Density of Water Experiment for Kids

Here is another great idea to help teach kids about the density of water. A simple experiment like this is ideal for helping your children understand basic science concepts while having fun playing with a sensory project.

Learning about the density of water has never been easier. Using some basic ingredients and supplies you already have on hand in your kitchen makes this fun science experiment for kids easy to manage. Grab the supplies, and get ready for your kids to learn while playing with a cool sensory experiment.

Density of Water Experiment for Kids

Supplies Needed:

honey
milk
vegetable oil
liquid dish soap
water colored with food coloring
turkey baster
small objects
tall vase or glass

Directions:

1. Pour honey into your glass until it’s about 1/2″ up the glass. We got a little carried away with our honey!

2. Add milk to the glass by drawing it up into the turkey baster and gently pour it against the side of the glass. It should sit on top of the honey.

*Make sure you rinse your turkey baster in between the addition of each liquid.

3. Repeat with the dishwashing liquid soap. Making sure you add it slowly and with a turkey baster on the side of the glass.

4. Follow with a fourth layer of colored water. Slowly trickle the liquid into the glass.

5. Lastly, add the vegetable oil.

6. Gently drop in objects such as ping pong balls, grapes, cherry tomatoes, screws, toys, and coins. Observe what happens.

Concept Demonstrated: Every liquid has a different density. Each of these items is made of molecules and each of the molecules is packed differently.

Oil has wide space in between their molecules making it less dense than water.
Water molecules are tightly packed, liquid detergent molecules mix with water.
Milk is a combination of sugar, proteins, water and a bit of oil.
Honey is water and dissolved sugar.

Learning Objective: Not all liquids are the same. When carefully poured into a tower like layer, each liquid has a different density. This means how tightly the molecules are crowded together. The density of each liquid allows them to sit on top of each other when carefully poured.

Adding objects shows which items are denser than the liquids. Had we been more careful, we would have been able to see some items floating within the specific liquids.

As you can see, this is a fun experiment that teaches children all about the density of water and how it works with objects and various liquids. At the end, your kids will enjoy playing with what they drop in the water and have fun with some easy sensory play.