Color Mixing Green – Make the Leaf Activity

Skills: Science

Ages: 18 Months +

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

color mixing green activity: yellow and blue paint in a cardboard shamrock, then mixed into green

This color mixing green activity is a fun way to explore how primary colors make a secondary color — and the best part for grown-ups is that it is mess free.

I will show you how easy it is to set up this simple project that teaches children the basics of primary and secondary colors.

All activities should be supervised by an adult. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links.

Explore What Color Blue and Yellow Create, and More

For the super color mixing fan, we have an awesome and free printable that lets kids explore colors, mixing, shades and tints. Keep reading to get it.

This activity is super adaptable. Celebrating Easter? Combine yellow and red to make a carrot. Is it Valentine’s Day? Combine white and red to make a pink heart. Is spring in the air? Combine blue and red to make a purple flower. The options are endless.

What Are Primary and Secondary Colors

The primary colors are red, blue and yellow. When primary colors combine, they create secondary colors. To make orange, combine yellow and red. To make purple, combine blue and red. And to make green, combine yellow and blue.

Understanding primary and secondary colors is half the fun. Next comes the concept of shades and tints: when black is added to a color it becomes a darker shade, and when white is added it becomes a lighter tint.

Why this one works

We love this color mixing activity because it provides a real-life object to better understand colors and how they combine to resemble something tangible.

How to Make This Color Mixing Leaf Activity

This is quick to set up from materials you likely already have at home, and you do not need any special art skills either. Such a visual way to understand color mixing.

Materials

child pressing a sealed paint bag to mix yellow and blue into green inside a cardboard shamrock

What you need

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cut out the shape
On a piece of cardboard, trace the outline of a leaf and then use a sharp knife to cut out the shape.
Clear the bag
To remove the white label on the plastic bag, rub it off with an alcohol swab or a cotton swab soaked in nail polish remover.
Add the paint
Put the yellow and blue paints inside separate parts of the bag to avoid mixing.
Seal it
Close the bag while removing the air bubbles.
Tape the top
Tape the top of the bag to ensure it does not leak.
Tape it down
Tape the plastic bag down to the table, and then tape the cardboard down to the table as well, so it does not move around while your child is mixing the colors.

Free Printable Color Mixing Activities

printable color mixing activities for kids

If your kiddo is asking questions like “yellow and blue make what color?” you cannot miss our printable Hands on Color Mixing Activities. This printable set has 5 unique activities for exploring color mixing.

Enjoy coloring and distinguishing each of the colors in the rainbow. Then learn what happens when primary colors mix to form secondary colors, move on to shades and tints, and finish with a round-up review.

Get the printable

St. Patrick’s Day Printable Activities

If you are learning about color mixing green during St. Patrick’s Day, like we did — hence the clover and shamrock — do not miss our St. Patrick’s Day printable activities. It includes 20 activities for practicing early childhood education skills, including alphabet recognition, number recognition, comparisons, tracing, writing, coloring, counting, color recognition, shapes and patterning.

The trim the leprechaun’s beard activity was one of my kid’s favorites.