Day 3 and Pipe Cleaner Crystal Decorations

"Joseph, an angel has told me

That though it is you I shall marry.

I have been chosen to bear the Messiah

And it will be God's child I carry"

Now this is a blast from my past, something that I remember doing at my Playgroup before I started school, but you can not get Borax now, so need to use Borax substitute (I got mine from the chemist).

Materials

Pipe cleaners

Borax alternative

Water

Blue food colouring

All you need to do is shape some decorations out of the pipe cleaners.  We did snowflakes, hearts, trees and spirals (wrapped round pencils).

Then mix your borax solution with boiling water and add blue food colouring.  I used about 6 tablespoons to approximately one pint, but I just poured it in (I am not an exact type of person).

Once all the borax substitute is dissolved submerge your pipe cleaners and leave overnight.  The next morning remove and allow to dry and then you will have sparking, crystallised decorations.

Both my boys were amazed at the transformation and now MaxiMad wants to know ll the science bit!!

Now you could always do this salt I suppose, but it would take quite a while I would imagine.

MiniMad and MaxiMad have taken their decorations to school for the Christmas Tree decorating competition.  It is only 20p to enter and they really enjoyed doing this, plus for once no glitter to tidy away!

Don't they look great, MaxiMad was so excited that the first thing he did was show his daddy this morning!!!