No matter how many times we see a rainbow, even as adults, we still stare at them I awe, agreed? They truly are a magical sight to see and even though they are created through science, rainbows never seize to remind that miracles and kept promises do still exist. Recently, my little dude of three spotted a rainbow in the sky and as a parent, it was thrilling to view this magnificent wonder through young and innocent eyes. My kid squealed with delight while he watch the colours brighten and then slowly disappear, adding a touch of fun to the horizon.

Now, my preschooler is a little too young to grasp the full theory behind how and why rainbows are formed, but he did still enjoy “making” his own rainbow during a simple activity we did together after spotting the real deal. In this post I will explain how you can do this little experiment with your own kids as well as how you can adapt it for older students who need more of a challenge. 

Image Source

LEARN HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN RAINBOW

The Rainbow Experiment’s objective is to help students (even very little ones) understand one of the world’s most intriguing phenomena: the rainbow. With just a glass of water, flashlight and a small mirror, we can replicate this phenomenon! By doing this activity, we can teach children about how light splits a raindrop and how rainbows are formed in the sky. If you have older students, you can add to the experiment and teach them about the concepts of reflection and refraction too.

For this experiment you will need the following:

• A clean glass or beaker filled with clean water
• A sheet of white paper
• A flashlight or a window and direct daylight
• A small mirror

THE EXPERIMENT

1. Position your paper in front of a window and place your glass full of water on to it.
2. Make sure there is direct light streaming through the window and falling on to the glass.
3. Move the glass around until a rainbow appears on the paper.
4. If it is night time, you can switch off the lights and shine your torch light on to the glass to get the same result.

Image Source

The Science Behind It

Rainbows happen when sunlight and rain combine in a very specific way. The beams of sunlight separate into the colors we see in the rainbow as they enter a raindrop. Sunlight is actually made up of different colors that we don't usually see. When a beam of sunlight comes down to Earth, the light is white. - discoverykids.com/articles/how-do-rainbows-form/

Did you know?

Sunlight is made up of 7 different colours: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.

Image Source

THEORY FOR THE BIGGER LITTLE GUYS:

Two actions take place to form a rainbow: refraction and reflection. Refraction takes place when light passes across a boundary from one substance to another, for example, from air into water. When the light crosses that boundary, the rays bend at different angles depending on the wavelength (colour) of the light.

---

---

My son had a blast making “magic” and we learnt the names of some of the brilliant colours that appeared. It’s amazing how something so simple can grab the curiosity of a child and make them learn something new, even at such a young age! Do this experiment with your kids every year and add to the theory and science behind it as your students grow!

Much love - @sweetpea

(bringing you original content)

Join us @steemitbloggers

^{Animation By @zord189}