December 26th is National Candy Cane Day—a sure reason to celebrate! This holiday sweet treat is fun to eat and can provide a relaxed way to add some science to your holiday schooling (bonus science!).
Some Fun Facts About the Candy Cane
- The original candy cane was just plain white! It was used for medicinal purposes, such as soothing an upset stomach.
- The first red and white candy cane was introduced in 1900.
- The candy cane is fat-free!
- The average candy cane is five inches long, but the world record for the longest is fifty-one feet, made by a chef in Geneva, Switzerland.
- The candy cane is the number one non-chocolate candy seller in December.
- Over 1.7 billion candy canes are produced in the US.
Simple Candy Cane Experiments
Pull up a stool to your counter and get ready to do some candy cane experiments to start the holiday off right. Use the attached printable to guide you in the scientific method. You’ll need some mini-candy canes for each experiment below. Fill out the printable lab pages as you go and add the completed work to your science notebook.
Candy Cane Density: Does your candy cane float or sink?
You’ll need:
- Glass containers or jars for each liquid
- Various liquids
- Pieces of candy canes or mini candy canes
Little ones can do this without much guidance, but for middle school students, you won’t want to miss discussing density. Mass is how much matter is in an object. Think of a box of feathers compared to a box of gold of the same size- gold definitely has more mass. Density is how tightly packed together that mass is.
If an object floats, its density is less than the substance it is floating in. If it sinks, its density is greater than the substance.
Follow Up Fun:
Test your candy canes in liquids of all kinds—water, oils, corn syrup, and rubbing alcohol.
Make It Disappear
You’ll need:
- Three containers or jars
- Water
- Candy canes
This experiment is a great way to discuss how heat affects the movement of molecules. Because the molecules in hot water move quicker than in cold, we can break off the molecules in the candy cane more quickly. Test your mini candy canes in three different water temperatures: hot, room temperature, and cold. Note how long the red stripes take to dissolve from your canes.
Follow Up Fun:
Does the whole candy cane dissolve? If yes, how long did that take?
Create a Candy Cane Reaction
You’ll need:
- Candy canes
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Baking sheet
- Dropper or spoon
- Food coloring
This fizzy experiment allows students to see how chemicals react together, specifically an acid like vinegar and a base like baking soda. Chemical reactions change the characteristics of the objects and rearrange the molecules in different ways.
- Spread baking soda onto the baking pan, coating the bottom.
- Lay your candy canes on top of the baking soda.
- Pour the vinegar into a cup and mix with a couple of drops of food coloring. (You can do this with several colors if you like)
- Use a dropper or spoon to add the vinegar mixture to the top of the pan. WOW! Watch that chemical reaction!
Follow Up Fun:
If you let it sit, will your candy canes dissolve (call back to Experiment 2!)?
More Holiday Science Ideas
Other fun ideas for holiday bonus science include:
- Heat candy canes to bend them into different shapes
- Research menthol and it’s chemical characteristics
- Use vinegar and baking soda in a glass to make candy cane pieces dance.
There are so many possibilities for holiday bonus science!
Get Your Free Lab Sheet
Incorporating candy canes into your holiday science lessons is a delightful way to combine fun and education, sparking curiosity while celebrating the season. From exploring density and chemical reactions to observing the effects of temperature on dissolving candy canes, these experiments provide hands-on learning opportunities that engage students of all ages.
To make your science exploration even easier, download and print our free Candy Cane Science Lab Sheet from The Mystery of Science. It’s the perfect tool to guide your experiments and document your discoveries, adding a touch of festive cheer to your science notebook!
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