Prism Rainbow Geometry Exploration

20 mins Ages 4-6 Indoor

A playful, screen-free adventure designed to spark curiosity, sensory exploration, and fine motor skills for kids aged 4 to 6.

Materials Needed

  • • Glass triangular prism (or small flat mirror and shallow bowl) (1 unit)
  • • White cardstock paper (2 sheets)
  • • Colored markers (1 set)

Pro Tips

  • → Place the prism in a direct beam of sunlight entering through a window.
  • → Hold a white sheet of paper a foot away and slowly rotate the glass to project the sharpest rainbow.
  • → Have your child point out the distinct color bands: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet.

Safety First

Handle glass prisms with care. Supervise near fragile surfaces.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Step 1

Find a sunny room where direct sunlight streams onto a tabletop or windowsill.

2

Step 2

Position the glass prism in the beam of light and hold a sheet of white cardstock behind it.

3

Step 3

Slowly turn the prism until the refracted light fans out into a vivid rainbow band on the card.

4

Step 4

Use colored markers to trace each visible color band directly on the paper at its exact projected location.

What they are learning

White light refraction and dispersion Visible electromagnetic spectrum Angle of incidence physics