How to Make a Real Crystal Snowflake Decoration

Real crystal snowflakes not only make great winter and holiday decorations, but they also make wonderful science projects. Your child can learn about crystals and how they form as they grow their own right at home. With a few days time and some basic materials, your children or students can make a real crystal snowflake decoration of their own.

Things You'll Need

• Very hot water
• Salt
• Food coloring (optional)
• Cup
• Paintbrush
• Heavy card stock or craft foam
• Glitter (optional)
• Pot holders
• Scissors
• String or small adhesive magnets (optional)

Instructions

1. Boil some water in a pot on the stove or in the microwave. Use pot holders to protect your hands.

2. Cool the water for about a minute, and add 2 tsp. of salt. Add a few drops of food coloring into the water if you want colored crystals. Results vary with food coloring, and your crystals may not form with a lot of color.

3. Stir the salt into the water until it is absorbed. Ad spoonfuls of salt until the water can absorb no more salt, even after stirring. When the water has become saturated with salt, you should begin to see salt crystals forming in the bottom of the water.

4. Use scissors to cut a snowflake design out of a piece of card stock or craft foam. Black card stock or craft foam works best because the white crystals show up better, but if you are coloring your crystals, you might want to consider using white stock or foam. Make the snowflake as large or small as you like.

5. Dip the paintbrush into the bottom of the water to get some salt crystals on the tip, and paint the snowflake with the salt crystals. It may be easier to scoop up some of the salt crystals with a spoon, drain off most of the liquid, and paint with the remaining crystals. You can paint one or both sides of the snowflake, depending on how you want to display it.

6. Dry your snowflake for at least 24 hours once you have painted it with crystals.

7. Poke a hole in the top of the snowflake and tie a string to it, if you want to hang it. You can also apply some adhesive magnets to the back of it and put it on your fridge if you only painted crystals on one side.

Tips & Warnings

• Sprinkle some glitter over your real crystal snowflake to give it some extra sparkle.

• Do not use construction paper to make your snowflake, as it will become wet and tear easily.

• Use caution when handling hot water and supervise young children.