My youngest scientists used micropipettes to fill circles of various sizes and colors. I began by asking them what is in a pipette? Although they thought the pipette was empty, I explained and demonstrated that air is in the pipette. Then we learned how to squeeze the air out of the pipette, place it in water, and then as we stopped squeezing, the air with water rushed back inside.

How many drops will fill each circle? Why does the water stay on top of the foil? Why do the drops of water cling together in a circular shape? Could we fill a square with drops? This is a great activity to develop fine motor skills and self-control. Then we tried to suck up the water in the drops and put the water back into the cup. A baster, which works the same way, is a fun water toy to use in the bathtub.