​Valentine’s Day Oobleck Science Activity

 

​​Water, cornstarch, liquid watercolor, Kindness Hearts, and Tuff Tray for Becker’s ECE sensory activity.​

 

A hands-on Valentine’s Day sensory activity using colorful Oobleck that invites children to explore texture, transformation, and cause-and-effect together. Squeeze, tap, and scoop this mysterious mixture all while observing, making predictions, and building early learning science concepts through hands-on play.

 

Ages/Grades

Toddlers (with support)

Preschool

Early Elementary

 

Learning Domains

Fine Motor Development

Science

Math

Language Development

 

Materials:

  • • Sensory Table, Deep Spot Tuff Tray or another suitable container
  • • 2 cups cornstarch
  • • 1 cup warm water
  • • adjust quantities as needed, maintaining the 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part water ratio

Optional:

 

Preparation:

Before inviting children, take a few moments to: 

  • • Choose a shared location where multiple children can gather comfortably
  • • Prepare for mess with intention, offering smocks, rolled sleeves, or towels nearby 
  • • Collect your materials so everything is close at hand
  • • Plan to stay nearby, ready to narrate, model gentle use of tools, and support turn-taking as needed 

This preparation helps this early learning sensory activity feel predictable and welcoming.

 

Ready, Set, Play!

 

Activity Step 1Starting with cornstarch on your play surface, slowly add the warm water, stirring to combine.

 

Activity Step 2Continue until all of the water has been added. Stir until the Oobleck is thick but fluid.

 

Activity Step 3If desired, add a few drops of the liquid watercolor and gently swirl. 

 

​​Pouring water dyed with Becker’s Washable Liquid Watercolor over cornstarch in Tuff Tray​

 

Activity Step 4Invite children to explore with their hands or tools, encouraging them to share observations and to describe their experience, noticing how the material changes when pressed, poured, or released. 

 

​​​​Mixing cornstarch and pink-dyed water to make Valentine-themed sensory Oobleck activity provided by Beckers.​

 

Allow the children to explore with hands and simple tools, then offer additional sensory accessories to extend children’s discoveries.

 

Engage Children in Conversation

 

  • • What happens when you squeeze it?
  • • What do you notice when you open your hand?
  • • Let’s try something together: let’s tap it quickly with our finger, like this; and now more slowly, like this. What do you notice?
  • • I wonder what would happen if we tried to roll it into a ball.
  • • Let’s see how many words we can come up with to describe our Oobleck. I wonder if our words will be the same or different!

 

Extensions

 

  • • Add cups or funnels to encourage pouring and shared problem-solving
  • • Introduce a second color and invite children to observe what happens when colors meet

 

Modifications

 

  • • For younger children, offer thicker Oobleck and limit tools to hands and large scoops
  • • For children who prefer less mess, offer gloves or a selection of tools for indirect exploration
  • • Keep hand towels or wipes nearby so children can clean their hands with ease and frequency
  • • Offer tools of varying sizes to support diverse motor abilities

 

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