- 15 - 25 mins
- Experimentation, critical thinking, colour mixing
- Minimal mess
Want to see some magic that is real? If so, you must try out this magic milk experiment. It’s so simple, easy to set up and is so effective and mesmerising!
Magic milk is a hands-on science experiment that will nurture curiosity, encourage critical thinking and is a great introduction to understanding chemical reaction and colour mixing. Your children will have a load of fun watching the colours mix, and swirl around the milk creating amazing firework patterns as the chemical reaction takes place. The best part about this activity is there is minimal preparation and requires everyday household items and can be repeated again and again, and again!
Children and adults alike will be captivated by this brilliant activity. Don’t waste time, let the magic begin!
What you will need
- Milk
- Dish liquid/detergent
- Liquid food colouring
- Cotton tips
- Cotton balls
- Large shallow dish
Activity steps
This experience is great one to involve your children in the set up. I encourage you to have your children help you and be part of the process- it not only adds to the excitement but also supports self-help skills too.
Set up:
- Pour some milk into a jug and encourage your child to pour a thin layer of milk in your shallow dish. Using a jug will help your child manage this step.
- Allow your child to drop a few drops of food colouring randomly around the surface of the milk. Using a few different colours is ideal and will provide more of an effect.
- Put some detergent in a smaller container and have your child dip their cotton-ball or cotton tip into the detergent.
- Now, put the cotton-ball or cotton tip into the milk. Push it don gently in one spot and hold there for a few seconds and watch the magic take place.
- Let your children observe what is happening- let them take in the magic and learning that’s happening right there in front of them. They may have some questions for you about how it all works or perhaps they will be satisfied enough to just observe. I encourage you to talk to your children using open-ended question. Open-ended questions allow your children to formulate their own responses and open up opportunities for meaningful conversations.
Here are some open-ended questions to ask your child:
- What do you see happening?
- What happens when you put the cotton tip or cotton ball into the milk?
- Why do you think that happens?
- What else did you notice?
Here’s how the magic milk experience actually works:
Milk is made up of minerals, proteins and fats. When the detergent is added to the milk, the fat breaks up. The molecules then run around the milk trying to find the fat to attach to; that’s what you see when you see the food colouring swirling around the dish. The food colouring highlights this reaction. When there is no more movement in the milk the fat molecules have all been found.
For a more in depth and scientific explanation click here.
Learning Outcomes
- Colour mixing concepts
- Experimentation
- Questioning
- Critical thinking
- Fine motor development
Reference sites
We would like to acknowledge these amazing sites that have inspired us to create this activity. Thank you!