This is an absolutely sweet science experiment! Grow sugar crystals and make homemade rock candy with this simple chemistry experiment. We can show you how to set up a science fair project to go along with it! Growing sugar crystals is a fun and easy science experiment for kids..
PinIncredible Edible Science
Who doesn’t love science you can eat? Grow sugar crystals for tasty chemistry, and the kids will have a blast learning all about crystals!
Crystal science has fascinated humans for thousands of years. Many of our precious gemstones are formations of crystal.Check out other crystal science projects like our salt crystals and borax crystals. You can also make edible rock candy geodes.
This sugar crystal experiment uses the same saturation principles and makes a saturated solution to form the crystals. Growing crystals is fun for kids and teaches them about solutions, molecular bonds, patterns, and energy. All from two ingredients: sugar and water!
Oh, and of course, you can incorporate it into a geology lesson, too!
đź’ˇ You can eat these crystals when you are done growing them, making it even more fun!
How to Grow Sugar Crystals
Why do we call chemistry experiments like this kitchen science? It is because all the needed supplies come straight out of the kitchen. Easy!
Note: You will need to set aside 8+ days to complete this sugar crystal experiment.
Supplies:
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups sugar
- Mason jars
- String
- Edible glitter
- Food coloring
- Straws
Also check out more fun ideas for mason jar science! Once you set up your sugar crystal experiment, try a few more quick science in a jar ideas!
PinHOW TO MAKE SUGAR CRYSTALS
STEP 1. The day before starting your sugar crystal experiment, cut a piece of string a little longer than your jars. Tie one end of the string to a straw. Tie a knot in the other end.
Get the strings wet and coat them in sugar. Let them dry overnight.
PinSTEP 2. Add four cups of sugar and one cup of water to a saucepan the following day and heat until boiling. Heating the water to dissolve the sugar is the key to making your supersaturated solution.
Create the sugar solution: Heat water in a saucepan until it just begins to boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add granulated sugar to the hot water, stirring continuously, until no more sugar dissolves. Keep adding sugar and stirring until you see some sugar settling at the bottom of the saucepan without dissolving further. This indicates that you have a saturated solution.
STEP 3. Pour your sugar mixture into the jars. Add edible food coloring to each jar and add some edible glitter.
STEP 4. Lower the string into the jar and place the jars in a safe place. Leave the sugar crystals to form for at least a week.
PinSUGAR CRYSTALS: DAY 8
Once the sugar crystals are as big as you want them, remove them from the sugar solution. Lay them on a paper towel or plate and let them dry for several hours.
Inspect the sugar crystals with a magnifying glass or microscope when they are dry. How are the crystals similar? How are they different?What can you see in the microscope or with a magnifying glass that you can’t see with your eyes?
Fabulous, edible science is at your fingertips when you explore science in the kitchen with your kids!
PinFREE Geology Activities Guide
Just because it’s food or candy doesn’t mean you can’t apply the scientific method.
Sugar Crystal Science Fair Projects
Science projects are an excellent way for older kids to show what they know about science. They can also be used in various environments, including classrooms, homeschooling, clubs, and groups.
đź’ˇ Kids can take everything they have learned about using the scientific method, stating a hypothesis, creating variables, and analyzing and presenting data.
Want to turn this sugar crystals experiment into a cool sugar crystallization science project? Check out these helpful resources below. Take a look at the science fair project outline below to get started.
- Science Project Tips From A Teacher
- Science Fair Board Ideas
- Easy Science Fair Projects
Sample Science Procedure to Grow Sugar Crystals:
- Introduction and Hypothesis:
- Begin the project by explaining what crystals are and the process of crystallization. Take a look at different examples of sugar crystals to learn more.
- Formulate a hypothesis. For example, “I predict that crystals will grow faster/bigger in a solution with more sugar.”
- Sugar Crystal Experiment Set up and Growing:
- Prepare the different containers for growing crystals according to the steps above.
- Variables to Explore:
- Encourage kids to set up multiple containers with different variables to test.
- a. Vary the sugar concentration in the solution (e.g., 1 cup sugar:1 cup water, 1 cup sugar:1/2 cup water, etc.).
- b. Compare different types of sugar (granulated sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar).
- c. Test the effect of temperature by placing one container in the fridge and another in a warm place. d. Investigate the impact of time by checking the crystals’ growth at regular intervals (e.g., every day for a week).
- Observations and Measurements:
- Have the kids observe the containers regularly and record them in a notebook. They should note changes in crystal size, shape, and formation patterns. Use our free science fair pack to help!
- Conclusion:
- Help the kids analyze their results and draw conclusions based on their observations.
- Discuss whether their hypotheses were supported and if they noticed any unexpected findings.
- Display:
- Prepare a display board for the science fair, showcasing the experiment’s steps, observations, and results.
This project provides an excellent opportunity for kids to learn about the scientific method, observation, and the fascinating world of crystal formation while enjoying some sweet treats!
More Fun Edible Experiments
See if you can turn one of these science experiments into a science fair project!
- Strawberry DNA Extraction (not edible, but a great project)
- Make Edible Geodes
- Fizzing Lemonade
- Maple Syrup Snow Candy
- Homemade Butter
- Ice Cream In A Bag
Printable Science Projects For Kids
If you’re looking to grab all of our printable science projects in one convenient place plus exclusive worksheets and bonuses like a STEAM Project pack, our Science Project Pack is what you need! Over 300+ Pages!
- 90+ classic science activitieswith journal pages, supply lists, set up and process, and science information.NEW! Activity-specific observation pages!
- Best science practices postersand our original science method process folders for extra alternatives!
- Be a Collector activities packintroduces kids to the world of making collections through the eyes of a scientist. What will they collect first?
- Know the Words Science vocabulary packincludes flashcards, crosswords, and word searches that illuminate keywords in the experiments!
- My science journal writing promptsexplore what it means to be a scientist!!
- Bonus STEAM Project Pack:Art meets science with doable projects!
- Bonus Quick Grab Packs for Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, and Physics
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