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Bring on the rainbows! Combine rainbow theme art and science for the perfect STEAM activity this season. This coffee filter rainbow craft is excellent for even the non-crafty kiddos. Explore simple science with a colorful take on coffee filter soluble science. Learn more and make this gorgeous spring craft with your kids. Perfect for a weather theme, too!

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DOLLAR STORE RAINBOW CRAFT

Get ready to add this colorful rainbow craft to your lesson plans this year. If you want to learn more about combining art and science for art and craft projects, let’s grab the supplies. While you’re at it, make sure to check out these other fun spring activities.

Our activities and crafts are designed with you, the parent or teacher, in mind! Easy to set up, quick to do, most crafts will take only 15 to 30 minutes to complete and are heaps of fun. Plus, our supplies lists usually contain only free or cheap materials you can source from home.

Find out how coffee filters and washable markers from the Dollar Store transform into a magical rainbow craft.

HOW MANY COLORS ARE IN THE RAINBOW?

There are 7 colors in the rainbow; in order violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red.

How is a rainbow made? A rainbow is formed when light passes through water droplets hanging in the atmosphere. The water droplets break white sunlight into the seven colors of the visible spectrum. You can only see a rainbow when the sun is behind you and the rain in front of you.

Make sure to look out for a rainbow next time it rains! Now let’s make a colorful rainbow craft.

Free Printable Rainbow Activities Guide and STEM Cards

Download this free mini Rainbow pack to get started today!

COFFEE FILTER RAINBOW CRAFT

YOU WILL NEED:

  • Coffee Filters – Dollar Store
  • Washable Markers – Dollar Store
  • Craft Paper; White and Pink – Dollar Store
  • Wiggle Eyes – Dollar Store
  • Glue Sticks – Dollar Store
  • Gallon Size Zipper Bag OR Metal Baking Sheet Pan – Dollar Store
  • Glue Gun
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Water Spray Bottle
  • Permanent Marker
  • Printable Patterns

HOW TO MAKE A COFFEE FILTER RAINBOW

STEP 1. Flatten round coffee filters, and draw colors in circles, in rainbow order with washable marker. (Check out the colors of the rainbow above)

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STEP 2. Place the colored coffee filters on a gallon size zipper bag or metal baking sheet pan and then mist with a water spray bottle. Watch the magic as the colors blend and swirl! Set aside to dry.

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STEP 3. Once dry, fold the coffee filters in half and then cut along the fold with scissors, creating two rainbow shapes from each filter.

STEP 4. Download, print and cut out patterns HERE. Trace one cloud shape onto white craft paper and cut out with scissors. Attach cloud to rainbow with the glue gun and glue sticks. 

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STEP 5. Draw or trace two cheek shapes onto pink craft paper and then cut out with scissors.

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STEP 6. Assemble the Kawaii inspired face on the cloud, using the photo as your guide. Add wiggle eyes, then cheeks. Draw smile on face with permanent marker.

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QUICK AND SIMPLE SOLUBLE SCIENCE

Why do the colors on your coffee filter rainbow blend together? It’s all to do with solubility. If something is soluble that means it will dissolve in that liquid (or solvent). The ink used in these washable markers dissolves in what? The water of course!

In this rainbow craft, the water (solvent) is meant to dissolve the marker ink (solute). For this to happen, the molecules in both the water and the ink must be attracted to each other. When you added drops of water to the designs on the paper, the ink should spread out and run through the paper with the water.

Note: Permanent markers do not dissolve in water but in alcohol. You can see this in action here with our tie-dye Valentine cards.

MORE FUN RAINBOW ACTIVITIES

More fun STEAM activities for kids here!

Printable Rainbow Project Pack

This Rainbow Project Pack is perfect any day of the year if you love rainbows. This is a non-themed pack, so it can be used all year long and not just for March!

  • 10+ Rainbow theme science activities and STEM projects for kids that are easy to set up and fit into your available time, even if it’s limited!
  • Printable Rainbow theme STEAM activities that are simple but engaging for home or classroom. Perfect for K-2 and beyond but easily adaptable to many skill levels.
  • Dive into simple background science explanations to share with kids while they explore hands-on and playful experiments, projects, and activities such as growing crystals, making oobleck, and more!
  • Engaging Rainbow STEM activities pack with theme activities, journal pages, and design process steps! Learn about the design process and think like an engineer while you design and build rainbows and more!
  • Fun rainbow-themed writing and drawing prompt to get kids thinking
  • Try rainbow theme brick building challenges perfect for a brick center, screen-free time, or rainy days!
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  1. Pingback: Rainy day Rainbow Craft – eagleandcompany

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