Three St. Patrick’s Day Science Projects for Preschoolers

Looking for a unique way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your preschooler?  These very simple science experiments for kids is a perfect way to combine the fun holiday staples (like the color green and rainbows) with learning.  Try these science projects for preschoolers and you won’t be sorry!

It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day – a time of green, leprechauns, rainbows, and… science projects?  When you have a preschooler like mine every special occasion is a good reason to do hands on learning!  I’m absolutely going to embrace this side of him and encourage it as much as I can because I think a love of learning is fantastic!

Of course, while I’m doing these science projects for St. Patrick’s Day and am focusing on using green food coloring to make them holiday appropriate, these very simple science experiments for kids can be done any time of the year and can use any food color you’d like!

St. Patrick’s Day Science Projects for Preschoolers

Exploding Volcano

You Need:

• A Cup
• A Baking Sheet
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• One Tbsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 Cup Vinegar
• Food Coloring

Instructions:

1. Place the cup on the baking sheet and put one tablespoon of baking soda into the cup.
2. Combine vinegar with two or three drops of food coloring and then pour into the cup with baking soda.
3. Watch it explode!

Why it Works:

Baking soda is the chemical called sodium bicarbonate and, when combined with vinegar who’s main chemical component is acetic acid, creates carbon dioxide and water which fizz out of the cup.

Skittles Rainbow

You Need:

• Plate that Angles Down
• 1 Bag of Skittles
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Warm Water

Instructions:

1. Put skittles in a circle around the outside of the plate.  Try not to have two skittles of the same color touching!
2. Pour warm water into the center of the plate until there is enough to touch the skittles.
3. Watch the skittles create a rainbow!

Why it Works:

The colored sugar that coats the skittles melts in the warm water and the slope of the plate causes the melted coloring to head toward the center, creating a rainbow.

Magic Milk

You Need:

• Shallow Bowl or Pie Pan
• Whole Milk
• Food Coloring
• Q-Tips
• Dawn Dish Soap

Instructions:

1. Pour milk until it covers the bottom of the dish and is maybe a centimeter or so deep.
2. Sprinkle drops of food coloring – one color or multiple – on the top of the milk.
3. Dip your Q-Tip in the dish soup until the whole cotton part is covered.
4. Gently touch the top of the milk with the Q-Tip and watch what happens!

Why it Works:

Milk is made up of a lot of fats and proteins.  When dish soap is added to the milk, the fat molecules and water molecules in the milk separate and spread apart.  You can’t see it unless there is food coloring in the mix – showing the movement of the molecules.

Your Turn:
What are your favorite science projects for preschoolers?
Were you surprised what happened with any of these projects?

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