January 29, 2025
Why do Leaves Change Color Experiment for Kids

Why do Leaves Change Color Experiment for Kids

Share

Are you tired of ads too?

For a small fee you can get this site – and all the free goodies – 100% ad-free!

Kids will be WOWED with this hands-on, fall science experiment where they will learn about chromatography for kids in this Why do Leaves Change Color Experiment. This why do leaves change color for kids is such a fun leaf activity that preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade students will enjoy. This leaf science is the perfect EASY science experiment for September, October, and November.

Kids will be WOWED with this hands-on, fall science experiment where they will learn about chromatography for kids in this Why do Leaves Change Color Experiment. This why do leaves change color for kids is such a fun leaf activity that preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade students will enjoy. This leaf science is the perfect EASY science experiment for September, October, and November.

Why do Leaves Change Color Experiment

I love fall and all the leaves changing color into brilliant red, orange, yellow, and eventually brown leaves. Have you ever wondered why they change colors or why those colors? This fun, engaging, and simple leaf science experiment is perfect for preschoolers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, and grade 5 students. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or homeschooler – you will like this simple project exploring Why do Leaves Change Color Experiment. This why do leaves change color in the fall kindergarten 

Why do leaves change color for kids

Autumn is by far one of my favorite times of the year. There is something refreshing about fall from the crisp air to the magical colors that fill the horizons. This week as the leaves in our front yard began to change color the kids became filled with questions. This science experiment to discover Why Leaves Change Color was the perfect solution for their curious minds.

While on your nature hunt to collect the leaves for this science project is the perfect opportunity to discuss what jobs leaves are responsible for.

Leaves changing color experiment

How do Leaves Change Color in the Fall Science Project

To delve into why leaves change color kids need to first understand the purpose of leaves.

Plants are responsible for creating the oxygen that we breathe. They do this by absorbing water from the ground and carbon dioxide from the air. Using sunlight (through photosynthesis) they turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose. Oxygen is what we need to breathe and glucose is what the plant uses to grow. The term photosynthesis means “putting together with light”. The chemical that plants use to make photosynthesis is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the same chemical that gives plants their green color.

what makes leaves change color

Why do leaves change color science experiment

To try this leaf science experiment, you will need a few simple materials you probably already have laying around the house. You will need the following supplies:

  • Masson Jars – (Glass Jars)
  • Coffee Filters – we’ve done this a couple times and the BIG ones let kids see more of the chromatography (colors in the leaves)
  • Leaves
  • Rubbing Alcohol
  • Notebook and Pencil to Record Observations

why leaves change color

Why leaves change color

To find the answer to why leaves change color in the fall, children will need to collect a couple handfuls of leaves. We like to take a fun nature walk, enjoying nature, and collecting fall treasures along the way. Try to collect a variety of fall colored leaves.

Now, sort the fall leaves into containers by color. The sorted cover leaves should then be ground up or torn into pieces.

fall science

How do leaves change color

Covered with leaves with simple rubbing alcohol.The rubbing alcohol should start showing all the colors in the leaves.

fall science experiment

Leaves changing color experiment

Make a cone shape with the coffee filters and place the pointed tip into the leaf and rubbing alcohol mixture and allow it to sit long enough to absorb the liquid.

what makes leaves green

What makes leaves green

You will immediately be able to see the coffee filters absorb the liquid.

HINT:  How long it takes to completely absorb the color will depend on how many leaves and how much rubbing alcohol was used.
How do Leaves Change Color in the Fall Science Project

Leaf science

After 12 hours ours hadn’t fully absorbed the liquid but you could begin to see the effect.

leaf science activities for preschoolers

What causes leaves to change color

During winter, the days get shorted affecting the amount of sun the leaves are exposed to. Due to this lack of sunlight, plants go into a resting state and live off of the glucose that they stored over the summer. As they shut down for the winter, the green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. As the bright green fades away, we begin to see yellow and orange colors. Small amounts of these colors have been in the leaves all along.  For example in Maple trees the bright red that shows up is a result of excess glucose being trapped in the leaves.

Kids will be WOWED with this hands-on, fall science experiment where they will learn about chromatography for kids in this Why do Leaves Change Color Experiment. This why do leaves change color for kids is such a fun leaf activity that preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade students will enjoy. This leaf science is the perfect EASY science experiment for September, October, and November.

Why do leaves change color in the fall kindergarten

THis is such a fun, simple leaf science project your kids will want to try again and again! Each time it is a little different as the coloration in the leaves, amount of rubbin alcohol, etc. affect the colors you will see in the chromatography. Again, we got the most dramatic show of what colors are in a leaf when we used LARGE corree filters that were almost as tall out of the solution as the mason jars were tall.

what causes leaves to change color

Leaf experiment

This is an experiment that is pretty fascinating no matter your child’s age.

Your Kids Will Love this Simple Science Experiment that will Answer Why Do Leaves Change Color?

What makes leaves change color

For a really WOW experiment, try using all green leaves, but seperate by the type (oak, birch, etc). Now see what colors they will be in the fall when the chlorophyll stops being produced. YOu will get green with yellow or green with red/mauve, etc. This is truly a WOW teachable moment!

As the liquid travels up the coffee filter it separates all the colors that were inside the leaf.

leaf watercolor salt painting fall leaf art Fall Craft for Preschoolers Celebrate Autumn with a beautiful fall leaves craft making simple, but stunning leaf crafts using coffee filters to make vibrant suncatchers!

Leaf Crafts for Kids

Looking for more fun fall craft projects? Check out these fun ideas:

super cute, free printable, fall craft for preschoolers - leave, apple, and pumpkin hat crafts beautiful Leaf Wreath Printable Fall Craft to share with you. This Leaf Wreath Craft for Kids is great for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, and grade 4 students. Use the free leaf template to make your own leaves even before the leaves in your own back yard start changing outside! Fall Leaf Prints with Markers Here is a super cute fall craft for kids using packing peanuts! This simple to make Styrofoam Peanuts Fall Crafts for Toddlers and Preschoolers uses red, orange, yellow, brown, and green leaves to make a colorful 3d craft. This autumn craft produces such beautiful results with a unique look and texture that is fun to play. Great for preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, and 2nd grade students.

Fall Crafts for Kids

scarecrow-cvc-words-preschool-kindergarten-first-grade Looking for some quick and easy fall coloring pages? You will love these simple free coloring sheets perfect for toddler, preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, and 2nd grade students to enjoy this Autumn. Simply print pdf file, print coloring sheets with pumpkins, scarecrows, bales of hay, etc. and colour! fall playdough mats fall do a dot printables

Fall Printables

Fall Color Words Emergent Reader Looking for a fun fall activity that is no-prep because it uses free printable fall worksheets? This super cute Fall I Spy is a great way to have fun, work on visual discrimination, and work on counting too. This I spy fall printable is great for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten and even first grade and 2nd grdaers. Simply print free fall printables and you are ready to play and learn! Super cute alphabet activity for preschoolers and kindegartnerrs - candy corn phonics puzzles Get outdoors, getting exercise, sunlight, and exploring nature with these FUN, free printable Fall Nature Scavenger Hunt Printables. Students will learn to become observant of the world around them as they enjoy these fall scavenger hunts for toddler, preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade students.

Fall Activities for Kindergarten

skip counting fall worksheets Free Sticker Addition Math Worksheets Make practicing math fun during October with this super cute, fun, and hands-on Candy Corn Math. This free printable candy corn subtraction and addition puzzles are a great way to make math fun for first grade and 2nd grade students. acorn number bonds activity

Fall Math

FREE Pumpkin Pie Word Family Activities - fun, hands on game to help prek kindergarten, and first grade kids to improve reading fluency. Great activity for halloween and thanksgiving theme #pumpkin #wordfamilies #kindergarten parts-of-a-pumpkin-craft-and-free-pumpkin-printables pumpkin shape game Pumpkin Sight Words game

Pumpkin Activities for Kids

apple playdough FREE Printable Apple I Spy Worksheet If you are looking for apple activities, look no further than this fluffy green apple slime! This laffy taffy slime has such a fun pillow-like texture, smells amazing, and looks like a pale green granny smith apple. Use this apple slime has a fun fall activity for kids of all ages from toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd graders too. This apple activities for preschoolers is not to be missed!  Really pretty, fun-to-make, EASY apple crafts for kids. Try this fall craft for preschoolers and kindergarten in September.

Apple Activities for Kids

Kids will be WOWED with this hands-on, fall science experiment where they will explore Why do Leaves Change Color for kids! Fun Leaf Activity!



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Responses
  1. Sophia Avatar
    Sophia

    I think this is fabulous experiment. I learnt a lot from it too. Cant wait to try it out! Keep up the great work.

  2. Susan Avatar

    Hi, what did you use to grind up the leaves?

    1. Beth Gorden Avatar

      anything you have on hand!

  3. Rose Avatar
    Rose

    Thank you for posting so many great free printables. I work with special needs preschoolers at a non-profit and can use a lot of your wonderful ideas with my kiddos. You produce top quality activities and fabulous explanations. Thank you so much for your dedication to inspiring young minds. Yours is the first page I turn to for supplementing my ideas.

    1. Beth Gorden Avatar

      We are honored to be your number one source! Thanks for the sweet comment Rose!

  4. Toni Watson Avatar
    Toni Watson

    Are there printable instructions for the Fall leaf experiment? Could not find a link.

    1. Beth Gorden Avatar

      No printable for this one, just the explanation in the activity =)