Magic Christmas Tree #SciSparksAdvent Day 10

Here's the perfect activity to do over Christmas with your kids or just yourself and here's how you do it!

You can get kits to do this but here's how to do it yourself:

• 90 ml tap water
• 6 tablespoons table salt 
• 6 tablespoons liquid laundry bluing [manufacturer's website]
• 1 tablespoon or 15 ml household (for safety reasons) ammonia
• food coloring (optional)

Make the solution by dissolving salt in the water and stir in the bluing liquid and ammonia. 

Grow a Magic Crystal Christmas Tree

• You could cut a sponge into the shape of a tree and leave in a shallow dish then pour over the crystal solution. 
• You could also cut out the shape from carboard and even make it 3D by putting cuts from the bottom to slot two of the shapes together. Depending on the temperature and humidity of the room you might start to see crystals in less than an hour - if you leave it overnight you should have a nice set of crystals in the morning. Although its important you leave it in a place where it won't be disturbed so the growth of the crystals isn't limited. When the solution starts to evaporate the crystal 'leaves' will start to appear. 

Idea adapted from http://chemistry.about.com/od/crystalrecipes/a/crystaltree.htm