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

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

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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.

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

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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>

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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".

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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!

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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.  

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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.

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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.

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

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

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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!

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

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

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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! 

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

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

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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!

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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!

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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. 

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

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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

Christmas

Hanukkah

science project

puzzles

cardboard crafts

gift

Give the gift of entertainment with this holiday puzzle box. Wrap your special someone’s present in this box and then sit back and watch them try to open it.Download the printable <a href="http://images.kiwicrate.com/diy_ad/KiwiCo-Holiday-Puzzle-Box-Printable.pdf">here</a>.Looking for another hands-on project that engages your creativity and logic skills? Construct a mechanical chessboard with hidden drawers with a <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/build-play-chess-set/5965" target="_self">Build and Play Chess Set</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store</a>!

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Gather your materials. 
Looking for a gift? Checkout KiwiCo's <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/christmas-toys/?diy=inline">Christmas gifts here</a>.

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Cut out the T-shape pieces from the printable. Then, cut out the shaded areas. 

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Glue the T-shape pieces to a piece of cardboard.

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Cut out the T-shape cardboard pieces by cutting along the outline. 

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On the larger T-shape piece, score the cardboard on the dotted orange lines. On the smaller T-shape piece, score the cardboard on the opposite side of the cardboard.  

Lightly run your X-acto blade on the folded line to score the cardboard, creating a hard crease. This will make it easier to fold the cardboard into a box. 

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Stick the brads into the two small holes on the largest T-shape piece. Do not secure them yet. 

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Line up the smaller T-shape piece over the larger one as pictured. 

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Move the brads along the track until they are in the narrower part of the track. Then, secure the brads in place. 

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Take the smaller T-shape piece off of the larger one by sliding it along the track towards the circles and set it aside. Then, turn the piece over and glue the back of the brads in place.

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Fold each of the T-shape pieces into a box. Then, glue it together. 

We used rubber bands to hold the box together while it dried. 

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Wrap both the top and the bottom of the box in wrapping paper. 

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Carefully cut out the bottom of each wrapping paper to reveal the tracks and brads that are used to open the box. 

Tape the edges of the wrapping paper down to make it easier to open the box.

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Put a gift inside the box, close it, and top it with a bow! See how long it takes the receiver to figure out how to open the box.  

printable (printed on cardstock)

Scissors

x-acto knife

double-sided tape

white glue

brads (2)

wrapping paper

clear tape

decorative bow

Winter Break

Holiday Puzzle Box

ornaments

Handmade Christmas Gifts & Cards

Christmas tree

Christmas crafts

craft

homemade craft

useful craft 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>

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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.)

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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.  

94 cool winter crafts projects for kids

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