Yellow+Blue=

I mentioned before that I've been following some great "mommy blogs" with lots of crafty ideas to try.  There are some products that get used a lot, and shaving cream is one of them.  We have used it a few times, but most recently for a color mixing activity.

I set the table up with an invitation for Eli....zip-lock bags, shaving cream, food coloring, and a piece of paper with some funky problems on them.  Eli quickly came over to try and figure out what was going on. 

Once I explained that the words matched the colors they were written in, Eli was able to "read" the sheet and make his predictions as to what happens when you add one color to another.

 

I thought he knew, but clearly he has not mastered it.  Turned out to be a perfect activity to reinforce what happens when you mix colors.  And since....he's been quizzing himself as we drive around in the car.  "What do yellow and red make again, Mommy?"

 

Eli loved helping me fill the bags with shaving cream.  Trickier than I anticipated.

We added 5 drops of each color.  He LOVES using the food coloring.

Mix, mix, mix!  What a fabulous sensory experience this was for Eli.  He had fun squishing the shaving cream around, but usually asked me to finish it.  Next time, I will add tape to the top of the bags.  I was so worried that they would pop open, spewing dyed shaving cream everywhere.  It only happened once...and in my hands.  Whew!  Got lucky.  Wouldn't risk it again though.

Corrected his guesses.  And from there, I let him add drops to different bags to see what happened and increase the intensity or hue.  Nothing really dynamic to report, so he was ready to move on to another activity.  All in all....

....success!  He had a blast and learned a bit along the way.  Eli proudly hung his color mixing chart on the refrigerator.  A definite success.