7 Skittle Rainbow Experiments That Will Make Your Kids Squeal With Joy

Looking for a super easy and fun science activity that will make your kids’ eyes light up? Kids love rainbows, and the Skittles Rainbow experiment is one of those magical moments where candy and learning combine perfectly!

These colorful experiments help kids learn about cool science concepts like dissolving, diffusion, and color mixing while creating beautiful rainbow patterns that are totally Instagram-worthy.

We’ve gathered seven awesome variations of the classic Skittles experiment that you can try at home with minimal supplies.

Trust us, these activities are perfect for rainy days, school projects, or just when you need to hear those precious “oooohs” and “aaahs” from your little scientists. Plus, they’re so simple that even the youngest kiddos can join in on the fun!

1) Skittles Rainbow Science Experiment: Watch Colors Dance

Get ready for some candy-powered magic, friends! This Skittles experiment will have your kiddos squealing with delight as they watch colors dance across a plate. It’s seriously one of our favorite rainy day activities!

All you need are some Skittles and warm water.

Arrange the Skittles in a circle around the edge of a white plate, organizing them by color for the prettiest effect. We like to make patterns with our candy – it’s part of the fun!

When you pour warm water into the center of the plate, something amazing happens. The sugar coating dissolves, and the food colouring along with the sugar starts to spread outward like magic!

Watch as the colors create gorgeous streaks moving toward the center of the plate. The food coloring in the purple Skittles’ shell creates a beautiful rainbow pattern that looks like art.

This science experiment that is perfect for little scientists of all ages. Our preschoolers were completely mesmerized by the dancing colors! It’s also super simple to set up with ingredients you already have.

Don’t forget to ask your kids what they notice! Which color moves fastest? Do the colors mix or stay separate? Let them observe and wonder – that’s where the real learning happens!

2) Dissolving Candy Masterpiece: No Art Skills Needed

Ready for some candy magic that requires zero artistic talent? This experiment turns Skittles into a beautiful rainbow display that will make everyone say “wow!”

To start, grab a white plate and arrange your Skittles in a circle around the edge.

Try to put them in rainbow order (red, orange, yellow, green, purple) for the most dramatic effect. We like to make patterns, but honestly, any arrangement works!

Pour warm water into the middle of the plate and watch the dissolving candy art happen right before your eyes! The colored shells dissolve, and the food colouring creates rainbow streaks that move toward the center. It’s seriously mesmerizing!

The best part? Every single creation is unique! We’ve done this activity dozens of times with our kids, and we’re still amazed by the beautiful rainbows that form.

For extra fun, try making different patterns or shapes with your Skittles. Stars, hearts, or even smiley faces work great. Just make sure to use enough warm (not hot) water to reach all the candies.

This activity is perfect for playdates, rainy days, or anytime you need a quick science win. No mess, no stress, just colorful magic that makes everyone feel like a scientist!

3) Kids Love Rainbows! Taste the Rainbow, See the Science

Who doesn’t love candy experiments? Kids love rainbows, and our little ones go absolutely bonkers for this Skittles rainbow activity because it combines two amazing things: science and CANDY!

The magic happens when you arrange Skittles in a circle or pattern on a white plate and add warm water. Within seconds, the colors start to run off the candy and create a beautiful rainbow effect!

We’ve done this rainbow science experiment before at playdates, and the “oooohs” and “aaahs” are seriously the best part. Kids can’t believe how quickly the colors start to spread into a gorgeous rainbow pattern.

What’s happening is simple science – the candy coating dissolves in water, creating a colorful display. It’s a perfect way to chat with kids about dissolving and diffusion in a way that’s super engaging.

We love that this experiment takes almost no prep. Just grab some Skittles, a plate, and water! You can even try different arrangements like spirals or hearts for extra fun.

4) Warm Water + Skittles = Insta Rainbow Vibes

OMG, this is literally one of the easiest and most satisfying rainbow experiments ever! Grab a plate, some Skittles, and warm water – that’s it! We’re obsessed with how simple yet gorgeous this one turns out.

First, arrange your Skittles in a circle around the edge of a small plate. You can make any pattern you want – go wild with it! We love trying different color arrangements each time to see what happens.

Pour warm water gently into the center of the plate. Warm water works better than cold since it helps dissolve the candy coating faster. Don’t flood the Skittles – just enough water to reach them!

Now watch the magic happen! The various colored water and sugar coating dissolves and creates these amazing rainbow streaks flowing toward the center. It’s seriously mesmerizing and our kids absolutely lose their minds over it every single time.

The science behind this rainbow effect is super cool. The sugar and food colouring from the Skittles dissolve and spread through the water. Each color stays mostly separated, creating those gorgeous streaky rainbow patterns!

Try this with different Skittles flavors! We found mixing Original and Berry flavors gives you all the rainbow colors for the most vibrant effect.

5) The Sugar Coating Show: A Sweet Display

Ready for some candy magic that’s as pretty as it is scientific? We’re obsessed with this super simple Skittles experiment that shows off the amazing properties of sugar dissolving!

Arrange your Skittles in a circle on a white plate. Pour warm water gently into the middle and watch the sugar coating dissolve, creating a gorgeous rainbow effect!

The science here is actually pretty cool. Those colorful Skittles have a coating of sugar and food coloring that dissolves when it meets water. As it dissolves, the colors spread out from each candy!

This happens because of something called diffusion – the sugar molecules move from areas where there’s lots of sugar (the Skittles) to areas with less of sugar molecules (the water). It’s like watching tiny rainbow roads form before your eyes!

Want to mix things up? Try different patterns with your Skittles or test both hot and cold water to see what happens. We found that warm water works best for a fast and vibrant display!

6) All Hail the Rainbow: Color Infusion on a Plate

Let’s create a stunning rainbow right on a plate! This colorful rainbow Skittles experiment is super easy and will have your kiddos saying “whoa!” in no time.

First, grab a white plate, some Skittles, and warm water. That’s literally all you need!

How awesome is that for a last-minute activity when the kids are bouncing off the walls?

Arrange the Skittles in a circle around the edge of your plate, sorting them by color.

We like to create a perfect rainbow pattern, but honestly, any arrangement works!

Now for the magic part!

Slowly pour warm water into the center of the plate, making sure it touches the candies. Then step back and watch the show!

The water will start to dissolve the sugar coating on the Skittles, releasing those vibrant food colors.

It’s like a secret rainbow was hiding in each candy all along!

As the colors move toward the center, they create the most gorgeous rainbow streaks.

We’ve found that warm water works best to speed up the dissolving process.

Our kids literally sat there with their mouths open watching the colors swirl together. Science has never looked so pretty!

7) DIY Science Fair Winner: Skittles Edition

Let’s talk science fair magic! Skittles experiments are a total win for school projects. They’re colorful, easy to do, and honestly, who doesn’t love a project where you can snack on the leftovers?

We’ve found that Skittles make for a surefire science fair winner because they’re eye-catching and the science is simple enough for kids to explain confidently.

For your display, try running multiple Skittles experiments side by side.

Maybe compare how high concentration of different liquids affect the dissolving rate. Or test if different temperatures change how fast the rainbow forms!

Take lots of photos of your rainbow experiments for your display board.

Trust us, we hope these vibrant colors will draw everyone to your booth like moths to a flame!

Don’t forget to explain the actual science happening.

The first Skittles rainbow top coating contains sugar and food coloring that dissolves in water, creating that cool rainbow effect we all love.

We recommend practicing your presentation ahead of time.

Explain how dissolving works, why the colors don’t immediately mix, and how diffusion creates those beautiful color streaks.

Your judges will be impressed with both the pretty display and your scientific knowledge!

Understanding the Science Behind Skittle Experiments

Let’s dive into the sweet science that makes Skittle rainbows possible! These colorful experiments aren’t just pretty to look at – there’s actually some fascinating chemistry happening when those candies meet water.

Skittles Dissolve Process

When we place Skittles in water, we’re watching a process called dissolution in action.

Each Skittle is coated with a mixture of sugar, food coloring, and a waxy substance that keeps its shape.

The magic happens when water hits the candy’s surface. The sugar and food colouring start to dissolve almost immediately!

Warm water works best because heat gives water molecules more energy to break down the sugar coating faster.

What’s super cool is how the dissolution happens at the same amount at a pretty steady rate.

Each Skittle has a similar amount of sugar coating, so they dissolve at similar speeds. This is why the colors stay so neat and tidy!

Why Skittles Create Rainbows

The rainbow effect happens because of some awesome scientific principles!

When the colors dissolve purple water, they don’t instantly mix together. Instead, they create what scientists call a concentration gradient.

The dissolved sugar and food coloring spread through the water in a pattern that looks like rays shooting out from each candy.

Since each color stays mostly in its own “lane,” we get that gorgeous rainbow effect!

Another cool factor is density.

The sugar-water solution is actually denser than plain water, which helps keep the colors in red water from mixing too quickly.

This density difference is why the colors seem to crawl across the plate rather than instantly blending.

We love how these candy colors reveal the hidden science of diffusion!

It’s like each Skittle is showing off its own personality while creating something beautiful together. 💕

Tips for Conducting Skittle Experiments with Kids

Skittle experiments are super fun, but a little preparation goes a long way! These colorful science activities can be amazing learning experiences when you set them up right and keep the mess under control.

Choosing the Right Setup

White plates work best for these rainbow experiments because they really make the colors pop!

We love using shallow dishes with a slight curve to help the colors flow toward the center when doing the classic rainbow Skittles experiment.

Room temperature water usually works fine, but warm water makes the colors dissolve faster if your kiddos are the impatient type (whose aren’t?!).

For the best results, arrange all the Skittles in a perfect circle around the edge of the plate. Leave a little space between each candy so the colors have room to spread out.

Don’t forget to have your camera ready!

These experiments happen quickly – those colors start dissolving within about 30 seconds, and the rainbow effect is totally Instagram-worthy!

Safety and Clean-up

Let’s be real – Skittle experiments are MESSY but totally worth it!

We recommend doing this activity on a washable surface or laying down some newspaper or a plastic tablecloth first.

Old t-shirts or art smocks are a good idea too because those food dyes can stain clothing.

Keep these supplies handy for quick clean-up:

• Paper towels (lots of them!)

• Wet wipes

• A small trash container

• Extra water for rinsing

Remember that while Skittles are edible, once they’ve been used in an experiment, they should NOT be eaten.

Make this rule super clear before starting!

We like to have a separate snack bowl of fresh Skittles for munching to avoid confusion.

For extra fun, try the tropical Skittles pack alongside the regular ones to see if different flavors create different patterns!