Looking for a fun and festive science experiment to do with the kids this holiday season? Try making Borax crystals candy canes! This is a great activity to do together as a family and it’s a perfect way to teach kids about how crystals form.
Borax Crystals Candy Canes
Borax crystals are the perfect way to decorate your Christmas tree this year. They’re not only gorgeous but also make for a great learning activity that’s fun with kids! This is a very easy and inexpensive science experiment. Because it uses household ingredients, it is a simple way to get the kids into science without costing a lot. As a bonus, you can take the finished experiments and place them on the tree to add some extra sparkle.
Homemade Borax Crystals Fun
How Old Should My Child Be to Make Borax Crystals?
Most children can make borax crystals with adult supervision from the age of six. The key is to have all of the materials ready and to help your child measure the ingredients accurately. If your child is under the age of six, they can still have fun growing the borax crystal but they will need more help. They may need help dissolving the borax in water. If they are too young, kids can watch as the experiment is conducted and still get the fun of watching the crystals grow.
How Long Does it Take to Make Homemade Crystals?
Once the solution is made, it will take about 24 hours to form the crystals. The kids will see some crystals form sooner. It takes time and they form slowly. If left alone, the crystal candy canes will continue to grow for up to a week. Once the crystals have reached the desired size, remove them from the solution and allow them to dry on a paper towel.
What Should I Use For the Candy Cane Base?
While I have heard of people creating crystal candy canes with borax using things like a mold, I don’t want to have to buy something special for this project. I have also heard of people creating crystals on a Popsicle stick, but then I can not shape it into a candy cane. I have found that using a pipe cleaner lets the kids create the candy cane shape inexpensively.
How Do You Make Crystal Candy Canes?
When making these crystal candy canes, I am forming the crystals on pipe cleaners or chenille wire. While, you can make any shape you want, since I want the crystals to form in the shape of a candy cane, I have the kids form the wire into the shape of the candy canes. Once submerged and secured into place, the crystals will attach themselves to the pipe cleaner and creates a crystal candy cane.
Borax Crystals Candy Canes Supplies
- 2 cups Water
- 6 tbsp Borax
- 1 Red and White Striped Pipe Cleaner (Chenille Wire)
- String (Thread)
- 5-inch or longer Wood Skewer or Straw
Tools
- Wide Mouth Glass Jar
- Microwave
- Oven Mitts
- Spoon
How to Make Borax Crystals Candy Canes
Place water in the mason jar and microwave for 2-3 minutes or until the water just starts to boil.
Using oven mitts, carefully remove the jar from the microwave and add the borax.
Stir until the borax is completely dissolved.
Form the pipe cleaner into a peppermint candy cane shape small enough to fit easily within the opening of the mason jar without having to bend it.
Tie the string to the top of the peppermint candy cane shape, then tie the other end of the string to the center of the wood skewer with enough length to allow the candy cane to be fully submerged in the borax and water mixture without touching the bottom of the jar.
Once the string is tied firmly, slip the peppermint candy cane shape into the jar and use the skewer to hold the candy cane suspended in the liquid by resting the skewer across the opening of the jar.
Place the jar in a location that it will not be disturbed and allow it to rest for 24 hours.
Gently lift the skewer to remove the peppermint candy cane crystal and discard the borax mixture.
Place the crystal candy cane on a clean, dry surface to dry and trim off the string. Then display.
Science Fun for Kids
Borax Crystals Candy Canes
Looking for a fun and festive science experiment to do with the kids this holiday season? Try making Borax crystals candy canes! This is a great activity to do together as a family and it's a perfect way to teach kids about how crystals form.
Materials
- 2 cups Water
- 6 tbsp Borax
- 1 Red and White Striped Pipe Cleaner (Chenille Wire)
- String (Thread)
- 5-inch or longer Wood Skewer or Straw
Tools
- Wide Mouth Glass Jar
- Microwave
- Oven Mitts
- Spoon
Instructions
- Place water in the mason jar and microwave for 2-3 minutes or until the water just starts to boil.
- Using oven mitts, carefully remove the jar from the microwave and add the borax.
- Stir until the borax is completely dissolved.
- Form the pipe cleaner into a peppermint candy cane shape small enough to fit easily within the opening of the mason jar without having to bend it.
- Tie the string to the top of the peppermint candy cane shape, then tie the other end of the string to the center of the wood skewer with enough length to allow the candy cane to be fully submerged in the borax and water mixture without touching the bottom of the jar.
- Once the string is tied firmly, slip the peppermint candy cane shape into the jar and use the skewer to hold the candy cane suspended in the liquid by resting the skewer across the opening of the jar.
- Place the jar in a location that it will not be disturbed and allow it to rest for 24 hours.
- Gently lift the skewer to remove the peppermint candy cane crystal and discard the borax mixture.
- Place the crystal candy cane on a clean, dry surface to dry and trim off the string. Then display.
