Snow Science Experiment

We continue our countdown to Christmas for day 15 of Advent. I’m sharing a Christmas science idea with you at the beginning of each day until Christmas. Day 15’s activity is a Snow Science Experiment.

Snow Science Experiment

We have snow on the ground, so today’s activity had to involve snow. Aiden loves to just play outside in the snow. I also bring snow inside for him in a big pan or bucket. He sits on a towel in the kitchen and has fun scooping and squishing the snow. We love experiments. I knew we could design an experiment dealing with the snow, so I began asking him questions about snow. If you don’t have snow, you can use shaved ice or even just ice cubes.

I asked Aiden if he wanted to do an experiment with snow. He was game, but he didn’t haven any ideas for what to test. I asked him a few questions.

Me: What happens to the snow when we bring it inside?
Aiden: It melts!
Me: How do you think we could keep it from melting?
Aiden: It needs to stay cold.
Me: Do you think there’s some place we could keep it cold?
Aiden: I don’t know.
Me: Where do we keep our drinks and food cold?
Aiden: In the kitchen!
Me: Where in the kitchen?
Aiden: In the refrigerator and freezer!

Let’s compare where the snow will melt first – in the house, in the refrigerator, or in the freezer. Aiden says the snow will melt first in the house.

Aiden placed a scoop of snow (1/4 cup) each in 3 bowls. Then, we put the bowls in the 3 locations.

As expected the scoop of snow in the house melted first. Later (much later), the snow in the refrigerator completely melted. The snow in the freezer is still frozen.

Use this experiment to talk about temperature, heat, melting, and freezing.

How will you design a snow science experiment?

Take a look at these snow and ice experiments for more ideas.

I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 16’s Christmas science activity.

More Christmas Activities for Kids

• Catch all of our Christmas Science Advent Calendar ideas.
• Explore pine needles and Christmas trees and take our Christmas science challenge.
• Turn your child’s art into a great Christmas project with these 15 Christmas ideas with children’s art.
• Check out all of our Christmas ideas.

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