How can you make crystals?

Make crystals by dissolving borax in boiling water, adding food coloring and dipping a pipe cleaner in the solution. You need a pot, a jar, a pipe cleaner, borax, food coloring scissors, string and a pencil.

1. Make a pipe cleaner shape

   Twist your pipe cleaner into the desired shape. For instance, you can make a snowflake by twisting the middle of three pieces of pipe cleaner together.

2. Attach a string and pencil

   Tie a string around one end of the shape. Knot the other end around a pencil to provide a way to suspend the shape in the crystal solution.

3. Boil water

   Boil water in a pan or kettle.

4. Pour the water into a jar

   Once the water starts to boil, pour it into a jar with a mouth wide enough to fit your pipe cleaner shape.

5. Dissolve the borax into the boiling water

   Adding one tablespoon at a time, mix three tablespoons of borax into one cup of boiling water. After adding each tablespoon of borax, stir well until it has dissolved completely.

6. Add food coloring

   Once all the borax is dissolved in the water, add food coloring to color the crystals.

7. Insert the pipe cleaner

   Place the pipe cleaner shape in the jar, positioning the pencil across the mouth so that the pipe cleaner is suspended in the solution.

8. Wait overnight

   Allow the pipe cleaner and solution to remain untouched overnight to allow crystals to form.