Dancing Rainbow Corn Experiment

Ever been to a dance party where both you and the dance floor were moving? Neither have we, but we bet it’d be as much fun as our Dancing Rainbow Corn Experiment! A beautiful blend of vibrant colors, fizzy reactions, and dancing corn, this experiment promises not just fun but also a chance for your little one to delve into the captivating world of science. And guess what? It’s super simple!

But before we jump into the groove, let’s set the scene. Picture this: a mason jar filled with water and a riot of colors, where tiny corn kernels painted in rainbow shades boogie away, bobbing up and down like they’re on the dance floor. Sound like magic? Well, it’s science (which, let’s be honest, is basically magic anyway)! Let’s get started.

WILL YOU SET UP THIS DANCING RAINBOW CORN EXPERIMENT? PIN IT FOR LATER!

Materials

• Dyed Kernels of corn (about 1 cup use less if your jar is smaller) (find instructions to dye corn here)
• Water
• Mason jar (1 quart size should do)
• 2 tablespoon baking soda
• 1-2 cups vinegar

Step-by-step Instructions

1. The Dance Floor: Fill your mason jar halfway with water.
2. Add the corn: Add about 1 cup of dye corn (you can also use regular undid corn).
3. Prep the Magic Potion: Mix the 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the jar until it has dissolved.
4. Dance Time: Slowly add 1-2 cups of vinegar. Let your little one pour and stir – a great way to enhance their coordination. Expect some giggles as this combo gets fizzy!
5. Watch the Show: As the reaction between the baking soda and vinegar produces carbon dioxide bubbles, they’ll attach to the corn kernels, lifting them to the top. Once the bubbles pop, the kernels will sink, and the process starts all over. It’s a dance like no other!

Making It Fun & Easy

• Creative Corn: Instead of sticking to just one color per kernel, let your child mix and match for multi-colored corn. It’s a delightful sensory and creativity boost!
• Guessing Game: Before the kernels start dancing, make a little guess: Which color will dance the most? Which one will rise first? It’s a fantastic way to sharpen observational skills.
• Musical Backdrop: Play some dance tunes in the background. If the corn can dance, so can you!

Skills Learned

Apart from the undeniable fun, this experiment is a wonderful educational opportunity.

1. Scientific Curiosity: Your child will learn about chemical reactions in the most delightful way possible.
2. Fine Motor Skills: Painting the tiny kernels refines those little hand movements.
3. Observation & Prediction: The guessing game enhances their ability to observe, predict, and draw conclusions.

Whew! Who knew science could be such a blast? As you and your little scientist wrap up, take a moment to talk about the dancing kernels. Ask them what they think made the corn dance. Their answers might just surprise you and give you the biggest chuckle of the day!

Science Behind Dancing Rainbow Corn Experiment

Do you know how in cartoons, when someone drinks a fizzy soda, they burp out big bubbles? Well, this experiment is a bit like that, but with a twist!

When you mixed the baking soda (a base) and the vinegar (an acid), they chatted together and made lots and lots of tiny bubbles. These bubbles are like the burps from a fizzy drink. These bubbles are filled with something called carbon dioxide.

Now, imagine you’re in a pool, and you grab a floatie. What happens? You go up to the surface, right? The same thing happens with our corn kernels. The bubbles stick to the kernels like little floaties and lift them to the top of the water. But once they get there, the bubbles pop (like bursting a balloon) and say, “Bye-bye!” This makes the kernels lose their floatie and sink back down.

Then, new bubbles come and pick up the kernels again, and they dance up and down, up and down, just like you would on a bouncy castle!

So, in short, the baking soda and vinegar make bubbles, the bubbles lift the corn, and that’s how our corn gets to have a fun dance party in the jar!

Age Suitability

This activity is good for toddlers aged children 3 years old and up with adult assistance.

Mess Level

The mess level for this activity is low.

Difficulty to Create 

Easy.

Toddler and Preschooler Curriculums, Books & TV Show!

Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers

There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!

But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.

Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.

Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again! 

These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!

Click here for more information: Play2Learn

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids

Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon. 

Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids

Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more. 

Find out more and grab your copy here.

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids

Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.

• 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
• Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
• Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.

Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!

Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.

TV Show: Curious Crafting

I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.

Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!

Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.

In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create. 

Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.

This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up. 

The Best Sensory Play Kits for Kids

Play is at the core of learning during the early years and it can take many forms. One of the most important of these is sensory play because it engages all of a child’s senses (taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing) and has a enoumous positive impact on brain development.

Our Sensory Play Kits are some fun and easy ways to keep your child engaged while at the same time using sensory play to nurture their mind!

Shop our ready made play kits here.

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

WILL YOU SET UP THIS DANCING RAINBOW CORN EXPERIMENT? PIN IT FOR LATER!