Magic Milk Science Experiment For St Patrick's Day

This coloring-changing milk experiment is always a favorite and is so easy to change up with seasons, holidays, and special days! Our St Patrick’s Day Magic Milk is a simple twist on a classic science experiment the kids always enjoy! Explore St. Patrick’s Day science with a St. Patrick’s Day Magic Milk science experiment and enjoy an explosion of color!

Magic Milk Science Experiment For St Patrick’s Day!

EASY CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENTS FOR KIDS

Simple science can be explored all year round with fun themes to make it new and engaging each time! Even something as simple as adding a cookie cutter creates a sense of excitement for young kids. St. Patrick’s Day science ideas are perfect for an easy indoor activity.

No two magic milk science activities will ever be the same! It’s an explosion of color in your dish. Think fireworks and cool chemistry!

Kids are curious creatures and sharing fun and simple science activities at home or in the classroom is just another way to spark the fun in learning. We prefer to keep our science playful too!

WHAT IS CHEMISTRY?

Let’s keep it basic for our younger or junior scientists! Chemistry is all about the way different materials are put together, and how they are made up including atoms and molecules. It’s also how these materials act under different conditions. Chemistry is often a foundation for physics so you will see overlap!

What might you experiment with in chemistry? Classically we think of a mad scientist and lots of bubbling beakers, and yes there is a reaction between bases and acids to enjoy! Also, chemistry involves matter, changes, solutions, and the list goes on and on.

We will be exploring simple chemistry you can do at home or in the classroom that isn’t too crazy, but is still lots of fun for kids!

Looking for easy to print activities, and inexpensive problem-based challenges?

We have you covered…

MAGIC MILK EXPERIMENT

Time to open the cupboards and get set for a little kitchen science…

YOU WILL NEED:

Full Fat Milk
Green Food Coloring
Dawn Dish Soap
Cotton Swabs
Shamrock Cookie Cutter

HOW TO MAKE MAGIC MILK:

STEP 1: Start by pouring your milk into a baking dish or another flat bottom surface. You don’t need a lot of milk, just enough to cover the bottom and then some.

Your kids will probably want to try this one over and over again!

STEP 2: Next, you want to cover the surface of the milk with drops of color! Use traditional green for St. Patrick’s Day or a mix of rainbow colors. Add a cookie cutter too!

STEP 3: You can pour a bit of dish soap into a small bowl. Next, touch your cotton swab tip to the dish soap to coat it. Then bring it over to your milk dish and gently touch the swab to the surface of the milk! What happens?

Make sure to read the science below to learn more about this cool chemical reaction between the milk and the soap.

Remember each time you try making magic milk it will be a little different. It’s a fun fireworks theme science activity for Valentine’s Day, 4th of July or New Years! Even make a pastel surprise for Easter! We made Christmas Magic Milk too!

MAGIC MILK EXPLAINED

This color changing milk experiment gets its burst of color from chemistry…

The interaction between the dish soap and the fat and the water in the milk is what makes the magic happen. Dish soap is made up of molecules that can both dissolve in water and are attracted to and dissolve fat.

The dish soap does not mix with the milk. Instead it floats on top and spreads over the surface. As it spreads, it grabs the food colouring. Soap is a “degreaser” so the molecules in it are attacking the fat in the milk, causing motion which creates the swirling of the colours.

The soap heads for the fats creating the cool bursting of color. When there is no more movement, all the fat molecules have been found. Are there any more hiding? Try another q-tip dipped in soap!

MAGIC MILK SCIENCE PROJECT

If you want to make this a true science experiment where you are adding a bit of scientific method to your activity, you need to change one variable and keep all other variables the same. Learn more about the scientific method for kids.

Turn this magic milk activity into an easy science fair project by investigating what happens when you change the type of milk used. Explore other varieties of milk including reduced fat milk, heavy cream, and even non-dairy milk!