Tis the season for candy canes everywhere! Why not try making crystal candy canes you can even hang up as Christmas tree ornament. This is a fun science activity where kids can actually check out how crystals grow and learn a bit about suspension science {chemistry}. Growing crystals on pipe cleaner candy canes is easier than you might think. Join us for our 25 Days of Christmas STEM Countdown Calendar and countdown to Christmas with STEM activities!
CHRISTMAS SCIENCE: CRYSTAL CANDY CANES
This is such a simple science activity to set up and enjoy with minimum amount of supplies. We have grown crystals on quite a few things including seashells {must see!} and eggshells.
We have also used pipe cleaners to make crystal snowflakes, crystal hearts, and a crystal rainbow. Any shape you can bend a pipe cleaner into works for growing crystals. Since we are approaching Christmas here, why not try making crystal candy canes!
ALSO CHECK OUT: Crystal Gingerbread Man!
SUPPLIES
Borax {found in laundry detergent aisle}. You can also use it to make slime too.
Water
Mason jars, a wide mouth is preferable.
Pan, Spoon, Measuring Cup and Tablespoon
Pipe Cleaners {Red, Green, White}
Ribbon {Make into Ornaments!}
THE SCIENCE BEHIND CRYSTAL CANDY CANES
You can read more on crystal growing but lets start with the basics. What you made in the beginning of the project is called a saturated solution.
The borax has been suspended throughout the solution and remains that way while the liquid is hot. A hot liquid will hold more borax than a cold liquid!
As the solution cools, the particles settle out of the saturated mixture, and the settling particles form the crystals that you see. The impurities remain behind in the water and cube like crystals will form if the process of cooling is slow enough.
Using a plastic cup versus the glass jar caused a difference in the formation of the crystals. As a result, the glass jar crystals are more heavy duty, larger, and cube shaped.
While the plastic cup crystals are smaller and more irregularly shaped. Much more fragile too. The plastic cup cooled off more quickly and they contained more impurities than those in the glass jar.
You will find that the crystal growing activities that take place in the glass jar hold up quite well to little hands and we still have some of the candy cane crystal ornaments for our tree.
HOW TO MAKE CHRISTMAS CRYSTAL CANDY CANES
To fill three small mason jars, I used 6 cups of water and 18 tablespoons of borax. This filled three small mason jars perfectly. I also tried out making large candy canes, but as you can imagine this took a long time as each jar needed at least 4 cups!
Your best bet is to cut your pipe cleaners in half and make small candy canes! We twisted different combinations of green, white, and red pipe cleaners together to make our candy canes.
You will use the popsicle sticks to change the pipe cleaner candy canes from. You don’t want the candy cane to touch the sides or bottom. It will stick and grow crystals!
ALSO CHECK OUT: Growing Salt Crystal Gingerbread Men!
Follow along with the photos and directions below to make your own crystal candy canes to hang on the tree!
Boil your water, turn off heat, add borax, and stir to mix as it won’t completely dissolve. Pour into jars and place in an area where they won’t get knocked around. I was daring and just left them on the kitchen counter.
In a few hours you will see crystals beginning to grow {all about suspension science!} and by the next morning {18-24hours}, your crystal candy canes will be covered in cool looking crystals. The crystals are quite hardy!
WANT MORE CHRISTMAS CHEMISTRY: Try this simple cookie chemistry activity
Take them out and place on paper towels to dry a bit. They are neither fragile nor overly sturdy, but my son can handle them with 6 year old hands and they hold up nicely. Grab a magnifying glass to check out your crystal candy canes!
NOTE: We have had several candy canes last till next season! I couldn’t believe it when I unwrapped them.
All our crystal candy canes finished growing crystals!
Check out the faces of the crystals! These ornaments look so pretty hanging in the window! They also make a great Christmas tree decoration. Add a piece of string and use them to decorate for the holidays.
Science is cool. Christmas science is even cooler. Explore chemistry this holiday season.
LEARN HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN CRYSTAL CANDY CANES
For more fun this Christmas time, check out the ideas below by clicking on the pictures.
Follow along with our 25 Days of Christmas STEM Countdown Calendar activities!
More Christmas Science ideas to try..
Some of our favorite STEM tools at home! Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: I receive compensation for any items sold through this site. Our ideas are always free to enjoy and try at school or home.
Nikki says
I don’t have access to Borax. Is there something else I can use?
littlebins says
I have seen people use sugar and rock salt, but not sure of the results.
littlebins says
I have read about sugar and rock salt. You can check out recipes for rock candy. I don’t believe you will get the same complete effect as the borax though.
Allie says
do you know how to clean out the leftover crystals of the mason jars? I am a teacher and I really don’t want to just trash all 36 mason jars =(
littlebins says
I can usually break them out with a butter knife and warm water. A really tough case might have to sit and soak a day. I run the jars through a dishwasher after that. I haven’t had any problems getting the leftover crystals out yet.
Jen w says
In your directions, what do you mean by turn off heat?
littlebins says
When boiling the water for the mixture! Turn off the heat and then add the borax.
Christine says
I don’t have access to enough mason jars for my entire class. Can I use those clear, plastic, disposable cups instead?
B Willey says
There needs to be a safety note that pregnant women should not handle borax. Increase risk of miscarriage. This is advice from CLEAPPS from about 5 years ago when this link was identified.
Jan says
Do the pipe cleaners need to be fully submerged in the mixture or do we only allow a small bit at the bottom to be touching the mixture?
littlebins says
Fully submerged because the solution settles. It won’t really travel up the pipe cleaner.
Creatureshock says
This didn’t work for me, even after following your directions exactly and waiting 36 hours. NO crystals. Any idea what happened?
littlebins says
Wow. I am sorry. I can’t say what might have happened. I have not had that happen on any of our crystal projects. 3 tablespoons of borax to 1 cup of boiling hot water. We have tested both glass jars and plastic cups but glass jars do work better. The solution will be very cloudy to start and it will slowly become clear again. It should remain undisturbed. Feel free to email me at [email protected] and we can talk more about it. I would definitely recommend trying it again though.
Melissa Fisher says
This has happened to me before, not sure why nut I dumped out and redid and it worked?
littlebins says
Temperature, saturation of solution, or pollutants that made their way into the jar? Lots of factors, but I have had this happen too!
Morgan says
Can you do more than 1 candy cane in a jar (as long as they aren’t touching?)
littlebins says
Yes, no touching! Or they will grow together!
Lauren says
Can you boil the water and add the board the night before? Or does the water need to be hot when it goes into the mason jars? Thanks!
littlebins says
Sadly, it does need to be hot when it goes into the jar with the pipe cleaner. It’s the cooling process that is part of the crystal formation.
littlebins says
No you really need to do it all at once to have the best results!