At OMO, we believe that every stain represents an important experience - mud stains are the stamp of adventure, grass stains are the sign of exploration and fruit stains are the aftermath of discovery. Encourage your kids to get messy with our fun activities for happy, healthy, confident kids. We'll be there to sort out the dirty clothes afterwards.
Exploring Colour
A fun outdoor activity for a hot day that will help your child learn about colours and how they mix.
What you’ll need:
What to do:
First, make some ice cubes and add a few drops of food colouring to each one. Try a range of different colours, and try to make colours that mix well, like blue, yellow and red. Set up a play pool or large tub that your child can sit in wearing old clothes or a swimming costume. Start with a few ice cubes of one colour. Ask your child to name the colour and talk about some things they can see that are the same colour. Let them enjoy the cool ice as it starts melting. Now add a second colour and ask them to name that colour. Ask them what they think will happen if the two colours melt together. Help them to mix the colours as the ice melts and ask them to name the new colour that they see.
Alternative Materials:
Change it up:
Make it easy: Use just one or two colours and point out other things of the same colour to your child.
Make it a challenge: Use many colours and have your child point out things that are different shades of each colour (for example, different shades of green in trees and bushes around).
Play with friends: Several children can enjoy this activity together. You could give two or more children a tub each to play in (or an ice cream tub each).
Indoor play: Do this activity in the bath, or use ice cream tubs to melt the ice cubes in.
Developmental areas:
Gross motor skills
Fine motor skills
Imagination
Problem solving
Values:
Curiosity; communication.