200 Quick & easy experiments

Crazy chemistry experiments

Electronics & Robotics

Engineering & Building

Motion & Mechanics

Anatomy & Biology

Toy & game design

Math made fun

STEM Activities

750+ Quick & easy craft ideas

Recycled creations

Fun & functional projects

Jewelry & Fashion design

Handmade cards & gifts

Art & Creativity

Fun & Games

Hands-on learning

Sound & Music

Pretend play

Play & Learn

Kitchen science

Fun with food

Sweet & salty snacks

Treats & Dessert

Cooking for kids

Cooking & Baking

Animals & Bugs

Plants & Rocks

Seasons & Weather

Radical rainbows

Outdoor Adventures

Space exploration

Nature & Adventure

Birthday fun

Pi Day

Earth Day

Easter

Holiday & Events

indoor project

launcher

food play

food experiments

toy design

engineering

winter

winter crafts

sweet snacks

Create mini marshmallow launchers with everyday household items. Get extra cozy with some hot cocoa and see how many marshmallows land inside your mug!

ab64519214dfd.jpg

a03d154b9b9c9.jpg

Carefully cut out the bottom of the plastic cup. If needed, your grownup assistant can do this for you!

afdf2b1bd9c91.jpg

Leaving the balloon deflated, tie a knot to close the opening. Then, cut about a quarter inch off the top of the balloon to create a large opening.

a24083f949c38.jpg

Stretch the balloon over the bottom opening of the plastic cup. Give the knot a tug to make sure it is on securely.

ac5d08f95c921.jpg

Now your marshmallow shooter is ready! Load up the marshmallows and give the balloon a tug to see how far they go!

balloons

mini marshmallows

plastic cups

scissors

Marshmallow Launcher

chemical reactions

chemistry

Take your winter decor to the next level with borax snowflakes! This project made a fun science experiment and craft in one. The kids got to learn about solutions and see the "magic" of borax crystals forming and we got to make beautiful snowflakes to decorate our winter table centerpiece. The kids can't wait to experiment with different shapes and colors next time!Borax (sodium tetraborate) is a naturally-occurring mineral salt commonly used as a laundry booster or cleaner. As with any other cleaning product, it should be kept away from children not under direct supervision of an adult. Do not allow children to ingest Borax. If consumed, contact a poison control center immediately. Wash hands after play, as prolonged skin exposure may cause irritation.Want to learn more about chemistry without the hassle of gathering materials? Explore the science of crystallization with a <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/crystal-chemistry-garden-project-kit/2640">Crystal Chemistry Garden</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store">KiwiCo Store!</a>

81d5fefcc5fe.jpg

Gather all materials.  Borax can be found in the laundry aisle of your local grocery store.  We used various color pipe cleaners so the kids could pick their favorites, but we found that the white pipe cleaners looked most like snowflakes.

7f4b9996a9e6.jpg

I gave each of the kids a pipe cleaner and helped them form snowflakes out of them.  Our snowflakes ended up looking more like stars, but the kids loved them.  You could make any shape.  I think next time we'll try cutting the pipe cleaner into pieces and twisting them together.  While the kids worked with the pipe cleaners, I put the kettle on to boil.

70aa549fc42c.jpg

I gave each of the kids a pint-sized Mason jar and they poured in 1/3 cup of Borax.  I had to be extra careful with my 2 and 3-year-olds to make sure that they didn't try to eat any of the Borax.

28c82455858f.jpg

Then, I carefully filled the jars 3/4 full with boiling water.  After warning the kids repeatedly about the hot water, I let them use the Jumbo craft sticks to stir their borax.  They were very careful and did a great job getting the borax to dissolve.  They loved watching it "disappear".

a4bffb2f9c6f.jpg

Once the water was ready, we tied yarn to our pipe cleaner and lowered it into the jar of water.  Be sure to use a ribbon or string that you don't mind remaining attached to your snowflake.  Once the crystals form, those strings are NOT coming off!

08427aa809ce.jpg

We wrapped the other end of the string around the jumbo craft stick to keep it suspended in the water without touching the edges.  I tried using a pencil at first, but it didn't hold as well.  The craft stick was great because it didn't roll.  

42ee92466e00.jpg

We left our jars overnight and the next morning the kids were amazed by their beautiful crystal borax snowflakes!  These would make great ornaments and could me made in any shape, or even your child's initials!

Borax

mason jars (I used the pint wide mouth size)

pipe cleaner

string

Jumbo Craft Stick

Borax Snowflakes

space

easy craft

handmade gifts

printable

Bring the stars to you and learn about the amazing night sky by creating your own mini-constellation jar that can light up. Download our constellation printable <a href="https://icdn.kiwico.com/diy_ad/Kiwi-Crate-Mini-Constellation-Jar-Printable.pdf">here</a>.&nbsp;Or for some winter-themed fun, you can create your own light-up jar of snowflakes!Help your little one build their creative confidence with <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store">KiwiCo's</a> <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/rainbow-air-dry-clay-project-kit/5612">Rainbow Air-Dry Clay</a>. This kid-friendly clay is soft, not sticky, so it’s easy to handle and shape into anything you can imagine.

a98036287d5ab.jpg

Use a ruler to measure the height of your jar to figure out how tall it is. Then, use a piece of string to find the circumference by measuring around the mouth. Add half an inch to your circumference measurement.&nbsp;Cut a piece of aluminum foil based on the measurements of your jar. We used a jar that measured 5 inches x 7 ½ inches.

Have a grownup&nbsp;help or carefully supervise any cutting necessary for this project.

aae18bba529ed.jpg

Place the foil flat on the cardboard and put the constellation printable on top.  

af1aa00ac1a3b.jpg

Snowflake Jar Option: Cut out a few paper snowflakes and trace them onto a piece of black construction paper. 

acf5012ce320a.jpg

Choose a constellation from the printable and use the pushpin to create it by carefully poke holes through the paper and foil. 

Choose another constellation and create it on a different spot of the foil. Try to learn the names and shapes of each constellation that you make!

a906dbe6b4027.jpg

Snowflake Jar Option: Cut out the shapes you traced onto the construction paper using an X-acto knife. 

a47c972244cae.jpg

After, take your foil and wrap it around the toilet paper roll to give it a curved surface. Remove the toilet paper roll.

ac3d79a554f52.jpg

Snowflake Jar Option: Use a stapler to form the construction paper into a cylindrical shape and add some tissue paper inside the construction paper cylinder to give your shining snowflakes some color! 

ab809d3acb6e3.jpg

Carefully place the curved foil into the jar. (Try not to crinkle your designs!) 

ab60ba75bba6d.jpg

Snowflake Jar Option: Carefully place the paper cylinder into the jar.

a7bb0981e9f48.jpg

Turn on the tea light and place it inside the jar. Screw on the lid, turn off the lights, and check out your new constellations (or snowflakes) shining in the dark!

Use your mini-constellation jar outside as a small nightlight, or use it to help you learn about the night sky.

If you enjoyed making this project, check out our Kiwi Crate line for more hands-on science projects!

glass jar

aluminum foil

Ruler

pushpins

cardboard

toilet paper tube

electric tea light

constellation printable

black construction paper (optional)

pencil (optional)

craft knife (optional)

stapler (optional)

Light-Up Mason Jar

painting

art project

I whipped up this simple, homemade puffy paint and told the kids we were going to make our own creations with "snow."Having fun creating snow? Then let's add some ice! <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/sensory-sand-shaved-ice-maker/5957" target="_self">Sensory Sand Shaved Ice</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store</a> contains everything needed to create an awesome sensory experience!

af27965a0ac74.jpg

To create this homemade "snow" paint, mix one part shaving cream with one part glue. The mixture ends up thick and goopy--and dries up puffy, like snow!

aec6d63858d51.jpg

You could try painting with sponges, paintbrushes, or a spoon. Experiment with the paint and ways to use it. We tried a Q-Tip, but it was too small. My kids preferred glopping on the paint with sponges. 

ab7d04266ebd6.jpg

The creations just kept coming! Both kids really had fun with this thick, puffy paint. 

a4a81c0e7cf3f.jpg

The snow paint is so quick and easy to whip up. It's the perfect texture to create wintery scenes. 

Glue

Shaving Cream

paintbrushes

Paper

foam paintbrush/sponge brush

Shaving Cream "Snow" Paint

ornaments

Christmas

Handmade Christmas Gifts & Cards

Christmas tree

Christmas crafts

gift

craft

homemade craft

useful craft project

science project

art-science projects

We have favorite crystal ornaments, and these are it! No waiting for weeks for these crystals to form...using borax instead of salt or sugar will give us completed ornaments in one day! Borax (sodium tetraborate) is a naturally-occurring mineral salt commonly used as a laundry booster or cleaner. As with any other cleaning product, it should be kept away from children not under direct supervision of an adult. Do not allow children to ingest Borax. If consumed, contact a poison control center immediately. Wash hands after play, as prolonged skin exposure may cause irritation.Looking for more crafts to decorate for the holidays? Create awesome decorations and have hands-on fun with a <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/rainbow-air-dry-clay-project-kit/5612" target="_self">Rainbow Air Dry Clay</a> set from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store!</a>

a943df03dcc2e.jpg

There are lots of different recipes for growing borax crystals, but we've done this lots over the years, and you don't need nearly as much as some recipes say!
Three tablespoons of borax per cup of water does it just fine. (For simple measuring, remember that 16 Tbs is equal to 1 cup.)

a90d1b4a0e0d7.jpg

For a precise water amount, you could put water in your jars, then pour it into a measuring cup to measure exactly how much you'll need, but I just guessed 12 cups for three jars.  (Actually, I underestimated, and we had to go back and make two more cups, but easily done!)  We heated up the water.  We boiled it, but that isn't strictly necessary, as long as it's very hot--hot enough to dissolve the borax.  

a5d873f027fc8.jpg

a537ebc0feb6a.jpg

We stir, stir, stirred.... and then got the snowflakes ready.  (Over the years, we've done icicles, pink hearts...lots of different shapes!)  This time Madeleine had a brilliant idea for a candy cane!

af89977c1b2e9.jpg

When they were shaped the way the children wanted -leaving one end very tall to reach well over the top of the glass- they wrapped the top (longer piece) around a pencil.  There are two more steps here: Make sure that your creation is narrow enough to fit through the mouth of your jar (it can be tilted, and "worked" out), and put your shape inside the jar and make sure it is hanging freely, and not resting at the bottom.  Some of the borax will settle to the bottom of the jar, and you don't want your snowflake stuck to the crystals forming there.

a83dc24a10463.jpg

After checking that everything was just right, the kids were ready to stir again and then pour in the solution!

ada87946a54b0.jpg

We made sure the designs were hanging freely (not stuck to the bottom or sides), and filled them up the jars. 

a88603c1630a5.jpg

Next, we moved the jars to a shelf where they could sit for several hours. (Where we kept a close eye on them!)
After a couple of hours, as the water cooled, we could see the crystals forming.  While salt and sugar form cube-shaped crystals, borax forms six-sided structures.  We like to leave them in for a whole day.  You could try for longer!

ab0b7f5053a3d.jpg

The science behind it all:  The hot water holds more borax than cold, because heated molecules move further apart from each other, leaving room for the borax crystals.  As the solution cools, the water molecules move closer together again.  Now there's less room, and the crystals begin to form and build on one another.
Snowflakes in the wintertime are formed in the same way!

borax

water

pipe cleaners

jar / glass jar / mason jar (wide-mouth)

pot (for heating water)

Borax Ornaments

decorations

This is a darling handmade ornament that your child will love making and would make a perfect gift for Grandma and Grandpa!Want to explore more hands-on crafts without the hassle of gathering materials? Roll and stamp your way to early math exploration through kid-friendly kitchen play with a <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/pasta-making-and-shapes-project-kit/4576" target="_self">Fun Dough Pasta Maker</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store</a>!

a17d329391470.jpg

First mix your flour, salt, and water together. Then knead really well until smooth. If it is too wet or sticky add more flour. 

ad08de3212ca2.jpg

Then divide the dough into 2-4 pieces, depending on how many plaques you want to make. Just make sure they are big enough to accommodate the child's foot. Squish them into round plaques about 1/2 inch thick.

a95a932b72840.jpg

.Now have your child make a foot or hand imprint. If it is not perfect, you can reshape the dough and try again! 

ac13abb53f73c.jpg

Then using a pencil I made a hole on the top so that ribbon can go through to hang it as an ornament. Place the plaques on parchment paper and bake in the oven for 3 hours on low heat around 200 degrees F. You may need to adjust the time based on the thickness of your plaque. 

aa93d38006e81.jpg

Once cooled. Use acrylic paint color of your choice and have your child paint them. You can also add glitter if you want. 

a0f1cc790d732.jpg

Just loop ribbon through the hole if you want to hang it on the tree!

salt (1 cup)

flour (1 cup)

warm water (1/2 cup)

parchment paper

paint

Footprint Ornaments

snow

tree

I love the idea of real DIY snow globes, but the potential for the water causing a serious mess has always kept me from trying it. These waterless mason jar snow globes are a low-mess solution, and are quick and easy to make. I created these as little gifts for friends, but a grouping of these in different sizes would make a beautiful display in a window or on a mantel.Want to explore more hands-on crafts without the hassle of gathering materials? Learn about chemistry and design out-of-this-world bath bombs with <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/planet-bath-bombs/3702" target="_self">Planet Bath Bombs</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store</a>!

a98a9c8cc844d.jpg

Gather your materials. Just make sure your trees are small enough to fit into the jars!

92 cool winter projects for kids

Screen-free fun!