What's growing at our house...

Week after next I'm teaching preschool again and our theme is science. So I've been rounding up simple science experiments for the this kids to try. Yesterday I tried a pretty successful one-growing crystals!! I've found there are a lot of ways to grow crystals: rock sugar, epson salts, alum. I plan on trying a few of these.

These crystals were made with salt, ammonia, water and liquid bluing. I had  no idea what liquid bluing was, but apparently it's a laundry whitener. It stains your fingers blue, so I'm unsure on it's whitening ability, but it sure grows crystals!! (here's where I found the tutorial: http://amymorby.com/2011/08/09/grow-your-own-crystal-tree/)

I started these yesterday. The tree shaped one in the morning and the round one in the evening.

This one is a toilet paper roll. I put some food coloring on it to make the crystals colored.

This one a cut some pieces of cardboard and slid them together with no food coloring.

I will be posting a full tutorial and explanation on my craft blog in the next few days as I try different tactics. But here's the recipe:

• 1 TBSP salt
• 1 TBSP water
• 1 TBSP liquid bluing
• 1/2 TBSP ammonia

Shaken up (in sealed bottle) or thoroughly stirred and poured in the bottom of a bowl (I used styrofoam so it wouldn't soak in). Place your cardboard on top and watch it grow.

 But this one was a fun quick way to see something cool grow fast!!