Magic, Sparkly, Crystal Shamrocks - A St. Patrick's Day experiment!

 I absolutely love St. Patrick's Day!  In New York state, it feels like an end to winter and a bright and cheery way to welcome in spring.  My classroom will be decorated with shamrocks and rainbows, and I added a new project to my list this year!  These sparkly shamrocks are so much fun, and you  probably have all of the supplies that you need on hand!

I tried this experiment using a rainbow and shamrocks, and the shamrocks turned out great!  You will need Borax, boiling water, pipe cleaners, and string.  Borax is found in the laundry aisle, it's a laundry detergent booster and multi-purpose cleaner.  Obviously, small children are the observers in this project and should not handle Borax or boiling water.  My kids were happy to watch me prepare everything and excited to see what would happen!  

I mixed about a cup of Borax in 5-6 cups of boiling water in a large bowl.  Twist your pipe cleaners into any shape you wish, I made shamrocks using a cardboard cylinder to form the loops. Use sting or dental floss to tie your shamrocks to a pencil or craft stick that can rest on the top of your bowl, the shamrocks should be free to dangle in the Borax and water mixture. Leave your shamrocks in the bowl overnight and check in the morning.  Our shamrocks were covered in beautiful, sparkly, crystals!  My preschooler is convinced that a leprechaun had something to do with it!  Hang your shamrocks in a sunny window and enjoy the sparkles!  

I would love to see pictures if you try your own shamrocks!  Check out my Facebook page and St. Patrick's Day Unit for PreK and Kindergarten for more fun St. Patrick's Day Fun! And...decorate your classroom with this Sight Word Freebie!