Explore Valentine’s Day science with a fun candy heart oobleck activity. Once you learn how to make oobleck, you won’t be able to stop! Not only is homemade oobleck an excellent science project to explore non-Newtonian fluids (read more about that below), but it’s also an incredible sensory play recipe for kids who love to dig in and explore with their sense of touch.
PinOobleck for Kitchen Science
You will want to raid your kitchen cupboards for this one! Making candy heart oobleck is as simple as grabbing two household staples, water andcornstarch and mixing them up! However, it’s the ratio of water to cornstarch that is so important in this oobleck recipe.
Make sure to check out more awesome kitchen science experiments!
PinCandy Heart Oobleck Recipe
Open the cupboards and get set for a fun candy heart activity…
SUPPLIES:
- Candy Conversation hearts
- 1 Cup Cornstarch
- 1-1.5 Cups of Water
- Bowl
- Spoon
- Food Coloring (optional)
- Shallow Pan or Pie Dish
We also added a spoon, tweezers, cookie cutters, and heart-shaped containers.
Note: We first set this oobleck activity up in 2015 and it’s still a favorite. See some of our older photos below.
HOW TO MAKE OOBLECK
There’s no way around the messy side of this candy heart oobleck science activity, so be prepared and embrace the mess while the kids enjoy a cool learningexperience. You can contain the mess with disposable table clothes or show curtains or take it outside if you have nice weather.
I would suggest putting the oobleck in the trash when finished. Although it does wash down the sink easily, it’s a lot of goop for the pipes to handle.
MAKE OOBLECK STEP BY STEP:
Step 1: Start by adding the cornstarch to the bowl.
I always recommend having extra cornstarch on hand for experimentation with ratios or if the kids accidentally add too much water. Oobleck is very forgiving! You will just end up with a larger amount in the end!
You can easily add food coloring to the water first. Remember for a bold color as you see here, you will need extra food coloring. For an artistic approach to adding color, see our marbled oobleck activity! You can add the color after instead.
However, food coloring is not necessary and you will see with the candy hearts, they add their own color! We were able to throw in a little extra science with dissolving candy hearts experiment too.
PinStep 2: Add the water and get ready to mix. You should start with 1 cup of water first and then add as needed.
The good thing about this classic heart oobleck recipe is that if you add to much water, you can add more cornstarch.
If you add too much cornstarch, go ahead and add back in some water. I highly suggest making small changes at a time. A little can go a long way once you start incorporating it into the mixture.
You can start by mixing your oobleck in a bowl and then transfer to a more shallow tray to allow for a larger play surface if desired!
PinThe Right Oobleck Consistency
There is a gray area for the right oobleck consistency. First, you don’t want it to be very crumbly, but you also don’t want it to be very soupy either. If you have reluctant kiddo, hand them a spoon to start! Let them warm up to the idea of this squishy substance. Never force them to touch it though.
The perfect consistency is when you can pick up a clump in your hand, form it into a ball of sorts, and then watch it flow like a liquid back into the pan or bowl.
Once you have your oobleck mixed to the desired consistency, you can add your candy hearts and other accessories as desired! Check out the little hands exploring the candy heart oobleck below.
PinWHAT IS OOBLECK?
Oobleck is a fun substance made from a mixture of cornstarch and water. It’s a bit messy too!
It’s also a non-Newtonian fluid. Although it doesn’t feel like our traditional slime recipe like our Valentine Slime, it has many of the same properties.
These properties or characteristics make it a great chemistry experiment that also explores states of matter, mixtures, and substances.
A mixture is a material made up of two or more substances to form a new material which is our oobleck! Here we are combining a liquid and a solid, but the mixture doesn’t become one or the other.
A solid has its own shape whereas a liquid will take the shape of the container it is put into. Oobleck is a bit of both!
That’s why oobleck is called a non-Newtonian fluid. This means it is neither a liquid nor a solid but a bit of both! You can pick up a clump of the substance like a solid and then watch it ooze back into the bowl like a liquid.
Touch the surface lightly and it will feel firm and solid. If you apply more pressure, your fingers will sink into it like a liquid.
PinMore Fun Oobleck Recipes to Try:
- Rainbow Oobleck Slime
- St. Patrick’s Day Oobleck
- Halloween Oobleck
- Applesauce Oobleck
- Easter Oobleck
- Snowflake Oobleck
- Pumpkin Oobleck
- Christmas Peppermint Oobleck
- Original Non-newtonian Fluid Recipe
Try An Oobleck Experiment
By introducing variables and encouraging kids to make comparisons and predictions, this oobleck experiment helps them develop scientific inquiry skills and understand basic principles of materials and their properties.
- Control Oobleck:
- Start by making a standard batch of oobleck using a specific ratio of cornstarch to water. This will be the “control” oobleck for the experiment.
- Variable 1: Changing Ratios
- Prepare additional batches of oobleck with different ratios of cornstarch to water. For example, make one with more cornstarch and less water and another with more and less.
- Encourage kids to observe and compare the properties of each batch. Does changing the ratio affect the oobleck’s behavior? Is it more liquid-like or solid-like?
- Variable 2: Adding Objects
- Place different objects in the oobleck (e.g., small toys, plastic shapes, coins). Observe how the oobleck interacts with these objects.
- Ask kids to predict whether certain objects will sink or float in the oobleck. Record their predictions and compare them to the actual outcomes.
- Variable 3: Temperature Experiment
- Prepare two batches of oobleck, one using cold water and another using warm water. Discuss the impact of temperature on the oobleck’s properties.
- Observe if there are differences in how the oobleck behaves at different temperatures. Does it change its consistency or flow differently?
- EXTRA: Try freezing oobleck!
- Variable 4: Time Experiment
- Set up a timed experiment to observe changes in the oobleck over time. After applying pressure, measure how long it takes for the oobleck to revert from a solid to a liquid state.
- Discuss the viscosity concept and how it relates to the time it takes for the oobleck to return to a liquid state.
- Record Observations:
- Have kids record their observations, predictions, and conclusions in a simple scientific journal. Please encourage them to use drawings, words, and measurements.
- Discussion:
- Conclude the experiment by discussing the results. Ask questions about what they observed and if their predictions were accurate. Discuss the scientific concepts behind the changes in Oobleck’s properties.
More Fun Valentine’s Day Science Experiments
You can find all our Valentine’s Day science experiments here, including…
- Valentine Magic Milk
- Candy Heart Oobleck
- Heart Lava Lamp
- Valentines Skittles Experiment
- Dissolving Candy Heart Science
- Grow Crystal Hearts
- Water Displacement Experiment
Printable Valentine STEM Project Pack
Countdown to Valentine’s Day with science and STEM! Pack includes complete instructions, templates, and images for 20+ activities. Bonus: printable science Valentine’s Day cards!
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