Snow Science

 

by Rachel Wells

When the weather outside is frightful, winter science experiments are so delightful!

Whether you love it or hate it, winter is here to stay for a while, and that often means months of freezing temperatures, snow flurries, and more time spent inside. A surefire way to cure boredom and make the most of the cold weather and snow is with science. Science experiments are educational, hands on, and always fun. And luckily, even if you live somewhere without a freezing cold and snowy winter, we’ve included a few fun indoor snow activities as well.

So grab some basic supplies and get ready to enjoy these winter science experiments together – we think it’s a snow-brainer!

 

Homemade Snow Ice Cream

Supplies Needed:

• 8 cups of fresh snow
• 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sprinkles

Step-by-Step

1. Combine the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract.
2. Collect fresh snow in a large bowl and pour the milk mixture over the snow.
3. Mix well.
4. Divide snow into bowls and top with sprinkles. Yum!

 

Snowstorm in a Jar

Supplies Needed:

• Baby oil
• White paint
• Alka-Seltzer tablets
• Clear glass jar
• Paper towel
• Glitter (optional)

Step-by-step:

1. Fill the jar ¼ of the way with water.
2. Add a teaspoon of white paint in the water and stir until the mixture looks like milk. Add more paint if needed.
3. Fill the rest of the jar with baby oil.
4. Add glitter if desired.
5. Let the mixture settle on the bottom of the jar.
6. Break up an Alka-Seltzer tablet and drop the pieces little by little into the jar.
7. Enjoy your inside snowstorm!

 

Magic Foaming Snowman

Supplies Needed:

• Baking Soda
• Dish Soap
• Salt
• Vinegar
• Waterproof decorative accessories
• Water

Step-by-Step:

1. In a bowl combine 2 cups of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of salt.
2. Add 1 tsp of dish soap and mix the dough well.
3. Next add 8 tablespoons of water and mix until you have a dough that can form a ball.
4. Have fun decorating your snowman.
5. When you’re ready to melt your snowman into a foaming puddle, add your vinegar!

 

Fluffy Slime Snowman

Supplies Needed:

• 1 4oz bottle of Elmer’s white school glue
• 2 tablespoons saline contact solution
• 5 cups of shaving cream
• Plastic bowl
• Mixing spoon
• Waterproof accessories

Step-by-Step:

1. Pour glue in a plastic bowl
2. Add the contact solution and mix well.
3. Stir in the shaving cream and mix well.
4. Kneed your slime – the mix will be sticky at first, but the more you kneed it the fluffier it will become.
5. Add decorative elements to make your fully slime snowman.

 

Looking for more fun ways to play with the snow? Check out a few more ideas below:

 

Indoor Snow Bin

If you or your child would rather bring the snow inside to you – no problem! Set up an indoor sensory bin filled with fresh snow from outside and small toys. Your child can put on their mittens and play in the snow without heading out in the cold.

 

Snow Painting

Fill squirt or spray bottles with cold water and a few drops of liquid watercolors (or food coloring). Head outside and let your child spray pictures or designs onto a canvas of fresh white snow. This activity can be adapted to indoors as well by filling a bin with snow and letting your child color it using an eye dropper instead of spray bottles.

 

Buried in the Snow Treasure Hunt

Take some small toys and burry them in the snow in your yard (make a note to yourself so you don’t forget where you put them!). Give your child a shovel and have them dig into the snow to find all the buried treasures.