Description
Create enchanting crystal growing trees through a fun and educational craft that teaches chemistry and creativity.
Ingredients
- Borax (sodium tetraborate)
- Water
- Pipe cleaners (green and brown)
- A small container (jar or cup)
- String
- Pencil or stick
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Shape the Pipe Cleaners: Twist and bend the green pipe cleaners to form the branches of the tree and use brown pipe cleaners for the trunk.
- Boil Water: Heat about 1 cup of water until it reaches a rolling boil.
- Dissolve Borax: Gradually add about 3 tablespoons of borax into the boiling water while stirring until dissolved.
- Add Food Coloring: Mix in a few drops of food coloring into the borax solution if desired.
- Suspend the Tree: Tie a string to the top of your tree and attach it to a pencil or stick resting on the container.
- Place in Solution: Core the tree into the solution without touching the sides or bottom.
- Set It Aside: Leave setup undisturbed for several hours or overnight.
- Observe the Growth: Check periodically to see crystal formation.
- Remove and Rinse: After 24 hours, carefully remove the tree and rinse it gently with water.
Notes
Experiment with different shapes and colors for unique designs. Crystals can be themed for holidays!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 hours
- Category: Crafts
- Method: Crafting
- Cuisine: N/A
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tree
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg