Salt-Absorbing Fireworks!

Several months ago, I saw this idea for absorbing artwork from Family Fun using salt and colored water. I thought it would be fun to use black paper to make some festive 4th of July fireworks. So that’s exactly what we did today!

Here’s what you’ll need:  a black piece of construction paper, Elmer’s glue, salt, food coloring, a medicine dropper (or similar dropper), and water.

1. Using liquid glue, make a firework-looking design. Try to make each individual firework without stopping the glue flow.
2. Douse with salt.
3. Tap away the excess.
4. Mix water with food coloring in individual bowls. Just like with the face-paint, once you think it is dark enough…add another drop or two as it will lighten on the salt.
5. Let your little one use the dropper to put the colored water onto the salt fireworks. The salt will absorb the colored water and spread.
Beautiful, festive, and tons o’ fun to make!!!  I only wish we had red food coloring instead of pink!

14 Comments

  1. It's great that the salt absorbs the colour – I would have thought it would disolve. I like this!

  2. Is it better to let the glue w/salt fully dry before using the food coloring "paint"? I had a hard time keeping my daughter from making puddles of glue on the paper.

  3. Very interesting, low cost and beautiful fire works. My kids will love this project. It is also educational, it’s science and art together.

  4. Tested this to do with the 2 kids I watch ages 2 and 4, but even when I did it the water went everywhere on the paper. The salt absorbed very little and with them, they’ll make puddles of water and a mess. Was a cool idea though, just didn’t work for me.

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