Crystal Eggs Easter Science Borax Crystals Activity

Grow crystal eggs! Or at least grow crystal eggshells for a neat Easter chemistry project this spring. Growing these pretty crystals is easier than you might think. Plus it’s a great way to talk about supersaturated solutions, molecules, and more! We love to explore the sciences with holiday themes. Make sure to check out our whole Easter science collection for young kids.

CRYSTAL EGGS EASTER CHEMISTRY!

These fun crystal eggs are super easy to do and look cool too! Make sure to see our Crystal Rainbow. It’s another fun way to grow crystals using pipe cleaners. A favorite for summer is our crystal seashells. They look like little geodes.

We have also been testing our growing salt crystals. I am working on an Easter themed one now, so please check back! We are also looking forward to experimenting with Alum powder as well as sugar for growing crystals. Guess what rock candy is made of? Sugar crystals! Now that sounds like yummy science.

GROW CRYSTAL EGGS OVERNIGHT!

This is a fun to observe chemical reaction for kids, but isn’t very playful like many of our other kid’s science activities!  However, they are definitely a great activity to try out, and you can make a different themed crystal science activity for each holiday.

SAFETY TIP

Since you are dealing with both very hot water and a chemical substance, my son watched the process while I measured and stirred the solution. An older child might be able to help a little more! Make sure to wash hands after touching the crystals or mixing the solution.

With leftover over borax powder and Elmer’s washable glue, you can also make slime for another cool science experiment!

CHECK OUT:

Sugar Crystals for Edible Science

Growing Salt Crystals

Edible Geode Rocks

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

SUPPLIES

• Borax (found with laundry detergent)
• Water
• Jars or vases
• Eggshells (cleaned with warm water)
• Food coloring

 

 PREP YOUR EGGS

To get started on your crystal eggs, prepare the egg shells! I made eggs for breakfast and rinsed out the egg shells with hot water. I tried to carefully remove the top portion of the egg-shell with an egg and then made a bigger opening with a couple more. Up to you!

Choose a glass container that will allow you to get the egg shell in and out easily. You can choose different colors or do them all the same color in one large jar.

Make sure to all check out: How Strong is an Eggshell!

MAKE YOUR CRYSTAL GROWING SOLUTION

The ratio of borax powder to water is 1 approximately 1 tablespoon to 3 cups of very hot/boiling water. While your water is boiling, measure out the correct amount of borax powder. Measure your boiling water into the container. Add the borax powder and stir. Add a good amount of food coloring.

You will need around one of each of these servings for the 3 jars below. Also, this depends on the object you are going to use and whether it will be suspended from the top or not.

You have to try our Classic Egg Drop STEM Challenge than make these crystal eggs!

CRYSTAL GROWING SCIENCE INFORMATION

Crystal growing is a neat chemistry project that is a quick set up involving liquids, solids, and soluble solutions.

You are making a saturated solution with more powder than the liquid can hold. The hotter the liquid, the more saturated the solution can become. This is because the molecules in the water move farther apart allowing more of the powder to be dissolved.

As the solution cools down there is all of a sudden going to be more particles in the water as the molecules move back together. Some of these particles will start to fall out of the suspended state they were once in.

The particles will start to settle on the eggshells and form crystals. This is called recrystallization. Once a tiny seed crystal is started, more of the falling material bonds with it to form bigger crystals.

Crystals are solid with flat sides and symmetrical shape and will always be that way (unless impurities get in the way). They are made up of molecules and have a perfectly arranged and repeating pattern. Some might be bigger or smaller though.

Let your crystal eggs work their magic for 24-48 hours. We were all impressed with the crystal eggs shells we saw in the morning! Plus they were also dyed pretty pastel easter colors.  This crystal egg science experiment is excellent for Easter or anytime you want!

Have you ever made a rubber egg?

To be honest,  I had no idea what would happen to the egg shells, if they would grow crystals or change colors. How big would the crystals get? The pink egg with the small opening at the top had the biggest crystals. It’s an absolutely cool crystal  science experiment to try this year!

THIS CRYSTAL EGG SCIENCE ACTIVITY IS FASCINATING!

Click on the photos below for more awesome ways to try out Easter science and STEM

 

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