You guys are going to laugh at this one. I wanted to do a Christmas-related science lesson, and with their recent obsession with snow, this seemed perfect. I did a google search and came up with this website: Fake Snow Instructions (it’s a fun read if you want more information)
(there are affiliate links in here)
What’s needed to make fake snow
disposable diapers* (I used those random outgrown ones we have laying around), big bowl, water
Let’s get started with making fake snow
1. Get your diapers and cut them open, you can just tear them open, but cutting makes it sound neater. And this is not a neat experiment. Pull out all of the cotton-like gel stuff that goes in the middle. Put it in the big bowl.
It’ll look like the picture below when you’ve added it all in.
2. Add the water. It’s going to take several cups. The kids had a blast getting to add more and more water and watching the gel grow bigger.
3. Mix it up. You could probably do this with your hands just fine, but my kids like stirring with spoons.
4. Touch it and see what it feels like. They all described it as a cold and weird feeling. Then they were all set to be done with this and start on our next round of wrapping paper.
Then I told them they could fill their own bowls with this and play as much as they wanted and bury things and they were OFF! Much like racehorses.
They buried them in the “snow,” and had their poor Santa toy covered in it, and the dog……. The toy dog, no pets here yet……. This was one of our most popular experiments. I’ve noticed the messier the experiment the more popular it is. It took some creativity to figure out how to clean it all up.
Edited to add: For all of you asking does it feel like real snow? I’ve never lived somewhere that has real snow, but from my limited exposure to real snow, I think it does feel like real snow (or my memories of it). According to the article, I linked it feels similar to it. But, no guarantees I’m correct. As far as my kids are concerned this was the perfect exposure to snow because they got to play in it and it wasn’t too cold. Hopefully, that helps explain for everyone.
So, how about you, what have you done this week for fun science activities?
More early learning fun, and maybe a bit of science
- Using art and role play to teach science
- How to clean water, an earth science lesson
- Turtle picture books
- Why do people float in saltwater?
- Yertle the Turtle Preschool Craft
* When my boys were little I bought Pampers, and only Pampers because those were the diapers that did not leak. I went through so many diapers trying to find ones that didn’t leak, so lots of leftovers. Then my daughter had no problems with pretty much any brand, but it’s funny how different babies need different diapers.
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