Diffusion Activities for Kids

Diffusion is a simple concept that children should grasp quickly. It's the movement of things (smells, liquids, etc.) from a concentrated area to a less concentrated area. You can demonstrate the idea of diffusion with simple items found around the house. You can even point it out while cooking bacon or other fragrant foods by asking your child to pay attention to when she can smell breakfast.

  1. Diffusion in Water

    • To show kids how diffusion happens faster under warmer circumstances, all you need is food coloring dye and two cups of water, one warm and one cold. Ask the child which temperature she thinks the color will spread through faster. Have her add food coloring to each glass at the same time. The color will spread quicker through the hot water. Ask her why. Explain that diffusion is influenced by how quickly the molecules of a substance are vibrating. Hot molecules vibrate faster so the coloring spread quicker.

    Balloon Air Test

    • To show kids how warm air affects diffusion, you'll need two small boxes (like shoeboxes), two balloons, two cotton balls, real mint extract and a plastic straw. Work a cotton ball into each balloon. Use the straw as a dropper. Have the child dip it into the mint extract and place his finger over the end to hold the liquid inside. Place the end of the straw on to the cotton ball and remove the finger. Don't spill any extract on the outside the balloon. Repeat for the second balloon. Blow up and tie each balloon, placing each in a box. Place one balloon in a warm place, like a warm room or outside in the sunlight. Place the other in a colder place, like the fridge or the basement. After ten minutes, gather the shoeboxes and open each separately. The box that was in the warmer area should have a stronger mint smell.

    The Vanilla Experiment

    • You'll need a video camera, a beaker of vanilla, blindfolds (or scarves) and a large group of kids. Seat the blindfolded kids a few feet apart in rows on the ground. Ask them to raise their hands when they smell vanilla. Stress the need to be honest and accurate. Wait a minute before you open the beaker on the other side of the classroom, just to see if anyone puts up a hand early. Open the beaker. Keep videotaping until everyone raises their hands or there's a few minutes without a change. Watch the video with the kids and discuss any patterns that emerge in the diffusion.

    Iodine and Cornstarch

    • Iodine, water, a clear cup, cornstarch and a plastic baggie are all you need. Since iodine can be dangerous, it's important to don protective glasses for this experiment. The baggie should have a teaspoon of cornstarch and half a cup of water. Seal and shake to mix. The kids carefully add ten drops of iodine to a cup of water. Place the baggie in the iodine and wait fifteen minutes. Since the plastic is semi-permeable, the iodine should pass through the bag and change the color of the cornstarch. Ask the child if he thinks iodine should be stored in a plastic bag.

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