Rainbow Hunt Expedition

If you think your chances of spotting a rainbow are about as good as spotting a four-leaf clover, here's great news. You can create your own rainbow and introduce your child to the science of light.

What to Pack

• Food storage container
• Pocket mirror
• Bubble soap and wand

Now Get Exploring!

• Surf the Web. Look for pictures of rainbows online and point out the seven colors. Teach your child "Roy G. Biv" to remember the colors in order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
• Experiment. If you have a prism or faceted crystal glass, hold it up to the light. If not, try this: Fill a rectangular food storage container with water and place it in a sunny window. Stand a small mirror in the water and angle it until you see a rainbow on the wall or ceiling.
• Head outdoors. Stand with your back to the sun and spray a hose into the air. Do you see a rainbow? Also look for rainbows in the spray caused by waves or waterfalls. (Lucky YOU if you happen to be near waves or waterfalls.)
• Hunt high and low. Check for rainbows when the sun is low in the sky after a rain or on the ground caused by an oil stain.
• Blow one up. Blow bubbles in the sun and see how rainbows appear in them.
• Investigate. Ask your rainbow hunter these questions:
  • What do you need to see a rainbow? (light and something to bend or refract light like water or a prism)
  • Could you see a rainbow outside at night?
  • Can you name all the colors in the rainbow?
  • What is the color indigo?
• Read all about it. Check your local library for Let's Explore Science: Color & Light by David Evans.

Educational PerksRainbows show kids how white light contains all the colors. When sunlight passes through a prism, a soap bubble, raindrops or oil, the light is bent (or refracted) and split into rainbow colors. This is because each color is refracted at a slightly different angle, violet the most and red the least.

Bonus Explorer Activity Have your child draw a rainbow with seven rows and color them in with colors in the correct order. Keep a rainbow journal to record when and where you spot one.

For more exploring, play Dora's Great Big World game, find do-together Dora crafts, recipes, and activities, and print a personalized Explorer Kit for your child at DoraTheExplorer.com.

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