With the pandemic still limiting social outings, parents may be dreading the upcoming spring break. This fun little project is a great way to expend some creative energy during the March break or all through the summer. Dye flowers with food coloring and make a rainbow to display in a favorite vase.
Use storebought flowers or pick your own to keep the cost of this craft project low.
Why dye flowers with food coloring?
Aren’t flowers already colorful? Most flowers come in a variety of colors. Using food coloring, you can tint easy-to-find white flowers and create a vibrant DIY bouquet.
The project isn’t just a fun one. It’s also a great science experiment to demonstrate to kids how plants take up water.
Easy-to-source flower options:
- Carnations
- Daffodils
- Tulips
- Roses
Note that wood-stemmed flowers will take longer to change colors.
How to dye flowers with food coloring
This project is ultra-simple, but it can be messy, especially if you’re getting help from uncoordinated little ones.
Make sure to put down a tablecloth to sop up any accidental spills. Use one that you don’t mind staining or grab a disposable one from the dollar store.
Here’s create colorful flowers with food coloring at home:
- Fill small cups with water, about halfway
- Add different colors of food coloring to each water-filled cup.
- Feel free to mix dyes!
- Cut the ends of the flower stems
- Place the flowers in the cups, with their stems in the water. Don’t soak the petals.
- Let the flowers soak
- Petals will change colors over hours and days.
Here’s a video showing the process:
Source: https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/experiments/dyed-flowers/
Steph Coelho is a freelance writer gardening in zone 5b. She is a certified Square Foot Gardener and has taught various garden-related workshops. When she’s not digging in the dirt or writing, she’s cooking up fresh produce, running, or listening to her favorite podcasts.
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