Learn Together
Science and Art: Drawing mazes is a great way to practice planning ahead and problem solving. Practicing moving water through the maze helps children understand the concept of cause and effect.
Materials
- CMOM’s Water Drop Raceway printout (optional)
- Paper
- Pencil, colored pencils, crayons, or markers
- Sheet protector, clear tape, wax paper, or plastic wrap
- Small bowl
- Food coloring
- Water dropper (optional)
- Straw (optional)
Create Together
Surface tension is a force present within the surface layer of a liquid. This is how insects can walk on water or how a water droplet holds its shape. It’s difficult to see this surface layer of liquids, but fun experiments can show us how they work.
Let’s use surface tension to play with water and mazes!
- Draw your own simple maze or print CMOM’s Water Drop Raceway.
- Laminate your maze by putting it in a sheet protector, covering the back and front in clear tape, or placing and securing wax paper or plastic wrap over the drawing.
- Mix a drop of food coloring into a small bowl of water. The food coloring makes the water easier to see on the maze.
- Using a water dropper or the tip of your finger, place a drop of the colored water onto the maze at the starting point. Why do you think the water is staying in the shape of a drop?
- Blow on the water droplet so it travels through the maze. You can use a straw for a stronger blow! You can also tilt the paper to get the water droplet to roll where you want.
- Try again going from end to start!
Draw your own maze that’s even harder than this one! Have fun!