Marker Color Climb

What you need

• Crayons or markers, 4 to 6 washable markers
• Clear cups, 2
• Water, about 1 inch per cup
• Plate or tray, 1 (optional)
• Paper, 1 sheet for guesses (optional)
• Paper towels, a few sheets
• Pencil, 1
• Kid scissors, 1 pair

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Cut paper towel strips, set out washable markers and cups with a little water. Ten minutes of calm science follows.

1. Pour about 1 inch of water into each cup.
2. Pick a marker and make your guess. What colors might be hiding inside it?
   Ask: Do you think black ink is only black, or could it be hiding other colors?
3. Draw a thick, round dot near the bottom of a paper towel strip.
4. Make a few more strips, each with a different marker.
5. Hang a strip over the cup so only its bottom tip touches water.
   Ask: What do you think will happen when the water touches the paper?
6. Watch the water climb up the strip. Look closely!
7. Look for colors splitting apart as the ink travels.
   Ask: Which color travels farthest? Which one stays behind?
8. When the water nears the top, lay the strips flat to dry.
9. Now try more markers, or show a friend! Which marker hides the most colors?
   Ask: Which strip would you hang on the fridge?

Play it again

• Race day: hang two strips at the same time and see which marker's colors climb higher.
• Mystery marker: a friend picks a marker in secret, you test it, and guess which one it was from the colors.
• Salty twist: stir a pinch of salt into one cup and compare how the colors climb.