Are you looking for a colour-mixing activity, but dread the mess? Look no further. This mess-free colour mixing activity for preschoolers couldn’t be simpler, but still is super fun for little ones! With no prep, simple ingredients you probably already have in your house, and easy clean up, this colour mixing activity is a winner for moms and kids!
Mess-Free Colour Mixing Activity
Hannah started preschool last week (if you follow me on Instagram, you’ll remember the post about her first day).
Despite a lot of worrying on my part, Hannah absolutely loves preschool and is adjusting really well. She’s had a few cranky afternoons, but that’s to be expected after such a big transition (you can read about how to help your child adjust to Kindergarten here; it applies to preschool transitions too!).
I’m really thrilled she’s bonded with her teachers and has even made a “best friend forever” (her words). The class is doing lots of physical activity, learning experiences and playtime!
One of the activities at preschool was a colour mixing activity. She and her class mixed paint to make new colours She thought this was fascinating and has been replicating it at home on her easel.
As you can imagine, paints can get pretty messy and I can’t always supervise her the way I want to with a three month old to look after. I have scrubbed more paint off her clothes in the past week than I care to think about. We are ready to put the easel away for the foreseeable future!
I don’t want her fascination with colour mixing to go away, so I created a fun, mess free version of the paint activity to keep her entertained and engaged in learning about colours using shaving cream and food colouring.
Bonus: In addition to being a colour mixing activity, it also has a sensory component, making it a hit with toddlers and preschoolers!
This activity also allows your child to make and confirm their predictions, which is a foundational STEM skill and connects to making predictions in reading. You know I’ll find an educational connection to any activity, especially reading!!
Materials for Shaving Cream Colour Mixing Activity
- Shaving Cream
- Food Colouring
- Ziploc Bags
- Tape
Instructions for Colour Mixing Activity
- Put a bit of shaving cream into the Ziploc (fill about 1/4 of a bag).
- Pick two primary colours and put a few drops of each in the bag. You can let your preschooler choose. Reminder: if you’re mixing yellow, don’t forget to add about twice the amount of yellow compared to blue or red!
- Zip the bag closed (squeeze as much air out as you can) and tape it shut if you wish
- Have your child predict what colour the shaving cream will turn once it’s mixed up.
- Have your child mix up the colours in the bag.
- Talk about what colour the bag turns. Talk about if your child’s prediction was correct.
Clean up couldn’t be easier. Just toss the bags in the garbage!
OR
Dump the shaving cream into a pan and let your kiddo make swirls with all the colours. You will want to surpervise this part, because the food colouring can stain clothes/hands. Using a spoon or mixing tool will prevent this. A little messier, but still lots of fun!
I’ve got to say, this colour mixing activity is one of my favorite activities Hannah and I have tried to date. No prep, common materials and no clean up. Sounds like a win to me!
What mess-free activities do your kiddos love? Share the wealth below!
I love this activity. Pinning it!