This growing borax heart-shaped crystals Valentine’s Day kid’s science experiment is an engaging STEM activity to do with children to learn chemistry through a fun, hands-on invitation to explore. [Video Tutorial is included.]
Are you feeling love in the air? Well, we are, and the love is actually in a cup, growing beautiful crystals in the shape of hearts. You will love this classic kids’ science STEM, especially for Valentine’s Day. Most importantly, this growing heart-shaped crystals experiment will definitely bring your little one in awe! Besides, these borax crystals grow overnight, making the process quick and easy.
Safety: Always supervise your child when dealing with chemicals, and wash your hands thoroughly afterward.
Crystals are a fantastic part of the natural world; growing them is a fun project for kids.
What is a crystal?
A crystal is a solid whose constituents (atoms or molecules) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure. Table salt, sugar, diamonds, and snowflakes all form crystals. Interestingly, every substance forms a unique crystal structure.
What does growing a crystal mean?
How to Grow Valentine Heart Borax Crystals
In this experiment, the borax compound is dissolved in hot water. As with most solids, borax becomes less soluble the lower the temperature of the water. Thus, as this very saturated solution of borax and boiling water cools down, the water holds less of the borax. As a result, borax drops out of the solution and attaches to a pipe cleaner, forming crystals.
Free Kindergarten Valentine’s Day Printable Pack
Growing Heart-Shaped Crystals Experiment
This growing borax heart experiment allows little ones to become real-life scientists! Chemists create reactions to try to change compounds’ makeup, and here, we cause the formation of crystals from a solution. This process is called recrystallization, where a very saturated solution cools, thus forming crystals.
Grow your own crystal heart as Valentine’s Science Experiment
Grow Your Own Crystal Hearts at Home This Valentine’s Day!
Looking for a fun activity that’s part craft, part science project, and 100% magical? Growing your own crystal hearts is the perfect Valentine’s Day experiment! Using simple materials like a mason jar, warm water, and pipe cleaners, you can explore chemical reactions and create beautiful crystals that sparkle in the light.
Here’s how it works:
Start by shaping a pipe cleaner into a heart (or any other different shape you’d like). Suspend it using a fishing line or another pipe cleaner near the bottom of the jar. Then, prepare a supersaturated solution by dissolving borax in warm water. The trick? Crystals form best when the water cools to room temperature. By the next day, you’ll see new crystals forming, growing into larger crystals over time. For the best results, make sure your heart stays steady and doesn’t touch the top of the jar or the sides.
This fun thing doubles as an educational opportunity, teaching kids about crystallization experiments. Plus, the shape of the crystals you grow makes for a stunning keepsake or decoration. It’s the best idea for adding a touch of science to your Valentine’s Day celebrations!
Valentine’s Day Heart-Shaped Borax Crystals Supplies
Here is a list of supplies you will need to grow your own crystal heart:
- a red pipe cleaner (or the color of your choice)
- a paper clip
- a pencil or a craft stick
- borax powder
- water
- a pot for boiling and a spoon
- a glass jar
Because crystals will form clear, the pipe cleaners will give them their color, so make sure to pick the brightest colors for a pipe cleaner.
What is Borax?
Borax is a laundry booster and all-purpose cleaner. Its chemical composition is a hydrated borate of sodium, or sodium tetraborate, simply a salt of boric acid.
Why use Borax in Borax Crystals?
We use borax to grow these crystals because borax makes large, chunky crystals rather quickly. With other substances, your little scientist would have to be much more patient!
What else, other than borax, can you use to make crystals?
A lot of substances form crystals when you create a very saturated solution that you liquefy and then solidify. For example, all types of salt, such as table salt or Epsom salt, as well as sugar, like rock candy, can be used as a substitute. However, remember that the growing process will be lengthy.
Borax Safety
The borax solution is not edible, and washing hands is required after handling it. Also, keep borax away from someone who puts non-food items in their mouth, like young mouthing children.
This growing borax heart-shaped crystals experiment for Valentine’s Day makes a great science activity and even a decoration to try with kids.
Instructions: How to Make Borax Crystal Hearts
How to Make a Heart
First, create a heart shape from a red pipe cleaner by folding a pipe cleaner in half. Then, bring the ends together and twist, forming the heart. Carefully bend and mold until you have the heart shape.
Next, open a paper clip and attach it to the heart (or you can use a string or an additional pipe cleaner) and secure the other end to a pencil or other stick, like a popsicle stick.
How to Make the Borax Crystals Solution
First, add the borax powder to the water. The ratio of water to borax is 1:3, so three tablespoons of borax for each cup of water. (I made the solution with two cups of water. Thus, I used six tablespoons of borax.)
You can also add the borax directly to the boiling water.
Then, pour the borax-water solution into a pot and bring it to a boil, stirring it well to help the borax dissolve. (Hot tap water generally will not work, so you need to bring water to a boil.)
Make sure that the borax is dissolved completely and looks clear. If the water is murky or cloudy, the crystal will come out cloudy and not clear as well. Remove from heat.
Thereafter, transfer the hot water mixture to a jar or a cup about three-quarters of the way to the top. (I am using a 2-cup measuring cup.)
Lastly, position a pencil over the top of the cup so that the heart drops down into the solution, being submerged completely.
Make sure that the pipe cleaner does not touch the bottom or sides of the cup or jar so that it can grow as large as possible.
How to Grow Your Own Heart-Shaped Crystals Experiment | Video Tutorial
Watch the Valentine Heart Borax Crystals Grow
Allow the heart to sit, completely submerged in the substance, for 12-24 hours. You will notice the crystals forming after a few hours, and they will be completely formed after 24 hours.
Remove the pencil/heart from the jar and remove the paper clip you used for hanging.
Place a crystalized heart on a paper towel or suspend it hanging to dry.
Your crystal hearts are ready to be displayed! You can also offer a child a magnifying glass to explore this cool science exploration up close. And if you have a microscope, snip a piece of a crystal and see it even closer.
How do crystals grow or form?
Crystals grow because of a process of nucleation when the molecules or atoms that will soon crystallize (solute) are first dissolved in a solvent. Simply said, crystals form when liquids cool and harden into solids. As the particles contact each other and connect with each other, you will watch the crystal grow.
Here’s How to Grow Your Own Crystal Hearts This Valentine’s Day!
- Shape Your Pipe Cleaner: Twist a pipe cleaner into a heart (or any fun shape!). Make sure it’s small enough to fit inside a mason jar without touching the sides.
- Attach Fishing Line: Tie a piece of fishing line to the top of the heart. This will help you suspend it in the jar. Secure the other end to a pencil or chopstick to rest across the jar’s opening.
- Prepare Your Water: Boil hot water until it’s bubbling. Careful—it’s science, not a scorched kitchen!
- Make the Supersaturated Solution: Slowly stir in borax (about 3 tablespoons per cup of water) until it completely dissolves. Keep adding borax until it won’t dissolve anymore. That’s your supersaturated solution!
- Pour and Position: Carefully pour the hot borax mixture into the mason jar, filling it almost to the top. Suspend your heart-shaped pipe cleaner so it hangs in the center, away from the sides and bottom of the jar.
- Wait and Watch! Let the jar cool to room temperature. Leave it overnight, and by the next day, you’ll have beautiful crystals growing on your heart!
For the best results, keep experimenting with the shape of the crystals by adjusting your solution or trying different shapes. It’s a sparkly, fun activity that will wow your little scientists and add a touch of magic to Valentine’s Day!
Have you tried making tactile number boards? Leave a comment if you did!
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For More Valentine’s Activities
See here Hearts Tactile Numbers Puzzle-Boards.
For Valentine’s Crafts
See here DIY Valentine’s I-Love-You From The Button of My Heart Card.
I hope you enjoyed a DIY Growing Heart-Shaped Crystals Experiment! Leave a comment if you have tried it!
Have you tried growing your own Heart-Shaped Crystals? Leave a comment if you did!
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