# Color Changing Goop
> Set out five containers of cornstarch, each with a different 'special ingredient' (hand soap, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, laundry detergent). Kids pour red cabbage water in, watch the white cornstarch change color, then keep pouring to make goop for messy sensory play.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/sensory-activities-color-changing-goop-science/
- Ages: 2–7 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: high
- Time: prep 10 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class · one batch serves about 2 kids
- Skills: science, acids-and-bases, colors, predicting, sensory-exploration, language
- Cautions: corn, citrus, ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- Cornstarch
- Red cabbage water
- 2 tbsp Liquid hand soap
- 2 tbsp Baking soda
- 2 tbsp White vinegar
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Laundry detergent
- 5 piece Containers or bowls (household)
- 1 piece Pitcher (household)
- 1 piece Cup (household)
- 1 piece Large tray or clear plastic bin (optional) (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of lemon juice: Citric acid (TurkeyMom says the most intense color change happens with lemon juice or citric acid.)

## Safety
- Not for babies. TurkeyMom says it involves components not suitable for little tummies: vinegar, baking soda, washing powder.
- Laundry detergent and hand soap are not taste-safe. An adult measures them in, and kids keep goop away from mouths and eyes. Consider leaving the detergent container out for toddlers who still mouth things.
- Vinegar and lemon juice sting eyes and cuts. Wash hands well after play.
- If you make the red cabbage water with hot water, an adult handles it and lets it cool completely before kids pour.
- Supervise messy sensory play at all times.

## Before you start
- Make a pitcher of red cabbage water (see the red cabbage experiment post for the how-to) and let it cool.
- Fill 5 containers with cornstarch.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of one 'special ingredient' to each container: hand soap, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, laundry detergent.
- Label each container so you know which ingredient is in it.

## Steps
1. Set the 5 cornstarch containers and the pitcher of red cabbage water on the table.
2. Give each child a cup of red cabbage water.
3. Pour a little cabbage water into one container and watch the white cornstarch change color.
4. Try the next container. Guess the color before you pour!
5. Keep pouring more cabbage water until each container turns into goop.
6. Squish, scoop and drip the goop with your hands.
7. Compare the containers. Which color is brightest? Which one is sudsy?
8. Wash hands well when you're done.

## Tips
- The most intense color change will happen with the bowl with lemon juice or citric acid in it.
- Make it a guessing game. Every time she poured, the cornstarch turned a different color, and eventually she started guessing the color before pouring the water.
- My toddler was amazed that the white cornstarch turned a different color without any food color or paint.
- Doing the red cabbage experiment first helps. My preschooler remembered what to expect and was ready to experiment.
- The concoction with washing detergent reminded us of our sudsy goop.
- Not for babies: it involves quite a few components not suitable for their little tummies.

## FAQ
**Is this safe for babies, in case they eat it?** No. TurkeyMom wouldn't do this activity with babies because it involves quite a few components not suitable for their little tummies, like vinegar, baking soda and washing powder.
**Which container gives the biggest color change?** The one with lemon juice or citric acid.
**How do I make the red cabbage water?** The how-to is in the author's red cabbage experiment post. This post doesn't repeat it.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

**Sensory activities** in general are of great interest to my toddler. She has had fun time with [**sudsy goop**](https://www.funlittles.com/sensory-activities-with-sudsy-goop/) and my preschooler has had a colorful sensorial time with our [**rainbow oobleck.**](https://www.funlittles.com/quick-play-idea-with-colorful-oobleck/) The kids have poured [**goop**](https://www.funlittles.com/goop-on-pinecones/) over pine cones and had merry time last winter.Today's sensory activity involves a lot of science and play.

- **[Corn Starch](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JPT9BFW/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Lemon Essence](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F1LWWC/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[White Vinegar](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RO08L0/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Baking Soda](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002SKVZIQ/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Laundry Detergent](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009XRKWIG/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Natural Liquid Hand Soap](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GDLML02/?tag=blmemo-20)**

I set up this sensory activity by filling up 5 containers filled with cornstarch. Each container also had a "special ingredient". Hand soap, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and washing detergent. I added a couple of tablespoons of the "special ingredient" in each container. That was my simple "invitation to experiment via messy play" set up along with a pitcher of red cabbage water. *[ Visit our [**red cabbage experiment post**](https://www.funlittles.com/science-experiments-kids-scientist-dramatic-play/) for more details]* If you are working with older kids, there are many more substances you can use to aid exploration, learning and fun.  My preschooler having done our earlier red cabbage experiment earlier, remembered what to expect. With a cup of red cabbage water, she was ready to experiment, explore and enjoy this fun sensory activity.



Viola! dramatic change and she was excited!



She started a great game of guessing the color. Every time she poured the red cabbage water in a container the cornstarch turned into a different color. Eventually she started guessing the color before pouring the water. My toddler was amazed that the white cornstarch turned into a different color w**ithout any food color or paint.**



Once the color change happened, both the kids poured more cabbage water and turned it into good old goop. Sensory activities are a great way to build language, imagination, curiosity and simply the love for learning. In this sensory activity we are exploring the science behind the magic of red cabbage water.



Each of the ingredient gave the goop a different color. It was like MAGIC! It was great to see my preschooler asking questions and reinforcing her previous knowledge about the substances that change color when they come in contact with red cabbage water. Please read the [**red cabbage experiment post**](https://www.funlittles.com/science-experiments-kids-scientist-dramatic-play/) for the how-to. Once the goop was created it was sensory play galore.



The concoction with washing detergent reminded us of our [**sudsy goop!**](https://www.funlittles.com/sensory-activities-with-sudsy-goop/)



Tip: The most intense color change will happen with the bowl with lemon juice or citric acid in it.

**Thanks for reading**