Snowstorm in a Jar Science Experiment for Winter
Learn how to make your own snowstorm in a jar with this fun science experiment for winter! This is a great indoor activity for winter and kids will love watching the bubbles as they swirl around in the jar to create a magical snowy effect.
Making a snowstorm in a jar is a great weather science experiment for kids in preschool and older. I did it with my 4 year old and she thought it was “so beautiful” and very cool to get to create her own snow storm over and over again.
It is a very simple weather science experiment to set up and would be perfect for a classroom activity when studying the weather. It would also make a fun snow day science experiment.
I also love how you can repeat the experiment again and again – we’ve had ours for a few weeks now and it still creates a cool snow storm just like it did the first time. The sides of the jar do get covered in paint a little more each time it’s repeated, but if you wait for the paint to fall back down to the bottom of the jar you can still see all the bubbles.
WhatYou’ll Need
To create your snowstorm in a jar experiment, you will need:
- A clear glass jar – like a mason jar or we used a recycled pasta jar
- Baby oil
- Water
- Glitter (optional) – we used a mixture of grey, light blue and iridescent glitter
- White paint
- An Alka Seltzer tablet
- Paper towel – in case of spills
How to Make a Snow Storm in a Jar
Start by filling your jar about halfway to three quarters full of baby oil.
Add a small squirt of white paint to a half a cup of water and mix it together to create white water. (the amount of water you use will depend on the size of your container and it doesn’t need to be exact – you just need to add enough paint so your water resembles milk)
Add the paint mixture to the jar, leaving a few inches from the top so it doesn’t bubble over. (I filled my jar up a little too high and it bubbled over – so give yourself some extra space more than you see in the picture below )
Add a few pinches of glitter if desired. Add just a little bit – too much glitter will make the water cloudy and it can be difficult to see the bubbles.
Break up the alka-seltzer tablet into small pieces and drop in one piece at a time and watch the bubbles rise and create a snowstorm effect!
You can repeat the experiment by adding more alka seltzer tablets to the jar. Let the paint settle to the bottom of the jar before repeating.
The Science Behind the Snowstorm in a Jar Experiment
This snowstorm experiment is a great introduction to teaching kids about density and the properties of liquids.
As you add the paint and water mixture to the oil you can see that the two liquids do not mix, because they have different densities. Water molecules are more dense than oil molecules which is why the water sits on the bottom of the jar and the oil separates and sits on top.
Alka seltzer has citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and when you drop the tablets in the jar it creates a chemical reaction with the water to produce carbon dioxide bubbles. These bubbles rise through the liquid, essentially creating your snow storm.
The citric acid in alka seltzer also creates a fizzy effect on the top of the jar, which is why we leave a little space on the top of the jar or have extra paper towels on hand in case it fizzes over 🙂
Variations
You could add a few drops of blue food coloring to the water mixture to create colored water that may simulate the color of the sky.
If you don’t have baby oil, you could use vegetable oil however your snowstorm will be yellow due to the color of vegetable oil.
Share Your Snowstorm Experiment
We hope you enjoy this fun winter science experiment and creating your own fun snowstorm in a jar! If you tried it, let us know how it went for you or tag us on instagram @foxfarmhome or on Facebook so we can see your fun snow storms!
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