Educational Crafts for Hours of Fun and Learning

 

Looking for a fun educational crafts and activities to do with your kids? Check out these two easy recipes that are perfect for learning about the properties of matter! Rock candy is a great way to learn about solids and liquids while naked eggs teach about the physical and chemical changes that occur when an eggshell is removed. So get creative and have some fun with science!

How to Make Rock Candy

My first craft is one that takes some time but my kids LOVE watching the crystals form and of course the joy of eating their creation when it is all finished!

RELATED: Did you know that you can always be ready for crafty fun? You won’t believe all the amazing activities you can make from simple things you already have in the cupboard. Check out these Pantry Crafts. There is even a hand chart to hang inside your cabinet door.

Rock Candy Supplies

Here is what you need:

• 2 c water
• 4 c sugar
• Food coloring
• 1 tsp flavoring extract or oil
• Glass jar
• Skewers

What to do:

1.) Prepare your materials: wash the glass jar with hot water to clean it.  I used a shish-ka-bob skewer and broke it in half – but anything like that will work.

2.) Wet your wooden skewer and roll it in granulated sugar. this base layer will give the sugar crystals something to “grab” when they start forming. (set aside carefully)  

3.) Place the water in a medium-sized pan and bring it to a boil.  Begin adding the sugar,  one cup at a time, stirring after each addition. You will notice that it takes longer for the sugar to dissolve after each addition.  Continue to stir and boil the syrup till all the sugar has been added and it is all dissolved.  (this will take around 10 – 15 min)  Remove the pan from the heat.

4.) Add the color drops and flavorings.  

5.) Allow the sugar syrup to cool for approximately 10 min, then pour it into the prepared jar.  Lower the sugar skewer until it hangs about 1″ from the bottom, not too close to each other or the sides of the jar.  (mine are a little short in the picture)

6.) Carefully place your jar in a cool place, away from harsh lights, where it can sit undisturbed.  Cover the top loosely with plastic wrap or a paper towel.

7.) You should see sugar crystals start forming within 4 hours.  If nothing happens you may have to try boiling the syrup again and dissolve another cut of sugar into it, then pour it back into the jar with the skewers.  

This time around the crystals formed super fast and were quite small.  I like the big rock-like crystals.

 Makes TWO candy sticks per jar.

Have You Heard Of a Naked Egg?

This experiment is so simple but has quite an interesting outcome!  Kids will be fascinated!

Simply drop a raw egg into a bowl of vinegar (cover completely) and watch as the eggshell starts to slowly dissolve.

After 24 hours carefully take the egg out and replace it with fresh vinegar and let it sit (12-24 hrs) till it becomes a completely “naked” egg.  Try experimenting with adding food coloring to the vinegar mix!

More Educational Crafts Activities for Kids

There are so many educational crafts that you can do with your kids to help them learn and have fun at the same time. Below you can find projects for all different age groups and interests, so there is sure to be something that your child will love. Crafting is a great way to keep kids occupied on a rainy day or during winter and summer breaks. Here are some of our favorite educational crafts for kids.

• Stained Glass Cookies
  Roll out Sugar Cookie Dough and pinch the ends together. Set the shapes on a cookie sheet on top of foil. Crush up any hard candy and sprinkle it evenly inside the dough parameters. You and your kids will LOVE the surprising and unique stained glass effect each cookie has!
• Fruit Loop Necklace
  What a great way to work on fine motor skills. Up the learning potential by talking about colors and patterns. Most young kids will spend forever making bracelets and necklaces out of fruit loops. Just grab some yarn and tie off one end with a fruit loop.  Now no matter what age they can start stringing the cereal through. They don’t usually get fruit loops as cereal so it’s an extra special treat!
• Make Aromatherapy Playdough
  This fun recipe packs a double punch! Kids can smell and touch their way to a sensory activity.
• Kindness Rocks
  This activity touches all the bases…. get kids outside exploring and will encourage creativity and kindness.
• Make Stickers
  Kids will be amazed that they can make their own stickers from items found right in the pantry.
• Make Slime
  Hours and hours of fun can be had with this simple activity that teaches about chemical reactions.
• Wacky Cake
  Keep the STEM learning going in the kitchen by baking up an easy cake. Printable math recipe cards get the kids thinking! They won’t even know they are practicing their math skills.

Selina blogs at CreativeJuicesDecor. She is an interior designer that loves the thrill of turning drab to fab on a budget.  She and her husband live in the Northwest with their 3 young children.  Along with a passion for design, Selina loves crafting, scrapbooking, and cooking and has been playing the violin since the age of 3.