The only things more fun than cool science experiments are cool science experiments you can eat! Get your child interested in STEM while filling their tummies with fun and creative snacks. Here are X edible science experiments for kids.
Rock Candy
Making homemade rock candy is a great way to teach your child how crystals grow while getting them excited about a sugary treat. All it takes is a few simple ingredients: wooden skewers, wide-mouth mason jars, food coloring, clothespins, granulated sugar, candy, and flavoring.
To begin, soak the wooden sticks in water and roll them in sugar to give the rock candy a place to start. In a pan, combine three cups of water with one cup of water and boil until the sugar has completely dissolved. Carefully pour the solution into the mason jars until it reaches one inch below the mouth of the jar. Add any flavoring or food coloring you would like and mix well.
Slowly insert the wooden sticks into the solution until they are close to the bottom of the jar but have not touched the bottom. Use a clothespin to secure the stick in place. Place the jars in a sunny spot in your house and leave them for about a week to grow. Check back in a week and your kids will be thrilled to find homemade rock candy to enjoy.
Fizzing Sour Lemonade
Teach your kids about how acids can create a chemical reaction with this fizzy lemonade. Start by squeezing the juice of one lemon into a glass. Add one tablespoon of bicarbonate soda and stir it to watch the fizzy, foaming reaction. Add some sugar and water to the lemon mixture and stir until it’s fully dissolved. Have your kids taste the lemonade and tell you what they can feel on their tongue.
What’s happening here is carbonation, which occurs when an acid is mixed with a base to form an acid-base reaction. This is the same thing they do to make soda.