Mixing two colors together makes….a third color! This activity invites your child to practice naming colors and discover what happens when they combine.

What You’ll Need:

• Icing or shaving cream 

• Food coloring 

• Two small bowls

• Toothpick or spatula

• Large ziptop bag  and tape OR cookie sheet (the cookie sheet option is more tactile, but opt for the bag if you’re looking for low-mess)

Instructions:

• Fill your ziptop bag with icing or shaving cream.

• Select two colors of food coloring. 

• Add a few drops of each color into the bag and tape it down to a working surface. 

• Have your child use their fingers to squish and mix the colors together. 

• Put icing or shaving cream into two small bowls. 

• Add 1-3 drops of a color into the bowl and fold the color into the icing/cream.

• Scoop the colored icing/cream into the bag or onto the cookie sheet and let your child mix the two colors.

Play Tips:

• No food coloring? No problem! You can use paint instead. Just skip the shaving cream or icing and use a ziptop bag to contain the paint. 

• Older kids can treat this activity like a mini-science experiment by answering the question, “What happens if…?” Even if they already know their color combinations, they’ll benefit from seeing the changes in action! 

• If using food coloring, create a follow-up for this activity by making a colorful batch of cookies or a cup of milk!