Turn this winter break into a science-filled adventure for your kids with these entertaining and educational winter weather experiments. From creating Borax snow crystals to making your snow, these activities promise to keep your little ones engaged while fostering a deeper understanding of winter phenomena.
Make Borax Snow Crystals
The advantage of Borax snow crystals is that they form quickly and will last a long time if they do not get wet. Children can learn about how snowflakes are crystals and how each one is unique through this experiment.
For this experiment, you will need Borax powder found in the laundry section at your favorite store, three or four disposable cups per child, pipe cleaners, food coloring and pencils. You will also need a heat source, such as a stove, hot plate, and magnifying glasses.
Start by putting 8 cups of water in a large pan.
Add 3 cups Borax powder.
Give it a quick stir and bring the mixture to a boil.
Let the mixture cool, then, divide it out into the cups.
Form a snowflake out of pipe cleaners small enough to fit into the mouth of the cup. Talk about how snowflakes have six sides. Leave a long pipe cleaner tail on one of the points.
Wrap the long tail around a pencil.
Lay the pencil across the top of the cup containing the Borax mixture. Ensure that the snowflake does not touch the bottom of the cup.
Wait one hour.
Carefully remove the snowflakes from the mixture and lay them on towels on a flat surface to dry.
Once dry, use a magnifying glass to examine the formed crystals.