Coffee Filter Rainbow Craft

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

MAKE A RAINBOW CRAFT THIS SPRING

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.

COFFEE FILTER RAINBOW CRAFT

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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)

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.

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.

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

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.

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

MAKE A COLORFUL RAINBOW CRAFT

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