IT’S SNOWING! But it is also chilly! How can we bring the snow fun inside, without the mess? Snow Dough! That’s right, we will make our own snow, inside, using clean safe ingredients.

THE TOPIC:

Exploring and observing the science behind making our own snow.

The MISSION:

Use your scientific and detective skills to figure out the best way to mix our snow, change its color, and what you can turn it into.

The CHALLENGE:

What can you create with your indoor Snow Dough?

Materials you could use (but are not limited to):
• corn starch
• shaving cream
• food coloring

MAKING YOUR SNOW DOUGH:

This challenge is very open-ended as it can be applied whenever and wherever the materials are available.

To start, pour the cornstarch into a bowl or onto the table that you will be working on. Then add shaving cream on top of it. You want about the same amount of shaving cream as you have corn starch. Mix them together until they are fully combined. Then add the food coloring. Mix that in until it is fully combined. Now you can create! That’s it – it’s that simple!

Use sandbox toys, kitchen utensils, or whatever you can find to create a masterpiece of snow dough artwork. Shape and mold it into whatever you can imagine.

QUESTIONS TO MULL OVER: 

• What colors mix together to make a new color?
• What happens if you add what?
• What does more or less of a certain ingredient do to the dough?
• Can you add letter beads or toys to do a seek and find?
• What if you leave it uncovered overnight?
• Can it turn into a fossil dig?

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The Family STEAM Challenge is all about experimenting with the ordinary to make the extraordinary! Chippewa Valley Family challenges your family to think and play together all in the name of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (that’s where the STEAM comes in). 

Each challenge can be completed as a family or a group of friends in as little or as much time needed; however, most challenges can be completed within one sitting. The Family STEAM Challenge is also designed to get all ages involved through hands on experimenting. So get ready to put your collective thinking caps on to design a seriously cool apparatus made almost entirely out of reusable or recyclable materials laying around the house.   

Thanks for Sarah McInniss from the Children’s Museum of Eau Claire for this STEAM Challenge!