Borax Crystals Christmas Tree Science Experiment

December 4, 2025
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Kids will have fun growing their own christmas tree crystals with this fun, hands on Christmas science experiment for December. In this science experiments with borax toddler, preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, and 2nd grade students will learn and explore with christmas tree science.

Christmas-Tree-Science-Experiment

science experiments with borax

Looking for a festive and educational activity to engage your little ones this December? Kids will have a blast growing their very own Christmas tree crystals in this exciting, hands-on science experiment! Not only is this activity fun, but it also introduces children to basic scientific concepts in a way that’s both interactive and magical.

Using common materials like borax, water, and pipe cleaners, children can create beautiful, sparkling crystals that resemble mini Christmas trees. As they watch the crystals form over a few hours or days, they’ll learn about supersaturation, crystallization, and how temperature affects the growth of crystals. This is perfect for toddlers, preschoolers, and students in kindergarten through grade 3.

Not only will your kids enjoy the festive spirit while crafting their own decorations, but they’ll also expand their understanding of science and develop their fine motor skills through this engaging activity. Plus, it offers a wonderful opportunity for parents and kids to bond over science while creating stunning holiday decorations.

So, gather your materials and turn your home into a mini science lab this holiday season! Share your results and see how your Christmas tree crystals compare to your friends. It’s the perfect combination of learning and holiday cheer that will make this Christmas a memorable one for the whole family!

We have lots more christmas crafts and activities and science experiments for kids to choose from! Plus don’t miss spinning christmas tree experiment, fun christmas science experiments, free life cycle of a reindeer worksheets, and grow a christmas tree science experiment.

christmas tree crystals

First, you create a suspension of borax by mixing the hot water and borax.  By mixing the borax into hot water, the water can hold more borax and keep the borax suspended much longer. As the mixture cools, the water molecules slow down and move closer together. As the borax settles it bonds with other borax and begins to form seeds for further crystallization. Crystals come together in specific, repeated patterns due to the shape of the molecules forming them. You’ll see this crystallization on the bottom and sides of the container, on the string hanging from the pencil, and on the pipe cleaner. The borax continues to crystallize on until you pull it out of the water the next morning.

pipe-cleaner-star

christmas tree science

You only need a few basic supplies to make this Christmas tree ornament decoration; I bet you have these materials already in your home!

  • 2 green pipe cleaners per tree
  • yellow pipe cleaner shaped into a star
  • red beads
thread-bead-onto-green-pipe-cleaner

borax crystal christmas tree

The beads are optional, but they look really pretty on the borax crystal Christmas trees. Attach one end of the green pipe cleaner around the yellow star. Then thread red bead onto green pipe cleaner (great for practicing fine motor skills). Next start going back and forth making the lines longer each time to form a Christmas tree shape. Don’t forget to add beads as you go.

Christmas-Activity-for-kids

borax crystal tree

This is what your Christmas trees should look like for at this stage of this Christmas activity for kids.

Christmas-tree-ornament-craft-for-kids

borax experiments for kids

If you like, you can make extras and use some of them at this stage as Christmas tree ornaments. Aren’t they so pretty!

how-to-grow-borax-crystals

borax crystals christmas

Now put a pencil through your Christmas tree to hold it in a tall jar or vase. It should not touch the bottom by several inches.

Christmas Activities for Preschoolers

crystal growing christmas tree

In a pan boil 4 cups of water. If you’d like to grow colored crystals, make sure to put the food coloring in at this point. You will want to add more food coloring than you think you’ll need!

When the water begins to boil, stir in 12 tablespoons of borax. Stir until the borax dissolves and then pour into your container.

growing-crystals-science-activity-for-kids

easy christmas crafts for kids using borax

After just a few hours you will see the beautiful crystals start to form. Aren’t they beautiful! I suggest letting them grow overnight.

Christmas Science

orax christmas tree

Here are the clear borax crystals we grew on our Christmas tree craft. Aren’t they so pretty. We were shocked by7 how quickly they grew!

Christmas Science Activites

borax crystal ornaments ideas

These beautiful Borax Crystal Christmas Trees make such a cute Christmas ornament craft or decoration!

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Popular Science Activities

Looking for lots more fun, science experiments for kids? You’ve GOT to try some of these outrageously fun science experiments for kids! Plus don’t miss all our science for kids, types of free science lessons, or seasonal science experiments.

Beth Gorden is the creative multi-tasking creator of 123 Homeschool 4 Me. As a busy homeschooling mother of six, she strives to create hands-on learning activities and worksheets that kids will love to make learning FUN! With over 20 years educating children, she has created over 1 million pages of printables to help teach kids alphabet, math, science, English grammar, history, and so much more! Beth is also the creator of 2 additional sites with even more educational activities and FREE printables - www.kindergartenworksheetsandgames.com and www.preschoolplayandlearn.com. Beth studied at the University of Northwestern where she got a double major to make her effective at teaching children while making education FUN!

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