Science Experiment Growing Crystal Rainbows

 

We made Crystal Clovers a few years back and my oldest had so much fun with it.  I always think to myself let’s try growing crystal…. and we never get around to it.  I had the idea to try this again with the boys this year.  The science experiment growing crystal rainbows was a big hit with both my 3.5yr and 6yr.  I had no clue how I was going to make it happen but somehow we did.  Sometimes I get these ideas in my head and do not know if they can be done.  This was one of them. I was so excited it worked. We look forward to more simple science experiments soon!

 

 

Science Experiment Growing Crystal Rainbows

 

 

Supplies/What we used:

 

rainbow colored pipe cleaners

 

glass jars

 

Popsicle sticks

 

string

 

borax

 

 

Now note to self: Do not get so preoccupied that you delete all your photos off your memory card when you still need to download them!  Of ALL the times I downloaded photos this was the time I deleted all the pictures of the kids working on this.  To see a good example of what we did I am sharing a photo from our Crystal Clovers with you.

 

What to do:

 

Boil water on the stove in a pan.  Pour it over to the glass jar and add about a 1/3 C of borax and mix.  Now place the “rainbow” out of pipe cleaners down in the solution.  I took rainbow colored pipe cleaners and cut them down to mini size.  I then placed a string around them and tied.  I added white pipe cleaner after to the ends as clouds.  I tied the string to a Popsicle stick to hold on to the sides of the jar.  We left our rainbows to grow crystals overnight.

 

What is happening-  crystals will form as the mixture cools.  The borax starts to form crystals on the pipe cleaners while suspended in the solution. Overnight the entire rainbow grew crystals all over the pipe cleaners.  We just love how they turned out.

 

 

More fun science ideas:

A-Z Science Experiments for Kids

20 Simple Science Experiments Kids Love

 

 

More fun from fellow co-hosts this week:

 

STEM with Real Eggs from Little Bins for Little Hands

Make Your Own pH Indicator | Magical Color Changing Reaction from The Science Kiddo