis was so fun to do. I love the effect it's produced Pinned it.
ReplyDeleteYay, another success!! Thanks for pinning :)
DeleteWOW, we have to try this. Thanks so much for sharing! These are the experiments I love - easy and cool!
ReplyDeleteI know, right? Sometimes the best activities are simple!!
DeleteThis is brilliant! I haven't done any scientific activities with my 2 and this sounds like a fun way to start. Thanks for linking. #weloveweekends
ReplyDeleteAwesome, this would be a great first science activity. Easy to set up, no mess, awesome results :)
DeleteAmazing my 7 year old would love this
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking up on We Love Weekends last week - your post is featured on this week's We Love Weekends via Peakle Pie. Hope to see you linking up again soon!
ReplyDeleteMe parece muy divertido y si no te importa voy a poner un enlace en mi blog.
ReplyDeleteUn saludo.