So you saw this science experiment post right? You all got it!
These magic rings are craft sticks!
So here’s what happened. I was playing around on Pintrest and found this Bracelet idea. Of course I couldn’t even wait until after breakfast to get started. Notice the science journal? That’s where we wrote our initial observations and what we thought might happen.
We tried soaking them in water, checking them every 15 minutes. We decided to switch our technique pretty quickly. (I left these soaking… just to see. Final verdict? Even after 24 hours they would not bend.)
Boiling, however, worked like a charm. After 15 – 20 minutes in the boiling water these little wooden sticks were bendable! M and M snapped all of the sticks they tried (I guess they didn’t have a very soft touch.) The experiment was still a success and they enjoyed watching me ease them into cups.
I tried a few different size cups. That might be another experiment because only a couple of our bracelets actually fit.
We dried them in the cups for 24 hours.
Want to see the cute Valentine Bracelets we made with them?
Linked up at
I am so glad you posted this I had almost forgotten about it! I must make these with the kiddies this week!
Reminders are awesome!
This is SOOO cool!! I am totally trying this!! I am your newest Facebook follower! I’d love for you to come follow me back, if you want to =-) I also wanted to invite you to link up at TGIF kid oriented Linky Party – http://livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com/search/label/Linkey%20Parties – I know my readers would love it too!
Beth =-)
Yeah! Let me know how it goes for you!
As a speech pathologist I have tons of extra tongue depressors. Now I know what to do with them! Great idea.
Oh you are so lucky!!! Everyone you know will have tongue depressor bracelets.
That is very clever. So when you bend them they stay there? Almost like a smart polymer. Very clever.
Thanks for linking to science sparks fun sparks!
They do stay there… Oh my goodness I forgot to mention dry time!!! We left them in the cups for 24 hours!
Wow, I haven’t seen it done before. Way cool!
I bet Mouse would love it;)
Those look like fun. Cute way to make a bracelet.
It was so fun!
Oh that is SUPER fun!!! Found you at TGIF.I’d like to invite you to share this post with our readers for Fun Stuff Fridays. http://www.toysinthedryer.com/2012/01/fun-stuff-fridays-7.html
I have been wanting to try this!! Great tips on how to!!
Great tips on how to do this! I have been wanting to try making the craft stick bracelets! (not sure if my first comment went through:)
Can’t wait to see the clever spin you put on it!
We did this but instead of bracelets we make napkin holders! Great way to get tons of cheap holiday/seasonal holders.
NAPKIN HOLDERS!!! Awesome! I love that idea.
I LOVED this so much I featured at TGIF this week – http://livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com/2012/01/tgif-linky-party-14.html – thanks for linking up!! Come stop by, grab an I was featured button, and link up again this week!
Beth =-)
Really nice!! We will do this for sure!
Thanks
Super fun! I am planning to use your idea to make jewelry in our Middle Ages class.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Sheryl,
What a an awesome idea! I would love to see a picture if you have one…
Jillian
I was wondering if using the microwave instead of the stove would work. I am a preschool teacher and have no access to a stove in our school. We do have a microwave. Just curious.
Vicki, I have no idea how it work in the microwave but would love to hear about it if you give it a try! Jillian
I was so about to do this… then i remembered I have boys. 🙁 Darn.
We tried this at work, but couldn’t get the stick to bend. Even after boiling for a longer period of time they just broke. Is there a certain kind of stick which works better?
Hmmm… We just used big box of craft stick I got at a thrift store. There wasn’t anything special about them. What a bummer. I hope you didn’t have a group of kids waiting! 🙁
I’ve never seen this before and I definitely want to give it a go! Perhaps there are even other possibilities for these bendy sticks…:)
I’m sure there are a lot of possibilities. I’d love to see how you get creative with them!
I am a youth leader and this an excellent activity the girls can finish in one day/afternoon. GENIUS?
I just finished getting some into cups to dry.
I used Elmer Jumbo Craft Sticks and I boiled them for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they didn’t stick together or anything like that. Worked like a charm. I can’t wait until we decorate them 🙂
Thanks for the awesome craft idea!