July 29, 2024

Easy Jelly Bean Science Experiment – Pretty Rainbow STEM Activity

Get ready to amaze your kids with this stunning jelly bean experiment! This hands-on jelly bean science experiment is a playful way to learn about density, surface tension, dissolving, and so much more while having fun with a rainbow activity for spring. Use this jelly bean STEM activity to engage kids from preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd, gradena nd 4th graders. Let’s make learning fun with this colorful and exciting spring science project!

Jelly Bean Experiment

This beautiful spring activity for kids allows kids to use STEAM skills (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) to create a beautiful rainbow activity for March, April, and May. This Jelly Bean Experiment is lots of fun for preschoolers, kindergartners, toddlers, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, and grade 4 students. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or homeschooler – you will love this jelly bean stem activity to make learning fun. Use this jelly bean challenge at home, in the classroom, or as a spring activity in your homeschool.

Plus don’t miss magical Color Changing Milk Experiment, learn how to make magnetic slime, and over 100 food experiments for kids

Jelly bean science experiment

STEM activities engage kids in using interdisciplinary skills from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math to find solutions to inquiries through hands-on investigation. The Jelly Bean STEM Rainbow activity is a simple exploration that invites kids to critical thinking through discovery. Try engineering your own Jelly Bean Rainbow with simple household items for a FUN seasonal STEM challenge!

Science: Kids will explore the design and construction of a jelly bean rainbow through individual (or collaborative) use of skills in the scientific method: observing, communicating, comparing, organizing, and relating.
Technology: Kids will use digital cameras to photograph a sequence of events and for documentation of learning.
Engineering: Kids will exhibit simple attempts at design and construction.
Math: Kids will explore patterns, patterning, colors, lines, and elapsed time through the jelly bean activity.

Jelly Bean STEM for kids: Engineering a rainbow

Jelly bean STEM activity

Jelly beans are thought to have been invented by William Schrafft, a Boston candy maker. Schrafft is believed to have encouraged families to send his jelly beans to soldiers during the Civil War. By the 19th century, jelly beans were a common household name. Jelly beans were the first candy sold by weight instead of by the piece in the United States.

Rainbow Activity

Prior to the activity, set the stage for the inquiry by discussing the following questions and inviting kids to make a prediction:

Which liquid, water or vinegar, will dissolve the jelly bean colors faster?
Do you think the jelly bean colors will dissolve at different rates?

vinegar and water experient with dissolving candy

Dissolving Experiment

All you need for this fun jelly bean experiment are a few simple materials you probabaly already have on hand:

Materials needed:

One standard bag of jelly beans (any brand)
Two foam or paper plates
Two cups (to hold water and vinegar)
1 c. water and 1 c. vinegar
Stopwatch or timer
One printable recording sheet for documentation of learning
Pencil or Marker

Jelly Beans and Water STEM Activity for Kids

Science experiment with jelly beans

Invite kids to arrange the jelly beans in a color pattern around the edge of a paper plate (kids can use ALL colors in the bag to pattern with or choose only 2-3 jelly bean colors if desired).
After the jelly beans are arranged (this is a great fine motor activity for younger kids), choose one of the liquids to begin. Pour the liquid slowly onto the center of the paper plate and observe closely as the liquid disperses.
Start the timer as soon as all the liquid is poured onto the paper plate.
Invite kids to photograph the jelly beans as the colors begin to dissolve and throughout the remainder of the exploration.

Rainbow Activity for Preschoolers

As soon as all the colors meet in the center of the paper plate, stop the timer.
Do the experiment by repeating the steps above with the second liquid – invite kids to note any differences they see between the two experiments.

Spring Science

Experiment follow-up:

What did you observe during the experiment? Kids can look at the photos they took to explain verbally.
Did one color of jelly bean dissolve faster than the others?
Was your prediction correct?
Did you like the experiment?
What would you do differently if you could do the experiment again.

Jelly bean science preschool

Read about the history of jelly beans.
Try to locate jelly beans in all colors of the rainbow.
Try different liquids for the investigation: milk, hot water, lemon-lime soda, or lemon or lime juice.
Jelly Bean Water Displacement Experiment
20 Jelly Bean Crafts & Activities for Kids

This beautiful butterfly craft for kids helpds kids explore science by making stunning chromatography butterflies! This easy butterfly craft is fun for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th graders. Besides creating a fun butterfly craft idea, you will learn about chromatography for kids. This is a fun coffee fitler craft, spring science experiment or summer activity for kids!

Teach electricity for kids with this fun lemon clock project. In this lemon electricity experiment children will discover how acidic lemon juic conducts electricity. WOW your children with this lemon experiment is fun for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th graders. Keep reading to find out how to make a lemon clock at home!

Helping children gras the concept of solid liquid gas for kids is tricky - students learn best by seeing and touching and you can't do either with gas. This states of matter for kids project allows you to EASILY introduce the 3 states of matter for kids using balloons! This solid liquid gas kindergarten, pre-k, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and up is perfect for summer learning, science lesson, and more. WE've also included a wy to turn this into a density experiment for kids as well!Plus don't miss the printable states of matter worksheet pdf to explore the concept further!

Even your reluctant learner will get excited to try this easy science experiment where you will product a HUGE erruption! In this classic Mentos and Soda Experiment you will mix a couple simple materials to produce a chemical reaction. This mentos in Coke project is a MUST TRY for kids of all ages from preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th graders too. Even adults love trying the coke and mentos experiment. Don't worry, we'll give you the diet coke and mentos experiment results explained so you get all the learning out of this fun summer activity for kids!

If you are teaching your child about plant science for kids, you will want to take a peak at these plant science experiments and activities! Whether you are learning about - we've got science worksheets and projects to help kids learn. Use these ideas to round-out your science lessons with preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade, 9th grade, 10th grade, 11th grade, and 12th grader.

If you are looking for a fun, simple way for kids to learn about the life cycle of a frog, then you will love these no-prep, free printable life cycle of a frog worksheet pages. Use these frog life cycle worksheets with elementary age students in pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade too. Simply print the frog life cycle printables and you are ready to learn with some simple spring science!

This pretty butterfly craft is as fun to make as it is beautiful! This shaving cream craft is surprisingly SIMPLE to make, but with incredibly complex colors in the marbling of painting with shaving cream. Toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and up will want to make this butterfly craft for kids! So add this shaving cream art project to your bucket list of summer crafts for kids!

Here is a fun way to turn a trip to the zoo into a fun, educational sceince field trip! These zoo field trip worksheet will help your kids to explore the zoo more in-depth. We've included zoo animals worksheet for first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students. Plus preschool zoo activities including zoo coloring pages perfect for toddler, preschool, and pre-k students. Finally create an animal report where kindergarten and elementary age students can draw animals they see and write down interesting information too. Simply download pdf file with zoo animal printables and you are ready to play and learn!

If you are looking for ideas for cute homemade bird feeders you have come to the right spot. We have LOTS of clever bird feeders to make with kids. From pinecone, milk jug, and suet DIY bird feeder ideas to bird feeder crafts too. These easy bird feeders include lots of projects for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th graders too. The hardest part is figuring out which DIY bird feeder for kids to make first!

growing a rainbow capillary action experiment

Have you ever tried making a Rainbow in a Jar project? If you haven't tried this classic density experiment, I'm going to show you how easy it is to make with a few common household items! This rainbow science experiment is so pretty and will amaze your preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students. Try this rainbow experiment as part of a weather theme, St Patricks Day activity, a rainbow theme or a spring activity for kids.

Beautiful Rainy Day Craft for Kids - this is such a fun to make craft in the rain! All you need is crayon and bleeding tissue paper to make this stunning sunset art project for kids. perfect for spring or summer kids activities or summer bucket list for your toddler, preschool, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade #rain #craftforkids #kidsactivities

Kids of all ages will have fun making this cheerful Bunny Craft perfect for springtime or as an easter bunny crafts. You will love the clever way this toilet paper roll bunny uses a paper roll in a completely different way than most bunny crafts for preschoolers! This easter craft for kids is perfect for toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade students.

These EASY Mason Jar Lid Crafts are such a fun, beautiful flower summer craft that is fun-to-make and simply stunning! This flower crafts for kids will keep your favorite flowers preserved to enjoy all summer long. Make this mason jar lid suncatcher with preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th graders. So grab some flowers and start making these crafts using mason jar lids.

Looking for a fun summer activity for kids? You are going to love blowing colorful snake bubble. This sock bubbles activity is super simple and such an easy summer activity idea for toddlder, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders too. It takes blowing bakcyard bubles to a new level making long, colorful snakes with a simple technique using a sock and a plastic bottle. You've got to try this bubble snake experiment.

EPIC Bubble Painting - kids of all ages will love this fun summer art project where they will make a bubble craft by blowing bubbles. Recipe included for this fun to make, easy, summer activity for kids!

Looking for a fun, engaging pasta craft? This pretty stained glass pasta project has so many different possibilities to let your children explore their creativity, create something unique and beautiful, and strengthen coordination with those little hands. In this pasta art you will use dyed pasta to creat a beautiful stained glass craft. This stained glass art for kids is perfect for toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, and 2nd graders.

Spring is the time for field trips to the local zoo. In an attempt to make our homeschool field trips extra fun (and educational) I created these super cute, zoo scavenger hunt templates. We have lots of choices with these zoo scavenger hunt printable pack to accomidate kids of all ages from toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten to elementary age students in first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students. Whether you use the simple animal scavenger hunt or learn about endagered animals or animal habitats in one of these zoo scavenger hunt ideas - kids will have fun learning about zoology in science. Simply download free printable scavenger hunt pdf file and you are ready to learn about animals with this printable scavenger hunt at your local zoo.

Celebrate the arrival of spring or fall with this cute bug theme filled with a weeks worth of educatioanl bug activities for kids! This insect theme preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade students has lots of preschool insect theme printables plus bug math activities, insect alphabet activities, and so much more!

Homemade Bubble Solution for GIANT Bubbles - simple and amazing diy bubbles recipe for toddler, preschool, and children of all ages for fun summer activities for kids. A must add to your summer bucket list

Make learning fun this springtime with these fun, creative, and Free printable spring activities. We have spring worksheets to work on spring math and literacy activities. We also have spring science filled with fun spring activity ideas for kids of all ages from toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and up! Whether you have a whole spring theme going on or are just looking for a fun kite, flower, rain, frog, umbrella, seeds and garden, baby animals, bunny, caterpillar, or butterfly ideas - you will love these spring crafts, projects, and educational ideas!

These super EASY to make marshmallow shooters are a must for your summer bucket list. This summer activity for kids is not only fun, but it is actually a STEM activity for kids too! Students assemble, tweak, and design this simple marshmallow cannon to try to get the most distance they can. THis is such a simple, but fun summer activities your preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, and elementary age students in first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grdae, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students will want to try over summer break!

DIY Lava Lamp - super easy way to make your own lava lamp with simple things you have around your house. This homemade lava lamp is such a fun science project for kids of all ages to sneak in some summer learning. This science experiment is for toddlers, preschoolers, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and kids of all ages at home, homeschool, summer camps, classroom, etc.

Looking for a really fun and memorable science experiment for kids? You will love these EPIC pop rocks experiment. Try this pop rocks science experiment with preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th grade students to try a simple chemical reaction. This Whether you try this pop rocks science experiments for homeschool science, at a science birthday party, or as part of a summer science project - this is a MUST try, really cool science experimentkids will LOVE.

things to do in the rain! We've got over 50 fun, engaging rainy day activity for kids to try! From rainy day crafts to rainy day activities - we've got so many creative things to do on a rainy day. Get ready to have the BEST day ever with these things to do on a rainy day at home with toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students!

This vinegar and baking soda rocket is an out-of-this-world fun AND educational summer activity for kids! Preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students will enjoy making the baking soda rocket. This how to make a bottle rocket project is one of those really cool science projects your kids will remember forever!

One of the most visible areas of science is weather science! Every day we say changing weather like rain, wind, and cloud formations. Kids will have fun learning what is air pressure and how it impacts weather with engaging air pressure experiments using eggs, ping pong balls, and a burning candle project. Children will also learn about the water cycle with engaging water cycle activities where they will build their own model or a water cycle in a bag to watch how water changes from a liquid to gas. Finally, students will enjoy lots of weather activities like making a weather vane, growing a rainbow, types of cloud activities, rain in a jar, and lots of free weather printables and weather worksheets! You can create a whole weather theme with all these fabulous resources for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th graders.

Get ready for Earth Day on April 22nd with these fun and creative earth day crafts for kids of all ages! These earth day crafts preschool,pre-k, toddler, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders are a fun way to celebrate the beautiful planet we live on. These earth crafts are a fun way to get kids thinking about protecting the place we call home with Earth day crafts for kids

Kids are going to love this really fun Frozen Rainbow Eruptions science activity where kids will make beautiful rainbows as they create a chemical reaction! This baking soda and vinegar experiment! This rainbow activities for preschoolers usese a couple simple materials for a mesmerizing, colorful preschool summer activity! Use this rainbow science with toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders.

Edible Ice Cream Playdough Recipe - amazing 2 ingredient playdough recipe perfect for toddler, preschool, kindergarten and kids of all ages for an ice cream thing, kids activity, or summer bucket list

Ready? Set. GO! This really fun car activity for kids is sure to be a hit. Whether you race your cars outside as a summer activity or indoors as a rainy day activity for kids - this is EPIC! This pool noodle activity is fun for toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd graders, and up. Just grab a pool noodle, duct tape, and our free printable to create a cool hot wheels race tarck in just 5 minutes!

Fun to make and amazing bubble artwork for kids

Your kids love mazes, but they've never seen something as incredibly COOL as this maze potato! This potato maze will blow kids away as they watch potatoes grow, learn about plants and their need to head towards the light. This plant activity for kids is perfect for spring or summer learning. All you need to try stem activities are a few items you probabaly have around the house to try this plant experiments for kids from preschool, kindergarten, pre-k, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders too!

Kids are going to love this crazy cool bouncy egg experimert! Children will be amazed by this egg experiment where they will literally dissolve the shell of a raw egg to create a bouncy egg. This bouncy egg vinegar project is fun for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th grade students. Plus our version of this egg in vinegar experiment has a fun, colorful twist!

Spring Activities

How big is a Raindrop Experiment for kids, Marshmallow Shooters – go over 30 feet, or 2 ingredient Easy Slime Recipe, or How to Make a Lava Lamp
Kids will no nuts over this simple Pop Rock Experiment, Density water balloon science experiment, 50+ Best spring books for kids
Fun-to-Make, Beautiful Chromatography Butterflies for kids, Vinegar and Baking soda Rocket Experiment, or Outrageously cool Lemon Clock project for kids,
Making butter in a jar experiment, Balloon solid, liquid, gas hands-on activities, or Amazing Coke and mentos experiment worksheet, super cool potato plant maze, or silly egg in vinegar expeirment
100 things to do on a rainy day (for kids) or weather activities for kids
Plant Activities for kids, Free Zoo fieldtrip worksheet, or Printable Animal Habitat Game
30 DIY Bird Feeder projects, Bubble Wrap Umbrella Craft Preschool, or cute toilet paper roll bunny crafts for kids
40 Earth Day Crafts, Easy Impressionism for Kids spring art project, pretty Pasta Butterfly Craft
100 Beautiful Flowers Crafts, Flower Mason Jar Lid Crafts, beautiful Painted Flower Craft Ideas, or splatter Art Flower Craft for Kids
Printable Flower Craft for working on name recognition, painted flower craft preschool, egg carton tulip craft or cherry blossom craft, fun-to-make bubble art for kids
EPIC Bubble painting, Colorful Snake Bubble Activity for kids, Spring pasta craft for kids, or FREE Zoo Scavenger Hunt
100 animal crafts, April Crafts for kids, April Activities for Kids, cute May Crafts , or May Activities for Kids!
Homemade Bubble Solution for GIANT bubbles, free insect activities for preschoolers, or spring art ideas for grade 1, egg head spring craft
Rainbow Eruptions Spring science, edible ice cream play doh, or easy pool noodle race track
Fun-to-Make Bubble Art for Kids, Simple Windsock Craft for kids, or Rainbow Painting with Kids using hot wheel cars

FREE Hop to It Alphabet Matching Game - this is such a fun spring or summer themed abc game for preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten age kids to practice letter matching #preschool #kindergarten #alphabet

This super cute, handson digraph activity is a fun way for early readers to identify digraphs for kids! In these flower digraph games students will make flowers by matching the petals to the digraph. This digraph kindergarten is way better than boring digraph worksheets! Simply download pdf file with digraph activities for first grade.

FREE Spring Short I Puzzles - this is such a fun way for preschool, kindergarten, and first grade kids to practice short i words while improving early literacy skills with a fun activity #shorti #kindergarten #literacy

Caterpillar CVC Words Printable Activity

Planting Carrots CVC Activity for Kindergarten

Make practicing Dolch sight words fun with this frog themed Printable Sight Word Games. This sight word board games uses grade 2 sight words to make a fun 2nd grade sight words game. This sight word games works great independently or with a group of kids to make learning sight words fun for grade 1 children! Simply download pdf file with free printable sight word games and you are ready to play and learn with this free sight word games perfect for your next frog theme or spring theme!

spring kite math craft for kindergarten and first graders

If you are looking for a fun spring activity that is no-prep, you will love these spring word searches! These free spring word search worksheets are perfect for elementary age students in kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th garde, and 6th grade too. These spring word search free printable include 10 different options in black and white or color plus the conveninet answer key in the pdf file! So work on visual discrimination and spelling with this enjoyable springtime word search set.

Spring Letter Matching Activity for preschoolers and kindergartners

Flower Shape Playdough Mats for preschool and kindergarten age kids

These fun, free printable Flower worksheets are a great way for children to learn, practice and review essential math skills! Simply print these flower counting worksheet pages to add to a flower theme, spring theme, or summer themed learning. These flower math worksheets for kindergarten, first grade, and 2nd grade students to learn to recognise and write numbers, shapes, and fractions.

FREE Fruit Loop Color Matching Umbrellas

Kids will be come confident in their artist abilities as they work through these easy, free printable, SPRING Step by Step Drawings for Kids. These are perfect for preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, and 2nd grade students. The drawing worksheets include how to draw a bee, bird, birdhouse, flower, tulip, butterfly, caterpillar, ladybug, nest, and umbrella.

Celebrate the first day of spring by printing out one of these super cute, FREE Printable Bookmarks. These are such an easy way to get kids excited about reading!

April Writing Prompts for Kids - So many furn, creative writing prompts for kids from K-4th grade to practice writing in April

FREE April Writing Prompts - make practicing writing fun with these creative writing prompt ideas for spring! Use this printable calendar with kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade students

Spring Printables

Mowing the Lawn Spring Alphabet Game, Spring Alphabet Worksheets for preschoolers, or Alphabet Kite Craft
Free Printable Flower matching game for preschoolers, Rainbow Spring Letter Tracing for kids, or Spring Flowers Letter Matching Printable , and spring bug kindergarten sentence writing
Rainy Day Find-the-Letter Spring Worksheets, Raindrop Letters Matching activity for spring, or Hop to it! Frog alphabet matching game printable
Free Printable Flower rhyming words, Bunny short i puzzles are a fun spring activities for kindergarten, or Cut, Paste, and Read Spring Sight words Reader
April Showers Digraph Activities for second grade, Spring sight words game, o rfree printable sight word worksheets for spring
Spring vowel worksheets for kindergarten, Cut, Paste & Read Bug Free Printable SIght Word Books pdf, or Hands-on Caterpillar spring cvc words activity
Printable spring bubble word family games, April Writing Prompts Calendar, Free May Writing Prompts Worksheets for K-4th graders
Rhyming Words Spring Worksheets, Simple, free Flower Rhyming Worksheets, or Printable Spring Emergent Reader
Planting Carrots CVC Word Activity, Frog free printable sight words games pdf, Tulip spring rhyming words worksheet
Carrot word family worksheets for kindergarten, or spring word searches
Butterfly Counting to 30 Worksheets, Free printable kite Skip Counting Craft, or Spring counting playdough mats
Insect Telling Time Puzzles, Count to 10 Insect printables for preschoolers, or Fraction Flowers worksheets for kids, or spring vocabulary flashcards.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar flashcards – numbers, Bug Measuring Cards Free, or Raindrop counting activity for spring
Spring carrot what comes next activity, Flower free printable number bond worksheets for kindergarten, or Flower Tracing Numbers 1-30 pdf
Spring Math Puzzles to work on counting and addition, Spring Counting Clip Cards, or one to one correspondence activity with jelly beans
Free printable missing number worksheets, Spring Bunny counting number tracing cards, or Teen Number sense Flower Addition Worksheet
Shape Flower Playdough Mats, Printable Spring Tracing Worksheets, FLOWER shapes activities for kindergarten, or Vegetable counting from 1 to 10 clip cards
Seeds Make 10 Addition Game, Spring Addition Counting Clip Cards, or Kite Color Matching – free printable learning colors for toddlers game
Free printable How to plant a seed step by step worksheet, I Spy Farm Animals (great for visual discrimination & counting)
Spring Worksheets Preschool, Backyard Critters Insect worksheets for kindergarten, or Spring color words worksheets using do-a-dot markers
B is for Butterfly weekly theme, Fun Ant activities for preschoolers (prek / k), I is for Inchworm activities, or Match the Flower Worksheet for Kindergarten
Spring lego challenge cards, Fruit Loop Color Matching Umbrella Craft, or I Spy Spring

Beth Gorden

Beth Gorden is the creative multi-tasking creator of 123 Homeschool 4 Me. As a busy homeschooling mother of six, she strives to create hands-on learning activities and worksheets that kids will love to make learning FUN! With over 20 years educating children, she has created over 1 million pages of printables to help teach kids alphabet, math, science, English grammar, history, and so much more! Beth is also the creator of 2 additional sites with even more educational activities and FREE printables – www.kindergartenworksheetsandgames.com and www.preschoolplayandlearn.com. Beth studied at the University of Northwestern where she got a double major to make her effective at teaching children while making education FUN!