Colorful art and science! How to make marbled oobleck any time. Plus we love fun science and oobleck is definitely fun science! Here’s how to make colored oobleck for perfect science, art, and sensory play! Also great for a STEAM lesson plan. Make sure to check out our colorful oobleck sensory science play too for a different take on the classic science experiment.
Marbled Oobleck Science, Art, and Sensory Play
Marbled Oobleck Science
Oobleck is usually a mixture of cornstarch and water. Roughly a 2:1 ratio but you can tinker with the ratio to find a desired consistency that still maintains the properties of oobleck. What’s the science of oobleck? Well, it’s a solid. No wait it’s a liquid! Wait again, it’s both! Very fascinating to be exact. Pick up solid chunks, pack it into a ball and watch it ooze into a liquid. This is called a non-newtonian liquid, a substance that acts like both a liquid and a solid. It’s fun just plain white but why not try our marbled oobleck too! Read about Non-newtonian science play here!
Supplies Needed for Easy Marbled Oobleck
Cornstarch, Water, Food Coloring, Bowl and spoon, tray, skewers or toothpicks
Mixing Marbled Oobleck
To start our marbled oobleck activity, I mixed up a bath of plain white oobleck. I used about a coup of cornstarch and 1/2 a cup of water. Usually I keep it on the drier side, but I did make it a bit wetter this time. Though I did make sure to keep it a true oobleck.
I emptied the white oobleck into a tray {dollar store}. He used the food coloring to make drops of color on the oobleck wherever he wanted. He experimented with putting colors near each other or on top of each other. He even shook the pan around {seen above}. I gave him a skewer {or a toothpick or plastic knife} for the marbled oobleck part of the activity!
He also used a skewer and a spoon to move around the different colors to make our marbled oobleck. He loved the swirls and how the colors mixed and twisted into each other. “Take a picture of this one, mom!” is what I heard a lot.
He thought this marbled oobleck experiment was a cool art activity too.
He wondered if the colors would transfer to paper. What a great experiment to try. I grabbed a piece of construction paper, and we gently pressed it on top of the marbled oobleck. He was pleased with the result, and I am sure you could try it at different stages of the marbled oobleck to see what would happen.
Marbled oobleck is awesome messy science play! He mixed and scooped until it was a solid color. All the while he was talking about liquids and solids. He also let me know this time that it was a non-newtonian fluid, so he is listening!
Beautiful Easy Marbled Oobleck Sensory Play!
This science sensory play recipe is quick and fast. You probably have all the ingredients you need in your kitchen cupboard. Kitchen science is the best. Use what you have and enjoy playful preschool learning at home or at school. Play with colors!
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