Oobleck is fun, but candy heart is oobleck is AMAZING! Seriously, adding these little candies into your science experiment is everything and more.
- Candy heart oobleck is what Valentine’s Day science experiments are made of
- Candy heart oobleck is on repeat every year around these parts
- Materials
- Directions
- How long does candy heart oobleck last?
- Is candy heart oobleck edible?
- Add in props for extended play!
- You’re going to melt over candy heart oobleck
- Frequently Asked Questions
Candy heart oobleck is what Valentine’s Day science experiments are made of
And here’s how we ever discovered it – in preschool one day, we had an enormous sensory table filled with candy hearts in one spot of the play yard. In the other, we had a beautiful batch of oobleck that the kids were experimenting with.
Out of the blue, one of the kids asked, “What would happen if we put some candy hearts in the oobleck?”
I thought about it for a second and realized that I had absolutely no reason to say no to trying it out.
I replied, “Let’s find out!” Then, as they say, the rest is history.
💜 Related: Your kids will love this collection of 25+ of the best Valentine’s Day preschool activities.
Candy heart oobleck is on repeat every year around these parts
Once you try this, you have to do it every February! In fact, we love the addition of the candies so much that we even gift boxes of cornstarch + bags of candy hearts to friends and family now, too.
We also love a project with easy-to-find ingredients you can grab in one shopping trip somewhere like the grocery store or Target! (Like I needed another excuse to go to Target. 😂)
Accessible materials, quick set up, and hours of fun? Yes, please!
💜 Looking for other exciting Valentine’s Day science activites? Look no further:
- Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin
- Dancing Candy Heart Science
- Concentric Heart Art
- Conversation Heart Valentine Catapults
Materials
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- Cornstarch
- Water
- Candy hearts
- Coloring – optional
- Shallow container
Directions
- Make oobleck: This part is always so fun! Add about 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part water in your shallow container. All of this is approximate (and because I have made this so many times, I just eyeball it now). Mix until thoroughly combined. You’ll know it’s “done” when it’s neither too watery nor too dry. If it feels too dry, add more water. If it feels too runny, add more cornstarch. It will be perfect when you can grab a handful of it and it feels like a solid chunk, but the moment you loosen your fingers, it will ooze through.
- Add color (if using): You can add the color directly to the water, but I love adding it directly on top of the oobleck because it looks VERY cool as it mixes and incorporates. It looks marbled and kind of tie-dyed and just fantastic.
- Add candy hearts: Invite your littles to add in the candies!
How long does candy heart oobleck last?
We have found that it lasts for one day/one play session. Because the candy hearts are just sugar, they will eventually dissolve into the oobleck.
BUT, this doesn’t have to be just a one-day activity! Oobleck can last for several days, so we like to use the oobleck for a few days with the kids and then add in the candies on the last day before we dispose of it anyway.
Also, you could enhance science learning by inviting your kids to observe the candy hearts over a few days and to see them shrink and dissolve over time.
Is candy heart oobleck edible?
Technically, yes, but also, consuming large quantities of cornstarch is not healthy. While this uses safe-food for kids to use as an early sensory material, we recommend doing it with kids who are not in the stick-everything-in-their-mouths phase.
Supervise this activity to ensure that your little scientists aren’t using this activity for snack time. We want the kids to devour this project with their minds…not so much with their mouths. 😉
Add in props for extended play!
While candy heart oobleck on its own is a blast, it’s even MORE fun when you add props for the kids to use in their play! Some of our favorite props to include are:
- Cups
- Spoons
- Bowls
- Ladles
- Tongs
- Mini shovels
- Sorting trays
- Mini drying racks (as seen below)
You’re going to melt over candy heart oobleck
The next time you run to the store, grab these simple materials for hours and hours of sensory and science play. If you’re looking for more Valentine’s Day sensory activities, this rose petal water table is a 10/10.
This activity is always such a fun reminder of why saying, “Let’s find out!” is one of the best things you could say to young learners. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
The easiest way to clean oobleck is to let it dry out completely and then throw away in your garbage. When it dries, it’s VERY easy to handle and not nearly as messy as when it is wet.
Yes! Oobleck is messy and instead of worrying about the floors inside and limiting the kids’ play, we do it outside where we can simply and easily hose the ground afterward.
Any that can safely use the materials.
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