Kitchen Science - Crystals in a Jar
Sparkling Science: Making Crystals in a Jar
As a homeschooling mum, I’m always on the lookout for hands-on activities that combine fun with learning. You just can’t go past this science experiment! This was super easy and we had most of the ingredients at home - ready to go! Let me walk you through the steps.
Gathering Materials
First, we gathered all the necessary materials. You'll need:
A clean jar (or more if you want to make multiple coloured crystals)
Hot water
Epsom salts
A stirring stick or spoon
Food coloring (optional)
A piece of string and a pencil or popsicle stick
Step-by-Step Guide
Boil Water: We started by boiling water and carefully pouring 1 cup into the jar.
Dissolve Epsom Salts: Next, we added 1 cup of salts to the hot water, stirring until it was fully dissolved.
Add Food Colouring: To make our crystals more vibrant, we added a few drops of food coloring. We enjoyed mixing colours to make new ones :)
Prepare the String: We tied a piece of string to a pencil and balanced it on the rim of the jar so the string dangled into the solution without touching the sides. This would give the crystals a surface to grow on.
Wait and Watch: Patience is a virtue! We placed the jar in a safe spot of the fridge and waited for the magic to happen. Over the next few hours, we checked on our jar. The crystals were completely formed overnight.
Learning Through Observation
Through the experiment, we observed the changes and discussed what was happening. This project offered countless learning opportunities:
Science: We talked about the chemical processes as the salts were dissolved in the hot water.
Math: Measuring the ingredients and timing the process helped reinforce practical math skills.
Art: The colourful crystals sparked discussions about colour mixing and patterns.
The Big Reveal
After a few hours, some small crystals were already developing! Our crystals were fully formed first thing in the morning when we checked them. We of course had to keep checking them throughout the day and showing them to anyone who would look :P
Tips for Success
Supervision: Always supervise the use of hot water and chemicals.
Experimentation: Try different solutions (sugar, salt) and compare the results.
Documentation: Encourage your kids to keep a journal of their observations and predictions.
Happy experimenting!
