Grow Crystal Snowballs

It’s getting cooler in Texas, hopefully it will last until Christmas. 

Are you getting excited about the cooler weather?

I always wish for snow this time of year, do you?

Sometimes we get snow in Texas, but what if you could make your own snowball like crystals yourself? Here’s a fun science activity you can try with your mom or dad or even older friend!

How to make your own Crystal Snowballs:

Materials:

• Clear glass jar with lid
• 1 cup Epsom salt
• Small white pom-poms
• Spoon
• Hot water

Instructions:

Adults:

1. Help your child measure the 1 cup of epsom salt.
2. Boil 1 cup of hot tap water, then set aside.
3. Make sure that the glass is on a sturdy counter, and that the hot water doesn’t burn your child.

Kids:

1. Pour the 1 cup of Epsom salt into the jar.
2. Ask your adult to pour the hot water into the jar.
3. Carefully stir, until most of the Epsom salt dissolves (seems to disappear into the liquid). It’s ok if all the Epsom salt does not dissolve.
4. Add the white pom-poms, and keep stirring for 1 minute. Ask your adult to time you.
5. Put your Crystal Snowballs into the refrigerator. Ask your adult to be sure that the jar won’t be moved until the morning.
6. In the morning, you’ll see that sparkly, spiky snowballs have grown onto the pom poms!
7. You can touch them, but be sure to wash your hands after.
8. If your Crystal Snowballs break, it’s ok, just ask your adult if you can make more!

What makes the crystals?

The hot water dissolves the Epsom salt, but it doesn’t really disappear. The water and salt makes a solution. When the solution cools down, the salt separates out again as crystals that stick together.