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My 10 year-old nephew is coming to visit in a couple weeks, so I’ve been looking for good kid-projects to do with him. Something tells me he won’t want to learn to spool-knit.
Anyway, Rosie’s book got me thinking about making a salt crystal garden, but then I wanted to go that one better. Why couldn’t I grow a salt crystal garden in the form of a snow monster?
So, K. and I cut a monsterlike shape from the lid of an empty egg carton – thick, porous material, we reasoned. Should hold up through the process pretty well. So far, so good here – and look! The crystals are beginning to form!
(Incidentally, don’t be like me and grow your salt crystals in a metal dish. That leads to the mucky brown liquid you see here.)
By next morning, of course, our snow monster’s feet had absorbed enough liquid that he keeled over. But those crystals were still growing! We kept the failed attempt around for a few days to see what would happen, and this thing became the center of our world. It’s crazy-interesting to watch!
Here you can see a side view, where cool little stalactites of salt are forming on the monster, and stalagmites are growing up from the counter top.
Same view the next day. Literally, we would walk away from this thing for a few hours, and come back to find it radically changed.
Crystals grew like mad on top of the keeled-over monster, too. They’re so delicate that the slightest breath of air or lightest touch will break them.
At some point, we cut one of the little peaks out of our egg carton and stuck that in the liquid, too. And sure enough, it started sprouting crystals – interesting, hairlike ones.
And, crystals began forming around the rim of the container, too,
By the next morning, those hairlike crystals had changed into popcorn crystals. And it was still all growing and growing.
Apparently, you can keep adding liquid to these things, and they grow a long time. You can also add food coloring to make your crystals grow in color.
Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing, a key ingredient, has excellent instructions on their website for making your own salt crystal garden (without the ill-advised snow-monster shape). And, read this fascinating explanation of how the process works.
I’m stoked to share this with my nephew! But I think we’ll just use the old-standby sponge pieces as a base. Unless I can think of an alternate snow-monster base soon.
oh, i think i love you! or at least, i love fascinating fails. :) plus, i can’t believe you had the foresight to try this out -before- your nephew got here. ha!
oh, i think i love you! or at least, i love fascinating fails. :) plus, i can’t believe you had the foresight to try this out -before- your nephew got here. ha!
This is too funny! The 7th picture down reminds me of those monkeys in Japan that sit in the hot springs surrounded by snow :) What if you cut a sponge in the shape of a snow monster? Would that work? Your nephew is lucky to have an auntie like you!
This is too funny! The 7th picture down reminds me of those monkeys in Japan that sit in the hot springs surrounded by snow :) What if you cut a sponge in the shape of a snow monster? Would that work? Your nephew is lucky to have an auntie like you!
Holy cow! This is SO cool! And what is hilarious is that we were *just* talking about these at my cousin’s house … just a few hours ago! Her daughter requested one of the “magic gardens” for her birthday and it was proudly growing out on the kitchen counter when we arrived. At some point, it got knocked over and crumbled a bit. She was so sad. I never thought about making one on your own! (duh) I’m emailing this to her right now! :)
Holy cow! This is SO cool! And what is hilarious is that we were *just* talking about these at my cousin’s house … just a few hours ago! Her daughter requested one of the “magic gardens” for her birthday and it was proudly growing out on the kitchen counter when we arrived. At some point, it got knocked over and crumbled a bit. She was so sad. I never thought about making one on your own! (duh) I’m emailing this to her right now! :)
that is totally cool!!
that is totally cool!!
Wow. I made several of these as a kid. Yours is so cool! I second the suggestion of the shaped sponge, and stick a couple of wooden skewers through it if you want it to stand up. And pour the liquid over it from the top when you start. And use a glass dish ;)
Looking forward to more pictures of this! And your crystal monster is awesome.
Wow. I made several of these as a kid. Yours is so cool! I second the suggestion of the shaped sponge, and stick a couple of wooden skewers through it if you want it to stand up. And pour the liquid over it from the top when you start. And use a glass dish ;)
Looking forward to more pictures of this! And your crystal monster is awesome.
Why does this make me think of old Japanese horror flicks?
“RUN! RUN! It’s the Snow Monster that ate Oregon!”
What a great fail. Maybe even better than if it had “succeeded”. IMHO
Why does this make me think of old Japanese horror flicks?
“RUN! RUN! It’s the Snow Monster that ate Oregon!”
What a great fail. Maybe even better than if it had “succeeded”. IMHO
Oh, wow, I think my boys would go totally crazy for this. Heck, I think I’d get just as much of a kick out of it as them! Thanks for the link – definitely something to try this summer.
Oh, wow, I think my boys would go totally crazy for this. Heck, I think I’d get just as much of a kick out of it as them! Thanks for the link – definitely something to try this summer.
As Spock would say, “Fascinating… Indeed!”
I have two 10 yo boys who’s life’s ambition is to drive me hairless. They will be building Salt Gardens this summer. Thanks for the stupendous idea, and keep ‘em coming!
As Spock would say, “Fascinating… Indeed!”
I have two 10 yo boys who’s life’s ambition is to drive me hairless. They will be building Salt Gardens this summer. Thanks for the stupendous idea, and keep ‘em coming!
so cool. I think I’d end up licking it though.
so cool. I think I’d end up licking it though.
AK! That is so funny! I love all the shots at different stages. I was going to suggest cutting the sponge into a monster shape too. I am totally going to make this. I never got one of those magic gardens that I oh so wanted as a child. This is even better! Oh yeah, my kids would love it too. Thanks D & K!
AK! That is so funny! I love all the shots at different stages. I was going to suggest cutting the sponge into a monster shape too. I am totally going to make this. I never got one of those magic gardens that I oh so wanted as a child. This is even better! Oh yeah, my kids would love it too. Thanks D & K!
Dude! I was thinking exactly what Anitra said—That looks like a great start to a horror movie! I tried one of these at Christmas time. It is so cool how they change hourly. Instant gratifying crystal growing…it’s a good thing.
Dude! I was thinking exactly what Anitra said—That looks like a great start to a horror movie! I tried one of these at Christmas time. It is so cool how they change hourly. Instant gratifying crystal growing…it’s a good thing.
I loved this. What a great first blog of the mornine!
I loved this. What a great first blog of the mornine!
Wow! It grew at such an alarming rate! Very fascinating. I wonder how salty it smelt :D
Wow! It grew at such an alarming rate! Very fascinating. I wonder how salty it smelt :D
Fascinating is just the word for this! I remember hearing about this process when I was a kid, but we never tried it. Bummer! Now I wish we had. I would think that your monster just needs to have a more stable base. Could you carve a shape from your sponge? Several others have mentioned this and it sounds like it ought to work. Ha! Famous last words = “it oughta work.”
Fascinating is just the word for this! I remember hearing about this process when I was a kid, but we never tried it. Bummer! Now I wish we had. I would think that your monster just needs to have a more stable base. Could you carve a shape from your sponge? Several others have mentioned this and it sounds like it ought to work. Ha! Famous last words = “it oughta work.”
What a great idea to use a snowman to grow crystals in the first place! It’s amazing how many crystals grew on him!
What a great idea to use a snowman to grow crystals in the first place! It’s amazing how many crystals grew on him!
This is so cool! He looks like a swamp thing! Wow! We will have to try this.
A fun thing I did with Ben’s class last year was making a grass head. I’ll find a tutorial online and send it to you.
xoxox
Lain
This is so cool! He looks like a swamp thing! Wow! We will have to try this.
A fun thing I did with Ben’s class last year was making a grass head. I’ll find a tutorial online and send it to you.
xoxox
Lain
Hmm.. I would still try the spool knitting! He has to have something to do while he is watching the crystals grow.. make snakes to fight the crystal monster! hehe
Hmm.. I would still try the spool knitting! He has to have something to do while he is watching the crystals grow.. make snakes to fight the crystal monster! hehe
Way cool.
But spool knitting is kind of cool, too….
Way cool.
But spool knitting is kind of cool, too….
Wow that is awesome! Perfect timing as we are diving headfirst into more science projects. My kids and nephews will love this idea.
Wow that is awesome! Perfect timing as we are diving headfirst into more science projects. My kids and nephews will love this idea.
That was fab. I wish I was still teaching so I could repeat your success! The best sciencey thing I ever did with kids was slice grapes and nuke them. It created amazing sparks. Oh yeah, and we also once got an electric frying pan, put in some popcorn, turned it on high and tried to guess how far the popcorn would”fly”. (no lid, obviously) The kids, grades 7 & 8, loved it! Keep up the good work.
That was fab. I wish I was still teaching so I could repeat your success! The best sciencey thing I ever did with kids was slice grapes and nuke them. It created amazing sparks. Oh yeah, and we also once got an electric frying pan, put in some popcorn, turned it on high and tried to guess how far the popcorn would”fly”. (no lid, obviously) The kids, grades 7 & 8, loved it! Keep up the good work.
Would this work without the use of the bluing? I am in the UK and have no idea of where to get it from! :(
Would this work without the use of the bluing? I am in the UK and have no idea of where to get it from! :(
WOW
ACTUALLY…i bought some stones (rose quartz, amethyst and clear quartz) and i had to wash them in salty water. And i did so…i took the stones out the next morning and putted the glass with slaty water in my basement AND FORGOT THEM THERE FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS lol
And i was suprised one day when i discovered the glass, and the was this strange thing in it…it was a CLEAR solid block of salt crystal!!!!!
it was about an inch tall and wide it was SOOOOOOO cool it rocks!
i hold it as a memento of my accidental creation and i’m trying to make some more
WOW
ACTUALLY…i bought some stones (rose quartz, amethyst and clear quartz) and i had to wash them in salty water. And i did so…i took the stones out the next morning and putted the glass with slaty water in my basement AND FORGOT THEM THERE FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS lol
And i was suprised one day when i discovered the glass, and the was this strange thing in it…it was a CLEAR solid block of salt crystal!!!!!
it was about an inch tall and wide it was SOOOOOOO cool it rocks!
i hold it as a memento of my accidental creation and i’m trying to make some more
Would it work on pipe-cleaners? You could make a thin, sturdy, flexible pipe-cleaner person.
It sure would! I saw someone make snowflake shapes from pipecleaners, and then grow crystals on them to make holiday ornaments. They were really cool. I'd definitely go the pipecleaner route in future. You can so easily affix those to a sturdy base, too!