Color Mixing with Liquid Watercolors

 Have you tried liquid watercolors yet?  They are a playgroup staple!

One of the simplest, yet most intriguing way for children to explore this medium is to use droppers.  

Children explore the scientific concepts of color mixing, while dropping small amounts of the paint onto paper towel, fabric, or water color paper.

What you need: 

-Liquid watercolors

- Droppers (you can use small ones to promote fine motor control, or large ones for younger children who are just gaining hand strength)

-water color paper, fabric, paper towels, or coffee filters

-Cups to pour the paint into (I dilute the paint with water.  I put just a few squirts of paint and fill the cup the rest of the way with water)

-A tray to work on (this will keep the paint from running all over your table)

-Old clothes or a smock

Why this play invitation is good for children:

It promotes scientific inquiry.  Children can engage in cause and effect investigations.  What will happen if I mix the yellow and the red paints together? What will happen if I fill the entire dropper?

Children will use eye-hand coordination and their pincer grip when operating the droppers. 

The invitation is open-ended.  This means that there is no right or wrong way for the children to interact with the materials.  The value is in the process and not the product.  However, you can turn those beautifully painted pieces into creations of their own once you finish.