By Julia Furukawa
Your kids are guaranteed to love this experiment, which is both education and delicious. Making rock candy at home is a cheap and easy way to help kids learn about the crystallization process, with a sugary reward at the end. All you’ll need is sugar, water, food coloring, a jar, a clothespin, and a skewer or chopstick.
-
Make a sugar solution by combining a two-to-one ratio of sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Then let the solution cool for about 20 minutes. (Optional: Mix in a few drops of flavoring, like peppermint or vanilla extract.)
-
Prep the skewer or chopstick by getting it wet and then rolling it in granulated sugar until it’s covered. Let dry.
-
Add food coloring to the cooled sugar mixture and then pour the solution into a glass jar. Cover the jar with a paper towel that has a hole poked in the middle of it.
-
Place the sugar-coated skewer through the hole and secure it in place with a clothespin.
-
Find a safe place for the jar, away from excessive light and heat. Then… wait.
-
As the crystals grow each day, have your kids document the growth with drawings or photos.
-
At the end of two weeks, remove your beautiful crystallized creations and do the most important part — eat them!