Un-amazing Snowman
December 12, 2010 8:22 PM Subscribe
What is the "magical water" in the Amazing Snowman?
My 11-year-old son received from his big sister a pre-Christmas present of an Amazing Snowman. It is basically a paper snowman with a container of clear solution that is supposed to make the snowman grow. Unfortunately he spilled most of the solution, leaving our snowman less than amazing.
The instructions say not to let the magical water contact your eyes, and the package has a warning label "contains monobasic potassium sulfate."
Is there something around the house I can substitute for the missing solution?
My 11-year-old son received from his big sister a pre-Christmas present of an Amazing Snowman. It is basically a paper snowman with a container of clear solution that is supposed to make the snowman grow. Unfortunately he spilled most of the solution, leaving our snowman less than amazing.
The instructions say not to let the magical water contact your eyes, and the package has a warning label "contains monobasic potassium sulfate."
Is there something around the house I can substitute for the missing solution?
Gar! I previewed, but I didn't proofread.
Should be "crystal growing for kids" or just "grow crystals for kids".
posted by achmorrison at 8:45 PM on December 12, 2010
Should be "crystal growing for kids" or just "grow crystals for kids".
posted by achmorrison at 8:45 PM on December 12, 2010
Well, it's a salt. Otherwise known as "monopotassium phosphate." The snowman grows salt crystals. It's known as a hydroculture salt.
It is one of the ingredients in Gatorade. Maybe that'd work? It also has some medical uses. Maybe a lab can hook you up?
Here's the EPA's factsheet on it:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/ingredients/factsheets/factsheet_076413.htm
posted by juniperesque at 8:49 PM on December 12, 2010
It is one of the ingredients in Gatorade. Maybe that'd work? It also has some medical uses. Maybe a lab can hook you up?
Here's the EPA's factsheet on it:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/ingredients/factsheets/factsheet_076413.htm
posted by juniperesque at 8:49 PM on December 12, 2010
I did a little poking around - you can get it on Amazon! Unfortunately, you probably don't want to buy 50 lbs of the stuff, but this suggests that the garden section of your local hardware store might be able to set you up.
If you and your son feel experimental, try alum.
And while looking, I found the most "and I would take medical advice from you because?" advice on the whole internet:
Q: Is it safe for my child to take this medicine?
A: Not if your child has an allergy to potassium phosphate
I'm pretty much willing to bet that your child, for values of you equal to life on earth, is not allergic to potassium phosphate.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:07 PM on December 12, 2010 [3 favorites]
If you and your son feel experimental, try alum.
And while looking, I found the most "and I would take medical advice from you because?" advice on the whole internet:
Q: Is it safe for my child to take this medicine?
A: Not if your child has an allergy to potassium phosphate
I'm pretty much willing to bet that your child, for values of you equal to life on earth, is not allergic to potassium phosphate.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 9:07 PM on December 12, 2010 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I'm guessing no on the household substitute. For a thing like this to work you've got to have both the composition and the concentrations right. Buy a new one for three dollars, then you can fool around with the bollixed one all you like while you wait for it to arrive.
posted by nanojath at 9:30 PM on December 12, 2010
posted by nanojath at 9:30 PM on December 12, 2010
I think most home crystal growing solutions should work, unless the snowman needs a specific concentration. I have used borax and washing soda for similar stuff, and both are pretty easily available.
General formula is get a bunch of your compound, and dissolve it in hottish water (hot tap is fine, just not boiling). Keep adding slowly until no more will dissolve and then add food coloring if you want color. Then put your wick (we used pipe cleaners or a string, you have a snowman) into the solution and leave a few days.
posted by scodger at 9:48 PM on December 12, 2010
General formula is get a bunch of your compound, and dissolve it in hottish water (hot tap is fine, just not boiling). Keep adding slowly until no more will dissolve and then add food coloring if you want color. Then put your wick (we used pipe cleaners or a string, you have a snowman) into the solution and leave a few days.
posted by scodger at 9:48 PM on December 12, 2010
It's probably something simple like a borax crystal solution. (Or if it's not that, the borax crystals will approximate what you're trying to go for.) The ingredients are all cheap and easy to find; you'll probably be able to get exact directions with a little bit of googling.
posted by phunniemee at 10:15 PM on December 12, 2010
posted by phunniemee at 10:15 PM on December 12, 2010
You might also like this Wikipedia link on chemical gardens. They used to sell kits to do this when I was a kid; they probably still do.
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:38 AM on December 13, 2010
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:38 AM on December 13, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Google "crystal crowing for kids" (no quotes needed) or check out these examples.
posted by achmorrison at 8:43 PM on December 12, 2010