Magic Milk
What you need
- a plate with a rim
- a little milk
- food colouring in two or three colours
- washing-up liquid
- a cotton bud
How to do it
- Pour enough milk onto the plate to cover the bottom.
- Add a few drops of each food colouring near the middle.
- Dip the end of the cotton bud in a little washing-up liquid.
- Let them touch the cotton bud onto the milk and hold it still.
- Watch the colours burst out and swirl, then try touching a new spot.
Why it matters
The colours shoot away the moment the cotton bud touches the milk, which looks like a magic trick every single time.
What they're learning
- Watching closely
- The colours move fast, so it takes a still body and a careful look.
- Cause and effect
- Touching the milk makes the colours move, every single time.
- Naming colours
- Colours mixing into new ones gives you plenty to talk about.
What to look for
Watch their face at the first touch. Then see whether they want to touch a new spot or the same one again.
A tip
Full fat milk works best. This one is for watching, not drinking, so tip it away when you finish.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: do the touching together, your hand over theirs
Harder: ask them to guess where the colours will go before each touch
