Get Messy—with Math!
Roll up your sleeves and get ready to dive into a world of messy, mathematical fun! In this week's Talking Math, we’re sharing three wet and wild activities that will help kids (and their adults!) explore math concepts. Stay cool and have fun with experiments using paint, sand, and water.
Our activities this week come from Karyn Tripp’s Math Art + Drawing Games for Kids and Rebecca Rapoport & Allanna Chung’s Kitchen Pantry Science Math for Kids. Click the links to rent these books from KCLS or buy them on Bookshop.
Splash Patterns
Excerpt from from Karyn Tripp’s Math Art + Drawing Games for Kids
This project is messy and tons of fun! Wear clothes and shoes that wash easily or that you don’t mind getting a little messy.
Materials
large roll of paper or old newspapers
metal baking sheet or tray
washable paint
rocks
Directions
Set up for the project. This one gets messy! Roll out paper on the ground outside. Lay a baking sheet on top of it.
Fill the pan with paint. The more paint you use, the more fun this project will be.
Test different splash patterns by dropping the rocks into the pan of paint. Try dropping them from different heights and angles to see which makes the biggest splashes of paint!
Measure the distance of the paint splatters that went the farthest. Which method gave the best result?
Math in Action: measurement, estimation
Organized Chaos
Excerpt from Rebecca Rapoport & Allanna Chung’s Kitchen Pantry Science Math for Kids
Mary Cartwright studied chaos theory and here we’ll do the same. In this activity, we will use water and food coloring to see what chaos theory looks like in action!
Materials
1- or 2-cup (240 or 480 ml) measuring cup
Water
A medium waterproof container (bigger than a tissue box is preferable)
Food coloring of your choice, preferably a dark color like blue, purple, or red
An ice cube tray
Directions
Measure out 2 cups (480 ml) of water into a container. Then add 3 to 6 drops of food coloring and mix it until the water is nice and dark.
Carefully pour the colored water into the ice cube tray. Then put the tray in the freezer overnight.
Once the water is completely frozen into ice, fill the large container with hot water. The water should not be hot enough to burn you.
Take three ice cubes and drop them into the water in one corner of the container. They should all be in the same spot and hugging the corner as closely as possible.
Slowly, you should see the food coloring leave the ice and disperse through the water. After a few hours, the entire container should be the exact same color throughout.
Math in Action: diffusion, time, estimation
Buddhist Sand Pendulum Art
Excerpt from Karyn Tripp’s Math Art + Drawing Games for Kids
Buddhist monks create beautiful and intricate designs using colored sand. They begin by drawing geometric designs, then apply the sand using small tubes and funnels. Each design represents the universe and the teachings of their faith. The making of these designs is a sacred ritual and a form of meditation. Although this pendulum project is done differently, it’s inspired by their work.
Materials
empty water bottle with a flip top
single-hole punch
camera tripod or 3 wooden dowels to make one
yarn
colored sand
Directions
Cut off the bottom 2 inches (5 cm) of an empty water bottle. Use a hole punch to punch three holes evenly around the bottom edge of the cut bottle. Tie three pieces of yarn into the holes.
Build your tripod by tying together three wooden dowels (or use a premade tripod). Tie the water bottle pendulum to the tripod.
Fill the bottle with colored sand. Layer your colors to make it more colorful!
Uncap the water bottle and start the bottle swinging.
Observe the swing and the movement of the pendulum and discuss the size of the patterns created. Measure how long it takes to empty the bottle of sand. How long does each swing last?
Math in Action: counting, symmetry, time
Remember, these activities aren’t just about the results—exploration, discovery, and problem-solving are huge in math and in life. Encourage your child to find fun along the way, and challenge them to get creative.
Looking for more out-of-the-box fun? We’ve got a SUMMer of activities lined up, so check out our events calendar to find an event near you!
