Fun Littles

Fun and easy kids activities

Oobleck Fountain

Jul 22, 20123,259 views
Messy Play
Ages2–6 yrs
Prep10 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessHigh
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Mix a batch of cornstarch oobleck, divide it into bowls and color each one, then pour handfuls over a standing pinecone. Colorful fountains drip down the scales. It's simple messy play with a built-in color-mixing lesson.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Oobleck is made from cornstarch. Check for corn allergies before play.
  • Not food: discourage tasting and supervise closely, especially with toddlers who mouth things.
  • Pinecones have pointy scales and can shed small bits. Supervise, and keep pinecones away from babies and young toddlers.
  • Spilled oobleck is slippery on hard floors. Play outdoors or on a covered surface.
  • Don't pour leftover oobleck down the sink or drain, because it can clog pipes. Scrape it into the trash.
  • Colors can stain hands, clothes and surfaces. Dress kids in play clothes.

Before the kids arrive

  • Gather pinecones, one per child.
  • Find a small box or holder for each pinecone so it can stand upright.

Steps

  1. Set up outside or at a table you can hose down.

  2. Mix the corn starch and water into a batch of oobleck.

  3. Divide the oobleck into bowls.

  4. Add a different color to each bowl and stir.

  5. Mix two colors to make a new one. Blue and red make purple!

  6. Stand your pinecone upright in a small box.

  7. Scoop up a handful of oobleck and pour it onto the top of your pinecone.

  8. Keep pouring different colors to make fountains after fountains.

  9. Look at your colorful dripping pinecone fountain.

Tips

  • Big S loves to mix colors, so she made 6 different colors. It's a fun way to teach mixing colors to make new ones.from the author
  • Fountains after fountains of different colors and sizes. Simple thought but great fun.from the author
  • Need a few minutes to recharge your battery (cuppa coffee)? This kept our big girl busy and happy. She called it 'way tooo much fun'!from the author

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · July 2012
Oobleck Fountain
We can never have too much oobleck fun in our household, and we always try to come up with more creative ways to play. Oobleck fountain is the way to go!
1 / 5

Oobleck Fountain: the original post

We can never have too much oobleck fun in our household. And we always try to come up with more creative ways to play oobleck. For those of you who are looking for more fun with oobleck - Oobleck fountain is the way to go ! The girls were full of energy, atop each other and even though my lil’ one is just 8 months old , she can already standup to her sister ! My sanity was soon running out and I needed to re-charge my battery! Cuppa coffee??? Sounds delicious ! Plan of action: Give the girls something that would keep ‘em busy. Answer : Obleck ! Me: Wanna play oobleck ? Big S : yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ! With Lil’ S on her high chair with her bear, I could see those eyes were getting heavier ! Big S was so quick to get me the starch and water and her oobleck pans. Boy she was just waiting for me to bail her out from Lil’S ‘s captivity ! Big S: Can I have something else too? Me: Sure. Here take the pinecones. Bam ! Pinecone fountain. And that’s what we did. Simple thought but great fun.

  1. Corn starch
  2. water
  3. colors
  4. Bowls
  5. Pine cones

Mix up a batch of oobleck and divide into bowls . Big S loves to mix colors and so she made 6 different colors. It is also a fun way to teach them mixing colors to make new ones. Big S’s favorite Blue and Red makes PURPLE ! We can never have too much purple in our house . She even calls herself “Purplelicious“! Anyway, once we have our colors we just pour away onto our very own Pinecone. Fountains after fountains of different colors and sizes. Now thats what Big S calls- ” way tooo much fun” !

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