Sensory Fall Colors Water Mixing | Still Playing School

Sensory Fall Colors Water Mixing

Autumn colors are all around us! Red, orange, yellow, green, and even brown are so pretty and fall festive.

We explored autumn color mixing with water for seasonal sensory fine motor practice


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We began by creating colored water by stirring in a bit of gel food coloring just like we did for our gross motor rainbow water mixing and fine motor rainbow water mixing. We used green, yellow, red, and orange!

To vary the materials so explore, I put a few colors in recycled soap pump containers. I also set out our clear egg tray, recycled scoops, and eye droppers for fine motor practice. This whole invitation to explore Fall colors glowed on our light table



Preschoolers needs to work on fine motor skills to improve pencil grasp.

This autumn themed water mixing center was an engaging and soothing way to play while simultaneously working to combine the beautiful colors into new hues.

Ways to work fine motor muscles include:
- Pinching the eye droppers
- Pushing the soap dispensers
- Pouring the small scoops of water


Later we set up an outside water mixing center as an invitation for both of our children to play when our toddler woke up from his nap. You could offer this activity on another day outside, at the water table, or in the bathtub. 

While a light table creates a beautiful and creative sensory environment for learning you can certainly adapt this color mixing activity. We set glass pie plates on white dishes to showcase the colors outside.


There is nothing I love more than seeing my children play and learn together side by side! 

Do you have multiple children or several ages working together too? 

This activity would work well for all ability levels in a preschool classroom or daycare setting.

Children observe each other to gain new knowledge and the confidence and inspiration to try different tasks.


It was very interesting to see how our children experimented with the various containers. 

In addition to the soap pumps, eye droppers and small scoops that we used on the light table, I added spice shakers and other recycled plastic containers and trays.


Once again fine motor skills and hand eye coordination came into play. The concentration they dedicated to this task kept them mostly quiet besides a few giggles and squeals of delight! 

I was happy to let them explore to the fullest as we were outside in case of spills and splatters. The food coloring may stain skin and clothing but we didn't have any issues. 

We believe the benefits of playful learning outweigh the risks of extra colorful clothing any day!


As our toddler worked we asked him to identify the colors he is learning. 

When our older daughter wanted to refill the spice container without taking the shaker lid off of the top I simply posed the questions, "How could you fill that? What could you use?" She thought for a minute then decided the eye dropper was the best tool for this job!


We couldn't get enough of the autumn color combinations! I snapped so many pictures as we observed the swirling shades changing and mixing before our eyes like magic. 

We even took the soap pumps with more colored water up for bath time fall color fun. You could play in the tub or set up a sensory sink for less messy play inside if the weather is too cold for outdoor water mixing exploration.

For More FALL COLOR Themed Preschool Activities from
the PLAYful Preschool Education Team: 

Fall Colors Modeled Writing in Preschool by Fun-A-Day

Exploring Fall Colors With Gourds by Little Bins For Little Hands

Why Leaves Change Colors by The Preschool Toolbox Blog


DIY Fall Color Word Book by The Educators' Spin On It


Fall Tree Number Matching by Mom Inspired Life



Exploring Fall Colors in Paint by Powerful Mothering


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12 comments :

  1. Color mixing is always fun! I love the variety of ways to try this activity!

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  2. Water play is always a hit in our house, so this is great! I love that all you need is water and food coloring. So simple and effective for all ages! We'll be doing this. :)

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  3. I love how you set up the color mixing with the egg tray. That is a great invitation to play. It is wonderful that you recycled the colorful water for bath time fun.

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  4. My little one asked me if we could do this today. I love the light box idea!

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  5. Ohhh fantastic - I love the light box we've never used one before probably a very silly question but do you have to use them in a dark room?

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  6. Love the color mixing station outside.

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  7. I love all the neat 'tools' you used. We love water play. Thanks for the inspiration - I'll be setting up something like this for my Peanut. :)

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  8. color mixing is currently one of my 5 year olds most fav things to do!! <3

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  9. I love color mixing with kids! The light table is such a fantastic way to explore new colors - nice post! TY!

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  10. What a fun way to practice those essential fine motor skills! I especially loved seeing your daughter refill the spice container, that must have taken a lot of concentration!

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  11. This was such a beautiful activity, and I love the use of spice bottles and eyedroppers!

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  12. I love the fact that both your preschooler and toddler could join in on the fun. I have never thought of using a soap dispenser bottle as a fine motor activity. Will definitely try this with J, my preschooler.

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