This is so easy and fun! I found it here on FamilyFun.com. You could experiment with many different shapes of cardboard--I think snowflakes would be really cool. The crystals began to form within one hour, and spread quickly, much to the excitement of the kids. Be careful not to move the project around, though, because as we discovered (when MOM moved it to take a picture!!!), the 'crystals' are very powdery and fragile, falling off at the slightest movement.
I found the bluing at Meijer by the bleach/laundry detergent. Meijer seems to be the place that carries all the obscure items I am searching for!
- Materials
- Thin shirt cardboard
- Scissors
- Deep saucer or small bowl
- Small jar with a tight-fitting lid
- 1 tablespoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon bluing
- 1/2 tablespoon household ammonia
- Instructions
- To create the base, cut two cardboard tree shapes (about 4 inches tall and 3 inches across at the widest point). Cut a 2-inch slot in the top of one shape and in the base of the other. Join the shapes at the slots and stand the tree in a deep saucer or a small bowl.
- In the jar, combine 1 tablespoon water, the salt, bluing, and ammonia (handling ammonia is a parent's job). Fasten the lid and shake well, then pour the solution into the saucer or bowl.
- Leave the tree undisturbed. Crystals may take as little as an hour or as long as a day to begin to form, depending on the humidity in your home (they'll grow better in drier air). The tree will keep growing over the next few days, until all of the liquid evaporates.
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