water walk science experiment

Rainbow Walking Water Science Experiment for Kids

This walking water science experiment is so much fun and super easy to do! My kids absolutely loved it! It even comes with free printable recording sheets for kids as young as preschool! Check out the video to see how easy this walking water experiment really is. This rainbow activity is perfect for spring science!

Walking Water Science Experiment

Ok, this might just be our favorite science experiment! The whole family (adults included) were completely mesmerized with process. We all couldn’t believe how quickly the water traveled up the paper towel and neat it was to watch the colors mix together.

We have wanted to try it out for a long time now and I am kicking myself for waiting so long. I don’t know why, but I thought it might be difficult to do or take a long time. I was way wrong. It was very easy and we started seeing results right away!

Related: Simple Spring Science and STEAM Activities

The walking water science experiment is great at any time of the year, but it is especially perfect for spring. I love doing rainbow activities in the spring, so this was a great addition to our rainbow theme activities.

If you are looking for simple science to do with the kids and something that will really WOW them, this is definitely one to try.

You only need a few simple supplies that you probably already have around the house.

Setting Up the Rainbow Science Experiment

Supplies Needed:

• Printable walking water recording sheets (button to download at the bottom of the post)
• Small plastic cups or glasses
• Paper towels (*read my tips below for picking the right ones)
• Food coloring in primary colors

* The pick-a-size paper towels are best because then you just use half sheets for each cup. If you only have full sheets, then cut them in half. I’ve also heard that more absorbent paper towels work better too. I buy the cheap store brand ones, and our water moved pretty quickly from cup to cup, so I am not sure how important that is. It may have went quicker with something more absorbent though.

1. Print out the recording sheets and make copies, if needed.

2. Place 7 cups in a row and pour water in the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th cup. My cups were about 3/4 full. I have since heard that fuller is better.

3. Add 5 drops of red food coloring to the 1st cup and the 7th cup.

4. Add 5 drops of yellow food coloring to the 3rd cup.

5. Add 5 drops of blue food coloring to the 5th cup.

Doing the Walking Water Experiment

You want to try to use the same amount of food coloring in each cup. When I did this with my kids they did drop an extra one or two in since they can’t control it well, but I just added a drop or two more to the others to even it out.

6. Take a half sheet of paper towel and fold it in half lengthwise and in half again lengthwise.

7. Trim off some of the length so that there isn’t too much excess paper towel that will stick up in the air between each cup. This will make the water walk more quickly.

8. Place one half of a rolled paper towel in the 1st cup and place the other half in the cup next to it. Then another paper towel from 2nd cup and into the 3rd cup. This continues until you have placed the last paper towel that drapes over from the 6th cup to the 7th cup.

9. Stare at the cups and watch what starts happening. You should quickly be able to see the colored water begin to crawl up the paper towel.

10. Don’t forget to do the first part of the recording sheet. Students will predict what they think will happen.

This walking water experiment is AWESOME!

Keep checking back every couple of minutes. Soon you will be able to see that the water has crawled all the way up the paper towel and is beginning to walk back down into the empty cup next to it.

Since the cup on either side of an empty cup has colored water in it, the two colors begin to mix in the empty cup. So cool!

Keep coming back throughout the two hours or soon and observe what is happening.

Question to Ask

What do you think will happen to the water?

What is happening now?

Why do you think the colors are changing?

Why might the water be able to move up against gravity like that?

How this Science Experiment Works

The water moves up the paper towels through a process called capillary action. The paper towel is made from fibers and the water is able to travel through the gaps in the fibers. The gaps in the paper towel act like capillary tubes and pull the water upward. This is what helps water climb from a plant’s roots to the leaves at the top of the plant or tree.

The water is able to move upward against gravity because of the attractive forces between the water and the fibers in the paper towel.

I even removed one of the red cups and made a color wheel so I could introduce the kids to that as well.

I hope your kids have a great time with this super cool walking water science experiment!

Other Cool Science Experiments for Kids

This rainbow  Walking Water Science Experiment  is one of our most popular science activities!

Try this super simple  Oobleck recipe  that only requires two household ingredients!

This  rainbow skittles experiment  is sure to WOW the kids!

You can also make a rainbow of flowers with this super cool  color changing flowers experiment !

This pepper and soap experiment is very simple to do, but always engages the kids!

Did you know you can put paper under water and it will stay dry? Give it a try with this keep paper dry under water experiment . The kids love this cool trick!

Explore Newton’s color wheel while making colors disappear with this totally awesome science activity!

Explore chromatogography with this super fun STEAM activity that combines science and art!

This  rain cloud jar science experiment  give children a chance to explore clouds and rain in a hands-on and engaging way

The kids will get a kick out of this super cool  dancing raisins science experiment !

Check out these other science experiments and activities for kids.

This lava lamp science experiment is always a hit with the kids!

If you haven’t tried this magic milk science activity , you have to! It is so awesome and super easy to do.

This leak proof bag science experiment will make your kids jaw drop! It’s hard to believe, but it works.

Walking Water Experiment – Teach Capillary Action to Kids

• September 24, 2020
• 5-6 Year Olds , 7-9 Year Olds , Physics , Rainy Day Science

Hi all, in this DIY I am going to show you how water walks. Did you hear me right? Yes, water can walk and here it happens. Let us quickly see the instructions to make water walk and a bit of science behind it as well. Spend your holidays at home with kids using these simple experiments and feel glad that you teach them science.

How to make water walk

Things required.

• Glasses – Minimum two – preferably transparent cups
• Food color – colors of your choice
• Paper towel – 1 to 2 inch wide

Steps to follow

• Take the glass tumbler and place them on the table. At least two tumblers are required to see water walk. You must place tumblers close to each other with minimum distance apart.

• Fill one glass with water. In case you are taking more glasses, then fill every alternate glass with water.

• Fold the paper towel and fold it horizontally twice to make it look like a strip. Then fold in half vertically and adjust the height by cutting at the ends based on the height of your glass.

• Add a few drops of colors in the tumblers with water. You can add different colors and observe the color absorption as well.

• Place the paper towel in such a way that one half is in the tumbler with water and food color and the other end into the glass which is empty and adjacent to the tumbler with water.
• Leave this undisturbed for minimum one hour.

Observation

You can witness the paper towel becoming wet first and slowly it will become excess and the water will get transferred to the empty tumbler. Water will continue to walk until both the tumblers have an equal level of water. With the help of the paper towel, water from one glass walks to another glass. Adding food color will allow you to see the movement easily.

Science behind

Water moves due to capillary action. Paper towels and water contain adhesive force. Water has cohesive force within. The adhesive force remains stronger than the cohesive force. This will make the water travel through the paper from one glass to another.

Paper towel is made up of small fibers and they have a gap between them. Water will get pulled into the gap by capillary action. This is the same that happens by which tree suck water from the ground. Surface tension fuels this action, the water molecules are attracted due to cohesion. Thus absorption happens which is also fueled by the adhesive force between water and paper towels.

A paper towel is made of cellulose and has some positive charge and negative charge on either end. Water molecules are also having charge and this will lead to opposite charge attraction concept making water and paper towel come closer. We can also relate this to siphoning action.

Some More Science Facts

It takes a minimum of 30 minutes for the water to walk from one glass to another. Within 2 hours you can see both the glasses with equal amount of water. Water has walked from one glass to another.

Capillary action makes water to be absorbed from the glass to the paper towel and that is explained in this experiment. You need water, glass, paper towel and food color to see the water walk.

Paper towels are made up of plant fibers. The mixing of the resin will increase their absorbing power. This prevents paper towels from tearing, unlike a normal paper does. Stronger the resin more does the paper towel absorb. The air-pockets in the paper towel will attract water.

Fill water in one cup and keep an empty cup adjacent to it. Fold a paper towel and place it’s one half in one cup and the other into the other cup. The paper towel will absorb water from the glass and fill t

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Color Changing Walking Water Science Experiment

Science or magic? This super quick, gravity defying experiment may surprise young scientists and work like magic, but don’t worry! The color changing walking water experiment is science through and through and fun for all ages.

Based on the very popular Walking Water Science Experiment using two glasses, you can observe the water walking AND changing color with only a few supplies you probably already have in your kitchen. This article includes a video to show you just how easy it is with detailed step-by-step instructions and the scientific explanations you need to understand how it works!

JUMP TO SECTION: Instructions | Video Tutorial | How it Works

Supplies Needed

• 3 Glasses of Equal Height
• Paper Towels
• Food Coloring (Blue & Yellow)

Color Changing Walking Water Science Lab Kit – Only $5

Use our easy Color Changing Walking Water Science Lab Kit to grab your students’ attention without the stress of planning!

It’s everything you need to  make science easy for teachers and fun for students  — using inexpensive materials you probably already have in your storage closet!

Color Changing Walking Water Science Experiment Instructions

Step 1 –  Prepare two strips of paper towel between 1 and 2 inches wide. Tip: We used one section of paper towel and folded it in half and then in half again until it was the correct width. Set the paper towel strips aside and gather the rest of the supplies

Step 2 – Next, Position your three empty glasses about 2-3 inches apart. Pour water into the two outside glasses until they are halfway full. Leave the middle glass empty.

Step 3 – Add a few drops of food coloring to the water. Add blue food coloring to one glass and yellow food coloring to the other glass. Stir the water until the food coloring is fully combined.

Helpful Tip: If you don’t have blue & yellow food coloring, you can use red & yellow or red & blue. 

Step 4 – Take one of the strips of paper towel that you prepared in step 1. Place one end of the paper towel into the glass with the blue water. Then place the other end into the glass that is empty.

Step 5 –  Take the other strip of paper towel that you prepared in step 1. Place one end of the paper towel into the glass with the yellow water. Then place the other end into the glass that is empty.

Take a moment to make some observations. What happened to the paper towel that was placed in the water? Do you think it is possible for the water in the first glass to move to the empty glass? What do you think will happen if the water moves to the middle glass? Write down your hypothesis (prediction) and then leave the glasses to sit and come back to check on them in about an hour.

Step 6 – Return to the glasses and observe what has happened. What happened during the hour you were waiting? What do you think will happen if you wait a little longer. Do you think all the water in the outside glasses will move to the middle glass? Why or why not? Write down your hypothesis (prediction) and then leave the glasses to sit and come back to check on them in two hours.

Color Changing Walking water Science Experiment Video Tutorial

How Does the Experiment Work?

Why Does the Water Move Between Glasses? The water appears to defy gravity, but in reality, it moves because of a process called capillary action . Water is able to move against the force of gravity because water molecules stick to each other AND they stick to the fibers of the paper towel. As water molecules are attracted to the fibers of the paper towel, they pull other water molecules with them. The adhesive forces between the water and the fibers of the paper towel are stronger than the cohesive forces between the water molecules. This allows water to travel from one cup to another.

Capillary action is the combined force of attraction among water molecules and with the molecules of surrounding materials.

Why Does Water Change Color? Did you know that three basic colors can combine together to make any other color? These three basic colors are red, blue and yellow. They are referred to as primary colors. When two primary colors combine in equal amounts, they produce a secondary color. In this experiment, we chose blue and yellow (two primary colors) for the outside glasses. When the blue and yellow water mixed in the middle glass it turned green (a secondary color).

More Science Fun

Eventually, the water will stop moving over once both cups are filled with the same amount of water. Expand on the experiment, by estimating how long it will take for the water to move to the second jar. Then set a timer and find out how close your estimate was.

You can also try this experiment with other colors!

Red + Yellow = Orange Red + Blue = Purple

In addition, you can also try these other fun experiments that contain mixing colors:

• Coloring Changing Water Science Experiment – Science or magic? Try this experiment at home with your kids and watch their eyes light up as you pour the liquid into the bowl and “create” a new color.
• Discover How Colors are Made   – This is a simple experiment that demonstrates how different colors are made.

I hope you enjoyed the experiment. Here are some printable instructions:

Instructions

• Prepare two strips of paper towel between 1 and 2 inches wide. Tip: We used one section of paper towel and folded it in half and then in half again until it was the correct width.
• Once you have your two paper towel strips ready, set them aside.
• Next, Position your three empty glasses about 2-3 inches apart.
• Pour water into the two outside glasses until they are halfway full. Leave the middle glass empty.
• Add a few drops of food coloring into the water. Stir the food coloring until the water is all one color. Tip: Use blue food coloring in one glass and yellow in the other.
• Take one of the strips of paper towel that you prepared in step 1. Place one end of the paper towel into the glass with the blue water. Then place the other end into the glass that is empty.
• Take the other strip of paper towel that you prepared in step 1. Place one end of the paper towel into the glass with the yellow water. Then place the other end into the glass that is empty.
• Observe the experiment right away. Do you notice that the water is “walking” up the paper towel? Now, leave the glasses alone and come back to check on them in an hour or two.
• Return to the glasses and observe what has happened.Tip: The longer you wait to check on the glasses, the more water will have moved to the middle glass. The water will stop moving over when all of the cups are filled with the same amount of water.

Reader Interactions

December 26, 2016 at 5:57 am

I want many science experiments for my kids.Thanks for your sharing.

December 10, 2019 at 7:33 pm

Thank you because I really needed something to do for my science fair and now i’m good to go

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Walking water experiment: a fun and colorful rainbow science activity.

Updated: Aug 15, 2023

Hey there, science enthusiasts! If you're searching for a fun, simple, and visually striking experiment to do with kids aged 5-10, the walking water experiment is a fabulous choice. Not only does it demonstrate capillary action, but it's also an excellent way to ignite a child's curiosity and set the stage for further scientific exploration. Let's dive in!

Materials Needed for Your Walking Water Experiment:

Clear plastic or glass cups (5 - 7)

Paper towels (preferably the absorbent kind)

Food coloring (primary colors: red, yellow, and blue)

Step-by-Step Guide for the Walking Water Experiment

Water usually flows downward, but did you know it can also "walk" sideways between cups? The Walking Water Science Experiment is a great way to see this in action. It's easy to set up and doesn't take much time. Let's get started and discover the science behind walking water!

Set Up the Experiment:

Place 6 cups in a circle or in a straight line.

Fill every other cup about two-thirds full of water.

In the first cup, add a few drops of red food coloring, in the third cup, add blue, and in the fifth cup, add yellow.

Preparation of Wicks:

Fold a paper towel lengthwise several times to create a wick. It should be about an inch in width.

Make enough wicks for each gap between cups and extras to connect the end cups if you're setting them up in a line.

Walking Water:

Place one end of a paper towel wick in a cup with water and the other end in an empty cup next to it.

Do this for all the gaps. You should see the paper towels start to absorb the colored water.

Observation:

Over the next several hours, watch as the colored water "walks" up the paper towel and down into the empty cup.

Eventually, the water in the two adjacent cups will level out and mix. Red and yellow will produce orange, yellow and blue will become green, and blue and red will turn purple.

Discussion:

Ask the kids or students why they think the water moved against gravity.

Discuss the concept of capillary action: the phenomenon where liquid flows in narrow spaces without external forces like gravity.

Further Investigations with the Walking Water Experiment:

Different Materials: Replace paper towels with other materials like cotton strings, cloth strips, or even toilet paper. How does the rate of water absorption change?

Adjust Liquid Volume: Start with different amounts of water in the initial cups. Does a fuller cup make the water walk faster?

Temperature Effects: Use warm water in one set of cups and cold water in another. Observe any differences in the rate of absorption or color blending.

Different Colors: Use other food coloring shades or even try making secondary colors initially to see what new colors you can create in the empty cups.

Different Vessels: Experiment with taller glasses or wider containers. Does the height or width of the container make a difference?

Paper Towel Length: Try longer or shorter paper towel strips. How does the length affect the speed and amount of water transfer?

Exploring Porosity: Get different brands of paper towels and discuss the idea of porosity. Which brand works best? Why might that be?

The walking water experiment isn't just visually delightful; it's a hands-on way to teach children about basic scientific concepts. It's also flexible enough to allow for plenty of additional investigations and inquiries. The real joy is in seeing kids' eyes light up as they engage with the process, ask questions, and explore further on their own! So, put on your lab coats, little scientists, and let the wonders of science sweep you away. 🌈🔍🧪

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Rainbow Walking Water Experiment

Simple science starts here! This  walking water experiment is incredibly easy and fun to set up for kids. All you need are a few simple supplies you can find in your kitchen cupboards. Watch the water travel as it makes a rainbow of color, and learn about capillary action too! We love easy science experiments for kids!

What You Will Learn

The walking water experiment is a fantastic way to introduce kids to several key scientific concepts:

Capillary Action : This experiment demonstrates capillary action, which is the ability of water (or other liquids) to move upward against gravity through narrow spaces, such as the gaps between paper towels or the fibers of a paper towel.

Absorption : Kids can learn about absorption, which is the process of one substance being taken up by another substance. In this experiment, they observe how water is absorbed by the paper towels and then transported from one cup to another.

Color Mixing : The walking water experiment also allows for exploring color mixing. Using colored water in the cups, kids can observe how the colors blend as the water travels through the paper towels, creating new colors that overlap.

Properties of Water : Through this experiment, kids can learn about the unique properties of water, including cohesion (water molecules sticking together) and adhesion (water molecules sticking to other substances, like paper towels).

Experimental Method : It introduces children to the scientific method by encouraging them to make predictions, conduct experiments, and observe and analyze the results.

Watch the Walking Water Video:

Walking water experiment.

If you want to make this into a walking water science fair project where you are using the scientific method, you need to change one variable. You could repeat the experiment with different types of paper towels and observe the differences. Learn more about the scientific method for kids here .

• Test Tubes and Rack (clear plastic cups or mason jars work well too!)
• Food Coloring
• Paper Towels
• Timer (optional)

Instructions:

STEP 1 . You can set up as many or as less jars as you like for this part.

We used 9 test tubes of primary colors (3 x red, 3 x yellow, 3 x blue). We added red, yellow, and blue food coloring (one color per test tube) in a pattern.

Give each test tube (or glass or cup) a little stir to distribute the color evenly. Try to put the same amount of food coloring in each container!

STEP 2. Cut thin strips of paper towel to fit in the test tubes. If you are using glasses or cups, you can judge the best size strip to fit what you are using.

Place the paper towel strips into the test tubes. There will be two ends in each tube.

STEP 3 . Wait and watch what happens. At this point, you can set up a stopwatch to make note of how long it takes for the colors to meet and mix.

Once you have inserted the towels, it’s the perfect time to talk about what your kids see happening (observations). Do they want to improve their hypothesis or have new ideas about what might happen?

How Long Does It Take?

The whole process starts pretty quickly, but it does take a while for the colors to begin to mix. You may want to leave it and return to see the colors mixed.

This would be a great time to pull out the watercolors and do some color mixing art! Or how about setting up a homemade lava lamp experiment while you wait?

Make sure to check on your walking water science experiment every once in a while to see the changes constantly occurring. The kids will be amazed at how the water seems to defy gravity!

The Science Behind Walking Water

Walking water science is all about capillary action , which also can be seen in plants. You can even check out our celery and food coloring experiment to see this!

What is capillary action? Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow upward against gravity in a narrow space, like a thin tube or a porous material. Capillary action can happen due to combining two main forces: cohesion and adhesion.

Cohesion is the attraction between molecules of the same substance. In the case of water, water molecules are strongly attracted to each other, creating a sort of “pull” that keeps the molecules together.

Adhesion is the attraction between molecules of different substances. Water molecules are also attracted to the surfaces of materials like glass, paper, and plants.

How Does the Water Walk?

The colored water travels up the fibers of the paper towel. The gaps in the paper towel are similar to the capillary tubes of a plant that pull the water up through the stems. The fibers of the paper towel help the water move upward which is this walking water experiment looks like it is defying gravity. How else does water move up the tree?

As the paper towels absorb the colored water, the water travels up the towel strip. It meets up with the other colored water that has traveled up the neighboring strip. Where the primary colors interact, they turn into the secondary colors. Both colors will continue to travel as long as the towel fibers will absorb the water.

We left our walking water science experiment out overnight and had a mucky-looking puddle of water underneath the rack the next day. The paper towels had become oversaturated!

Check out our Grow A Rainbow experiment for another fun to set this up!

Free Printable Junior Scientist Guide!

Using the Scientific Method

The scientific method is a process or method of research. A problem is identified, information about the problem is gathered, a hypothesis or question is formulated from the information, and the hypothesis is put to test with an experiment to prove or disprove its validity. Sounds heavy…

What in the world does that mean?!? The scientific method should be used as a guide to help lead the process. You don’t need to try and solve the world’s biggest science questions! The scientific method is all about studying and learning things right around you.

As kids develop practices that involve creating, gathering data evaluating, analyzing, and communicating, they can apply these critical thinking skills to any situation.

To learn more about the scientific method and how to use it, read more here.

Even though the scientific method feels like it is just for big kids…

This method can be used with kids of all ages! Have a casual conversation with younger kiddos or do a more formal notebook entry with older kiddos!

More Fun Water Experiments to Try

Check out our list of science experiments for Jr Scientists!

• Color Changing Flowers
• Sink or Float Buoyancy
• Paper Towel Experiment
• Saltwater Density Egg Float
• Rising Water Science
• Sugar Water Rainbow (Density)
• Oil and Water

Printable Science Projects For Kids

If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!

• 90+ classic science activities  with journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information.  NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
• Best science practices posters  and our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
• Be a Collector activities pack  introduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
• Know the Words Science vocabulary pack  includes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
• My science journal writing prompts  explore what it means to be a scientist!!
• Bonus STEAM Project Pack:  Art meets science with doable projects!
• Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics

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i was wodering where can i buy this Test Tubes and Rack

This looks like such a cool activity!

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Coffee Cups and Crayons

Simple play ideas, learning activities, kids crafts and party ideas, plus acts of kindness for kids!

August 7, 2014

Crazy Cool Walking Water Science Experiment for Kids

We have been having so much fun with science this summer–it’s the perfect time to get the kids excited with a hands on activity!

The Walking Water experiment is super easy to set up and has a big wow factor.  Kids can watch the colored water walk along paper towels and fill an empty glass. It’s very cool!

Affiliate links for supplies used below.

Walking Water Science Experiment

• at least 3 empty glasses (these are  the ones we used )
• food coloring
• paper towels

Choose the colors you want to mix.  We did red and yellow, blue and yellow, and red and blue.  Fill a jar for each color and add food coloring.  You will need an additional empty glass of the same size for each pair of colors.

Cut a paper towel in half and then fold it into quarters lengthwise. Stick one end of the paper towel into the colored water and one end into the empty jar.

Thanks to capillary action the water moves or “walks” up the paper towels into the empty jar. The middle jar fills up with water until the water levels of all the jars are equal.

When you start with primary colored water in the jars it also turns into a cool coloring mixing lesson.

Walking Water Science Experiment Video

Want to see how cool it is for yourself? Watch it in action!

Walking Water Troubleshooting

Happens very slowly.  We have always been able to see results within minutes. If you aren’t it may be the type of paper towels you are using. We do this one fairly often and have great success with the Target brand version where you can select the smaller sizes instead of a larger sheet. If you are disappointed with it taking a long time to see any action I’d try a different type of paper towel.

Won’t get started.  You start to see something happening right away when you have filled your outer glasses all the way to the top. It totally works with shorter, wider clear glasses but we have the most success with the canning jars shown in the photos. If you have them it may be worthwhile to get them out!

This is one experiment you want to try until you get right because it is just that cool when it works. Trust me. You’ll be just as impressed with this walking water science experiment as the kids!

Join me and Erica from  What Do We Do All Day?  each Thursday this summer for a free  Summer Science Camp .  We are sharing classic science experiments that your kids will love!

Head over to see what  they made this week !

Don’t let the fun and discovery stop there!

We have TONS of science experiments your kids will love on our  Super Cool Science Experiments for Kids  page! 

Take me to the experiments –>   Super Cool Science Experiments for Kids

About Megan Sheakoski

Megan is the creator of Coffee Cups and Crayons, a blog full of simple fun and learning. She believes that kids’ activities don’t have to be complicated to be fun and that learning is better with play.

August 7, 2014 at 10:01 am

This experiment is so cool! I am an Education Manager at a Head Start and I am going to recommend using this experiment and others you have on your website to my teachers. Thanks.

August 8, 2014 at 6:47 pm

Thank you!!! It is one of our favorites! I HIGHLY recommend trying it!

May 21, 2016 at 8:42 am

I want to try this experiment for my school project about colors but the teacher is going to ask me what is going on and I think that the paper towel sucks in the water so this way it travels on the paper towel but I just want to be sure that my hypothesis is right so could you explain it to me or tell me if I am right or wrong?

May 22, 2016 at 5:50 pm

Diana that is a great topic for you to research before you present it! Good luck!

December 7, 2016 at 10:02 am

hi I need step by step to do this can you tell me what the dependent variable I need it for my science fair project

December 8, 2016 at 7:04 am

Hi Leisa! Check your notes to figure it out. I’m sure you can do it!

March 7, 2019 at 1:30 pm

it moves because of a process called capillary action. The adhesive forces between the water and the paper towel are stronger than the cohesive forces inside the water. As a result, the water travels up and across the paper towel out of one glass

November 3, 2019 at 10:05 pm

Hypothesis???

October 9, 2017 at 9:16 am

Sure I’m doing this project for my school 😀

October 25, 2014 at 3:27 pm

Yay! I also work for Headstart! I’m excited to try this!

October 26, 2014 at 8:08 pm

The kids will LOVE it!!!!

October 9, 2017 at 9:17 am

November 4, 2014 at 11:53 pm

I am a lead teacher for head start in GA. I can’t wait to try this!

July 11, 2015 at 8:15 pm

Thanks for sharing this. We did a similar experiment without the colors. I mixed dirt and water in one glass, ran a paper towel (exactly like this experiment) to an empty glass. Pretty soon the formally empty glass will be just as full as the muddy water glass, but with clean water. (Well…cleaner water)

I tried to make it very theatrical: I told my kids I would drink the water from the muddy water glass without using a sieve. Then I set up the experiment in a minute and 20 minutes later drank from the clean water glass.

We’ll definitely reinforce the concept with this one…thanks!

July 11, 2015 at 9:35 pm

Oh I love that! Especially how you set it up–awesome!

January 7, 2016 at 12:18 pm

Hi Megan! My son wants to do this for a project. Can u explain what the hypothesis would be and what the experiment is actually proving? Thanks Cheri

January 8, 2016 at 11:30 am

Hi Cheri! He would be the one creating the hypothesis, it’s his prediction/educated guess about what will happen. Once he does that he can complete the experiment to see if he is right or wrong. Then based on his results he’d write his conclusion. Have fun!

April 29, 2016 at 11:21 am

Wow! It is really cool!

January 18, 2016 at 4:16 pm

They should tell us how much water to put in the jars but the easiest way to do it is just to pour them into the middle jar at the same time

January 18, 2016 at 4:17 pm

Just saying

August 9, 2014 at 6:38 am

Very cool! About how long does it take for the experiment to work? Thanks!

August 9, 2014 at 1:18 pm

You can see the water walk up the paper towels almost immediately and our jars were complete in about 30 minutes!

August 9, 2014 at 9:05 am

Love the kitchen table experiments. Hope u come by and share this on #kidsinthekitchen this week http://lookwhatmomfound.com/2014/08/salad-sandwich-bites-kidsinthekitchen.html

August 9, 2014 at 10:07 am

How long does this usually take for the water to “walk” into the other cups?

August 9, 2014 at 1:17 pm

You start to see it happen very soon and depending on how much water is in your jar about 30 minutes to complete!

November 29, 2016 at 5:27 pm

wow!!!!!!! so cool 🙂

August 9, 2014 at 12:21 pm

Great! Thanks for that! How many time does it take to see a result?

August 9, 2014 at 1:19 pm

You can see the colored water “walk” up the paper towels right away! It’s amazing!

November 14, 2016 at 1:21 pm

August 10, 2014 at 2:05 pm

This can be done with multiple glasses and colors..the colors will blend with each additional color but even more interesting for the students is that the fluid levels equalize in all the glasses!

August 10, 2014 at 2:08 pm

Yes! It’s so cool to watch!

August 11, 2014 at 10:54 pm

Wow!! This is so simple yet so, so clever and impressive!! I cannot wait to try it out with my little guys. Thanks for sharing!

August 11, 2014 at 10:56 pm

August 12, 2014 at 9:42 am

It really is impressive!!! You must try it!

August 14, 2014 at 7:03 am

We did it today – so, so awesome! Thanks again – I am going to write a post on it and of course will link your page for credit!

August 14, 2014 at 1:04 pm

Isn’t it just the coolest???

June 25, 2017 at 3:38 am

This science experiment looks amazing. This is easy also. I hope it goes well. I am excited to conduct this experiment. Thanks for sharing! Kids will enjoy this a lot.

August 15, 2014 at 8:57 pm

Love this! We did this experiment during the school year, but with only two glasses. I was teaching my daughter how water is absorbed through a plant’s roots.

August 16, 2014 at 9:11 am

Such a great visual for roots!!!!

August 24, 2014 at 11:24 pm

How do you explain term capillary action to young children? Thanks in advance!

August 26, 2014 at 3:23 pm

Shirley I don’t think you even need to! You can mention it during the experiment, but at that stage it’s more about building their background knowledge. Hope that helps!

January 8, 2018 at 2:35 pm

Is this good for a fifth grader???

January 8, 2018 at 4:15 pm

February 23, 2018 at 4:38 pm

Can i know da hypothosis of this project witha question and the answer must me in the experiment

February 26, 2018 at 10:52 am

Hi Nameeeshi! A hypothesis is your prediction of what will happen in the experiment based on your research or scientific understanding. It is basically what you think will happen when you “test” your scientific question and why. At the end of your project you check to see if your hypothesis was supported or not and figure out why. Good luck!

October 30, 2014 at 10:57 am

how does it work

October 30, 2014 at 9:15 pm

Capillary action helps the water travel through the paper towels into the other cups until the water levels are even!

November 4, 2014 at 10:25 pm

mackenzie, Each water molecule is attracted to the paper towel and attracted to the other water molecules. So, as one water molecule gets pulled to the paper towel, the water molecules behind the original water molecule get pulled along as well.

November 4, 2014 at 10:20 pm

So fun. I’m a HS science teacher, a mother of a 1 yo and a 5 yo, and a Megan. Thank you for sharing with us. I can’t wait to try this with my girls.

November 4, 2014 at 10:46 pm

He he! Hello fellow Megan! Have fun doing it with your girls–it has been a favorite of my kids for years. It never gets old!

November 5, 2014 at 2:29 am

Wonderfull !! I will try with my children Aurevoir 😉

January 9, 2018 at 9:25 am

im trying i in class and i will try with my students in science

November 5, 2014 at 5:33 am

I have done it with colored cello paper too.will try these for hands on experiment.awesome thx:)

November 11, 2014 at 3:46 pm

Hi! I am testing out the Walking Water experiment before having it as an activity. What kind of paper towels did you use? Thank you!

November 11, 2014 at 8:28 pm

Hi Laura! We usually buy whatever is cheapest. I don’t remember what kind I used this day, but if you have trouble let me know and I’ll test some. 🙂

July 7, 2015 at 10:10 am

Update! I have tested it to see and we like the Targer brand select a size paper towels the best! I think the brand name version of those would work just as well too. As long as they are nice and thick!

January 9, 2015 at 1:43 pm

I am a middle school student 8th grade and I had been looking for an easy yet very original experiment to this science fair. While adding something different and multiple things i believe that it will work very well for an experiment, get me a good grade (which is needed) and i think it could be fun. Thank you!

January 22, 2015 at 10:12 pm

Oh, this is one of my fave science experiments! I love how my daughters look in awe as they watched the water “walk”! 🙂

January 22, 2015 at 10:18 pm

YES! It’s the best!

February 24, 2015 at 10:59 am

I am a science teacher in Chicago who has a kindergarten after school science club. I will be doing this with them this afternoon! Thanks for the inspiration.

February 24, 2015 at 11:36 am

They will LOVE it!!!! 🙂

March 5, 2015 at 5:22 pm

lol this is a cool comment

October 13, 2015 at 9:39 pm

How much water and drops do I use?

October 15, 2015 at 8:40 pm

Fill the outer glasses to the top and add as much food coloring as you would like!

October 15, 2015 at 6:51 pm

I tried it and it really did work like wow!!!???????

I was so surprised good thinking ?

I don’t get it?

May 9, 2017 at 2:53 am

hi Megan im doing this for my science fair project and i personally think its a wonderful and very smart idea thankyou for giving me such good information

February 17, 2018 at 8:11 pm

I am doing this project for Science Fair!

January 24, 2020 at 11:38 am

I have tried this for my a science project and made pink by white and red. It was preety good

February 12, 2016 at 3:12 pm

This is so cool me and my friend are going to try it

February 15, 2016 at 9:26 pm

my third grade child choose this project and it seemed to amaze the entire family

May 25, 2016 at 12:19 pm

Thought this was an awesome experiment for my 6 year old to do for a science fair project. Only problem we seem to be running into is that we have had it sitting for days now and the jars are not equal in the amount of water yet. I tried using bounty paper towels and also cheaper ones but I’m getting the same reactions. Any thoughts? Thanks 🙂

May 25, 2016 at 1:22 pm

Are the glasses too tall? I cannot believe it would be taking that long!!!!! One was full and one was empty to start?

July 27, 2016 at 5:38 pm

Can this be used with plastic cups instead of glass jars?

July 29, 2016 at 7:44 am

Yep! It’s just a little sturdier in the jar, plastic cups are fine!

October 11, 2017 at 10:21 pm

Thanks. My child gonna present this to her science project. Keep her in ur wish.

November 30, 2017 at 2:49 pm

Wow thanks so muck for this experiment I used it for my project hopefully I win so I can go to high school and show them.

April 5, 2018 at 6:54 pm

I just wanted to let you know, you’re one PATIENT and very well mannered woman. I don’t understand how people can ask the same question back to back, when, not only is it in the description under the experiment, but the person above/below them asked THE SAME questions!! oy vie.

Anyways, I love that I came across your page. My 1st grader is going to be doing this experiment for his class and I’m so excited for him. Such a fun and simple project for both visual and hands on learners!

April 6, 2018 at 11:15 am

Awwww! TY!!!!! You are so sweet! He is going to have so much fun doing it for 1st graders! They will love it!!!

March 24, 2019 at 4:05 pm

This activity was so cool! I will need to get different paper towels next time though. It took a few days for the color to actually soak up the towel, maybe a bit too thick 😆. Thank you!

March 26, 2019 at 9:16 pm

It’s crazy how that can make a difference isn’t it! I have timed photos saved on my IG profile @CoffeeandCrayon under walking water if you want to see how fast it goes for me!

July 8, 2020 at 2:09 pm

Awesome! how long does it take for the experiment to work?

February 15, 2021 at 5:46 am

I don’t understand how people can ask the same question back to back, when, not only is it in the description under the experiment, but the person above/below them asked THE SAME questions!!

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