Beautiful Chromatography Flowers Science Project

Learn how to make these beautiful chromatography flowers using coffee filters and markers. This is both a fun art project AND a simple science experiments for kids that explores colors while making pretty craft flowers for spring and summer. This STEAM project is the perfect spring activity for toddler, preschoolers, pre k, kindergarteners, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders.

Spring is almost here and one of our favorite parts of spring is when all the beautiful and colorful flowers start blooming. I just love all the beautiful colors and varieties of flowers! From roses to peony, tulips and daffodils to petunias – there are so many different looking flowers! Botanists estimate there are more than 10,000 species or types of flowers in the world today! That’s a whole lot of variety that come in different colors, patterns, and scents too!

So we we began exploring chromatography in our science lesson this spring, we decided to make beautiful flower crafts! This easy science experiment is perfect for toddler, preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade students. It even makes a clever, pretty hand-made Mothers Day craft. As this project is both science and art, it is called a STEAM project for kids!

This spring themed Chromatography Flowers Science Project is so much fun to make and enjoy as an easy craft for kids!

Chromatography Flowers

Kids love mixing colors and learning how to combine colors to discover amazing new results. Have you or your child ever wondered about separating colors or pulling colors apart to see what colors came together to create that color. You can’t separate your child’s paint colors, but through a special scientific process called chromatography, you can split colors into their original hues. This simple chromatography project is a great way to explore that concept with preschoolers, prek, kindergarteners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, and grade 4 students as part of an art project or cool science project for kids.

What is Chromatography

Colors are made up of many different molecules that mix together to create the single color registered by our eyes. But through the process of paper chromatography we can separate the different colors of pigments so our eyes register all the colors that mixed together. So, as the water travels it separates the colors.. Different molecules move across paper at different rates. As a result, components of the first color separate allowing us to see the colors that created it.

Note: You will need to use secondary or tertiary colors for this to work. This can be a great way to teach how we have these different categories of colors and why.

the spring flower craft supplies you will need are washable markers or high pigment felt pens, green craft sticks, water, and coffee filters

Chromatography for Kids

Looking to try this beautiful flower chromatography, spring science experiment? Here are the supplies you will need:

Coffee Filters
Water
Washable Markers (or water soluble)in secondary and tertiary colors (try felt tip pens and these watercolor marker )
Small syringes (think of the type that come with baby medication) or pipettes
Plates or a plastic table cloth are recommended to protect your table
Pipe cleaners in green

draw a circle half way down on the coffee filter with your water based marker to make this easy chromatography experiment

Flower Chromatography

Flatten out some coffee filters. Then create a circle or simple line design in the middle using any secondary or tertiary color you wish. Try this with all the colors you can get your hands on: red, pink, yellow, orange, purple, black, brown, and every variations. I suggest trying both dark green and light green and noting what colors make these shades different. Also, see how we made half the circle with a turquoise color and the other half with lime green?

Add about 0.5 mL of water to the center of your coffee filter. Watch to see what happens!

Fun Science Experiments for Kids that explores chromatography with a flower craft

Flower Science Project

Your colors should start spreading and separating as the water travels along the filter. If you want your color to spread a little farther, add another drop or two of water. Another option is to fold your coffee filters and stick them in a glass with about an inch of water – with this method you don’t need a dropper.

Let the filters dry completely so you are ready to make this spring activity. Now is a great time to explore what colors came out of the ones you started with.

Fun Science Experiments for Kids

Once the filter papers are completely dry, bundle them into flower like shapes and twist at the bottom.

beautiful chromatography flower made from coffee filter, green chenille stick, water soluble ink markers, and STEAM

Isn’t it amazing how you can make these beautiful flowers with science?

Now attach the green pipe cleaners (also known as chenille sticks) to the bottom of the coffee filter flower by twisting it around the funnel shaped part to create the stems.

You’ve just created a beautiful spring bouquet of flowers with science and a little art. Keep them for yourself or gift them as a wonderful spring present, perhaps for Mother’s Day!

Paper Chromatography

Kids of all ages will be amazed at the different shades of colors that magically appear as the colors separate in this fun Flower Science Project.

stunning, beautiful Chromatography Flowers science project and art project mixed together

You can create a this beautiful Flower STEM project!

This is such a fun project for parents to make with their kid at home.

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