How to Grow Your Own Crystals

Learn how to grow beautiful salt crystals at home using simple kitchen ingredients and a little bit of patience. HowTo: Family Edition: family how-tos that actually help.

1. Dissolve the salt. Ask a grown-up to pour the hot water into your glass jar. Slowly add the salt, stirring constantly until it disappears. Keep adding salt until you see a little bit of it sitting at the bottom of the jar that won't dissolve anymore.
2. Prepare your crystal seed. Tie one end of your string to the middle of the pencil. Tape the other end of the string to the pencil so it hangs down, or tie a small pebble to the bottom of the string to act as an anchor.
3. Set the stage. Rest the pencil across the top of the jar so the string hangs down into the salt water. Make sure the string is not touching the sides or the bottom of the jar.
4. Wait and watch. Place your jar in a quiet spot where it won't be bumped. Over the next few days, the water will slowly evaporate, leaving behind tiny, beautiful crystals on your string.