DIY: Salt Painting: Frosty Snowflakes

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Salt Painting: Frosty Snowflakes

Stem Activities

Ages: 3-5

30 minutes

Grownup needed

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Create magical frosty snowflakes with just salt and water! Watch science and art combine to form sparkling crystals.

Materials Needed

Card paper
Salt
Paintbrush
Water
Bowl

Laid out on a light wood-grain table are several items, likely for a science experiment or craft project. A clear glass filled with water sits at the left, followed by an empty clear bowl. Next to the bowl is a small, clear creamer-shaped container with a wooden handle, containing a white substance, possibly sugar or salt. Below these items is a rectangular piece of bright blue material, possibly paper or foam. A thin paintbrush with a dark handle and light bristles lies to the right of the blue material. The arrangement suggests preparation for an activity involving mixing or applying substances.

Step-by-step tutorial

Step 1

Pour 20g of salt and half a cup of water into the bowl, stir until the salt no longer dissolves.

A hand pours a white powder, likely sugar or salt, from a small, clear, creamer-shaped container with a wooden handle into a clear glass bowl. The bowl sits on a light wood-grain surface. Some of the powder has already been poured into the bowl, and the image captures the process of adding more. This close-up shot suggests a step in a recipe, experiment, or craft activity.

Step 2

Using the paintbrush, dip it in the salt water and paint a snowflake pattern on the card paper.

A hand guides a paintbrush with an orange tip across a light blue surface. The brush seems to be applying a clear or slightly glossy substance onto a snowflake design, making it appear wet and shiny. The background features glimpses of patterned fabrics in red, brown, and green, along with a touch of white, possibly cotton.

Step 3

Wait patiently for the snowflake to dry, and your salt snowflake painting is complete.

Several delicate, glistening snowflakes, possibly made of ice or a similar translucent material, lie scattered on a vibrant blue surface. These snowflakes vary slightly in size and shape, showcasing the intricate and unique nature of real snowflakes. The bottom right corner reveals a section of a light wooden surface.

The Science Behind It:

When you dissolve salt in warm water, it creates a supersaturated solution. Warm water can dissolve large amounts of salt because its molecules move quickly, keeping the salt mixed in. As the water evaporates, the salt crystallises, forming shimmering white lines that look like frost on snowflakes.

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