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Celery color change

In this fun activity, we are going to become botany scientists! We will take a stalk of celery and place it in a glass of colored water. Over the next day or two, we’ll watch as the color travels up the stalk and into the leaves. This process is called capillary action and it’s how plants drink water. It’s a fun and fascinating way to see how plants work.
Celery color change - Kids activities

Summary

Appropriate kid’s energy level

Tired

Skill(s) developed

Memory & Attention, Sensory

Prep time

5 minutes

Type of activity

Science

Appropriate setting(s)

Indoors

Material(s) needed

Celery stalks with leaves, Clear glass or plastic cups, Water, Food coloring

Easy mode

For our easy mode, we’ll simply take one stalk of celery and put it in a glass of water colored with food coloring. Over the next day or two, we’ll watch as the color travels up the stalk and into the leaves.

Hard mode

For a bit more of a challenge, we’ll take two stalks of celery and put each one in a different glass of colored water. We’ll then observe which one changes color faster. This can lead to interesting discussions about why one might change faster than the other.

Challenge mode

For our ultimate challenge, we’ll split a celery stalk down the middle and put each half in a different color of water. We’ll then watch as each half changes to a different color. This is a fun and fascinating way to see how capillary action works in plants.

Some prompts to encourage the kid

  • Wow! You’re turning that celery into a rainbow!
  • I wonder which color will travel faster. What do you think?
  • Let’s see what happens when we split the stalk. Do you think both halves will change color at the same speed?
  • You’re doing a great job observing like a real scientist!

Important things to keep in mind

  • While doing this activity, make sure to explain to the children that the color change is caused by the water moving up the stalk through tiny tubes, which is called capillary action.

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