Growing Salt Crystals

A saturated salt solution grows sparkling crystals over a few days of watching and waiting.

Steps

1. Dissolve as much salt as possible into a jar of hot water, stirring until no more will dissolve.
2. Tie a piece of string to a pencil and dangle it into the jar so it hangs without touching the bottom.
3. Set the jar somewhere undisturbed and check on it daily.
4. Watch crystals slowly form on the string over several days, and talk about what’s happening as water evaporates.

Notes

This is a patience-building activity — mark a calendar together to track the days until crystals appear.