Candy Cane Experiment
Got any leftover candy canes on hand? If so, grab three of them and try this candy cane experiment with your kids!
Candy Cane Experiment
Step-by-Step Instructions
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Step #1: Grab three candy canes – any size, color, flavor, etc. will do, but we used the traditional red and white peppermint candy canes.
Step #2: Next, grab three clear cups! Fill one cup with cold water, one cup with white vinegar, and one cup with warm salt water.
Step #3: When all three glasses are ready to go, drop one candy cane down in each cup!
Throughout the day, observe the disappearance of all three candy canes!
My kids loved that this was like a magic trick, and they can’t wait to try this one again next year.
Have you seen the bacon-flavored candy canes? Eww! Ick! Maybe we’ll try those next time! ha!
A Couple of Extra Ideas
Idea #1: I always love when I can pair an activity or experiment with a read-aloud, and The Legend of the Candy Cane is the perfect book for this one!
Idea #2: When I was an elementary classroom teacher, I loved using journaling with my students, and it has become one of my favorite parts of homeschooling as well. My kids have a math journal, a language arts journal, and a science/social studies journal, but these journals are not just for writing – we use them for all kinds of things. For example, with this activity, I had my oldest a draw pictures of his observations at different stages of this experiment! He loved drawing what the candy canes looked like at the beginning of the experiment and then the three glasses of pink/red water after the candy canes had disappeared. We have also used our science journal as a place to draw pictures of what we PREDICT will happen with various experiments. Journaling gifts you with so many options!
Our journals aren’t anything fancy – At this time, we use just regular ol’ notebooks/notepads. Anything goes!
Whatever encourages your kiddos to get excited about learning, DO IT!
Want to read more about our family’s Lifestyle of Homeschooling? Our daily schedule? A look at our week? I would be honored to share with you how we have adopted a lifestyle of living and learning together and how you can do the same with your own family:
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