We are starting our festive season with a little Christmas cheer! Holidays are the perfect opportunity to create simple sensory themed and STEM play ideas for the kids and science is always one of my favourite things to do with the boys. The simplest of experiments’ that can be redone in a dozen ways.
The festive period offers endless opportunities for science and with sparkles and magic its our favourite “season”. Whats more, you can literally tip this whole “after mess” down your kitchen sink, you have basically made a drain cleaner (its bicarb and vinegar! I used edible food sprinkles so no harsh glitter).
If you’re looking for more science inspiration for kids, you can have a look at some of my favourite toddler friendly science experiments here.
You will need:
Paper plates to make into a cone shape
Baking soda
Vinegar
Water
Food colouring
Sparkles and Glitter as you wish
Squirters/ eye droppers or syringes for easy spraying for little hands
Method
Mix Baking Soda and water into a “wet sand” consistency. Slowly add enough water so that you can pack it together tightly and it doesn’t fall apart, like a sand castle. I add my food colouring into the water to turn the baking soda mixture green, and then add in your sparkles and sequins. You still want your baking soda to fizz so be careful it’s not too wet.
Roll your paper plates into a cone for your tree mold. Tape it down to secure.
Little Bins for Little Hands freezes her trees overnight but I didn’t bother with that step. I packed my sand mixture into the cones tightly like a sand castle and then removed the paper. Set out a bowl of vinegar and your dropper or squirt bottle of choice and let the kids play away. Once their trees had all dissolved, they turned their magical sparkly mixture into a potion and mixed away!
This is such a fun way to introduce younger kids to science and you can literally play on this experiment a thousand times over. One of our favourites being a traditional volcano of course.
Keep an eye out for weekly festive themed fun that you can do with your children over the holidays. Kids love nothing more than spending time with their parents, and by doing simple activities like this you are creating a beautifully curious mind and spending one on one time with them.
Happy Learning!