Frozen ice snowflakes using bubbles and Cookie Cutters for a fantastic Winter Science Activity
- Classic kids bubbles
- Simple cookie cutters with large open spaces ideally about 3 inches or smaller. Bring out a bunch and try them all!
- A plastic bowl or deep plate to pour the bubble solution into
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Find a secure spot where you can set up out of the wind.
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Set your plate on a flat bed or snow or surface and pour in the bubble solution.
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Dip the sharp edge side of the cookie cutter into the bubbles, make sure there is enough solution in the plate to completely coat the bottom ⅛ or ¼ of an inch in the bubble solution.
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Lift the cookie cutter out and let the extra solution drip off for just half a second before holding the cookie cutter up to the light.
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If it is cold enough, you should be able to almost instantly see crystals forming.
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As they form you’ll notice that some are shaped like ferns while others are shaped like snowflakes. The ferns will slowly grow and take over the inside of the cookie cutter while the snowflakes may spin wildly while growing until the rest of the bubble solution gets too cold and they freeze in place.
For best results with this project, you will want the temperatures to be around 5 degrees F or colder! The colder it is, the faster everything will freeze. That said, the colder it is, the more precautions you will need to take to ensure fingers and little ones are staying warm!
We used small hand warmers and had a towel on hand when doing this project. This project is a little less impacted by the wind than our bubble blowing project, but avoid doing this when it's really windy for maximum enjoyment.
You can do this project over and over again. When it warms up a bit too much for the ice crystals to keep forming, simply set the project aside in a spot where it will not freeze from prolonged exposure to the cold (such as leaving outside or in an unheated garage) and you can come back to it later that evening or the next morning when it is really cold again.
Please be sure to keep everyone’s hands dry and warm as much as possible. Get creative in how you can help kiddos explore this and practice cold weather safety!