Snowflake Lab: A Winter Science Challenge for Kids

Create your own snowy blizzard at home with this Winter Science Lab. Perfect for indoor fun create a science challenge with you to discover and learn with. Here’s how…

As you begin this science challenge it’s time to encourage your child to think of was to create snowflakes that move on their own. Challenge them to see if they are able to think about how to do it.

Have them find items from the supply list and see if they can think of the science that might make this snowy blizzard challenge come to life.

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Winter Science: Creating a Snowflake Blizzard

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As you begin it’s time to talk it up with your child about ways that you can create spooky monster eyes that move on their own. Challenge them to see if they are able to think about how to do it.

Have them find items from the supply list and see if they can think of the science that might make this Halloween Science Lab come to life.

Supplies for Snow Lab Winter Science Challenge

Supplies Needed for Winter Science Lab

Water
Oil
Effervescing antacid tablet
Food Coloring
Snowflakes
Lab Beaker Shaped Glass or Plastic Test Tubes or clear vase
Measuring Cup

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Directions for Snowflake Science Lab

1. Set up your Blizzard Science Station by placing all of your supplies within easy reach.

2. To begin the first snowflake experiment, have your child fill one the science beaker with water 1/2 full leaving space for the oil, snowflakes and tablet.

Be sure to tell your child to not shake the bottle during this experiment to see the full effect.

3. Fill up a measuring cup with oil.

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4. Add a few drops of food coloring of your choice to the science beaker with water.

5. Fill the remainder of the science container with the oil. Be sure to leave enough space at the top to allow for snowy bubbling effects.

6. Now add your snowflakes to the combination of oil and water…. What happens?

Talk about your observations.

7. Snowy Science Challenge Ask your child if they can make their snowflake fly in the container without shaking it.

8. Encourage them to add some winter magic to the experiment. Add 1/2 of the antacid tablet to your test tube and WATCH.

Did your snowflake fly? Why or Why Not? Repeat the winter science and add the rest of the tablet and make the snowflakes fly again.

NOTE: Leave the lid off of your container to allow for the winter magic (air bubbles) to escape.

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9. Try the experiment again in another container with a different ratio of oil and water and see the wintery results. I recommend a few containers so that you can experiment a bit more and compare side by side.

10. After you’ve completed the experiment the winter mix of water and oil is fun to observe inside of a Plastic Test Tube too once the lid is placed and you can shake it up.

Keep the snowy fun going throughout Winter! What other Winter items can you add to the Blizzard?

What is the Snowy Winter Science?

This experiment demonstrates for a child that oil will not mix with water. This is a science term called a hydrophobic molecule. The word hydrophobic literally means water fearing which comes from the Greek language hydros “water” and phobos “fear”. Food coloring is a hydrophilic molecule. This term hydrophilic literally means water loving from the Greek language hydros “water” and philic “friendship”.

Because of this, the food coloring has the ability to mix with the water (H2O) through hydrogen bonding. When you place the effervescing antacid tablet into the bottle it will dissolve in the water and form bubbles of carbon dioxide gas.

The gas rises and takes some of the colored water along with it to the surface of the oil. When all of the gas has escaped out of the top of the bottle the water droplet falls back to the bottom of the bottle.

Hope you have lots of fun with your Snowflake Science Experiments this Winter!

You may also enjoy making this snow slime recipe!

Winter Books for Kids

Be sure to grab a few winter Books to add to your child’s imagination this season! Here are some of our favorite winter books in our house and classroom.