I came across this project one afternoon when I was trying to come up with an activity to do that included items I already had on hand. This was a simple concoction of only 3 ingredients. However, with gelatin being one of those ingredients it lent itself to a science experiment at the same time. To make these simple air fresheners all you need is: 2 packets of unflavored gelatin, warm water, essential oils, and a container to put it in. It couldn’t be simpler. It is a lot of fun to make and smells really good!
The first step to do is dissolve two packets of gelatin into 1/2 cup of hot water. Next add 15-20 drops of fragrance to the mixture. We used essential oils, but you could use perfume or natural fragrance as well. Then mix it all together and pour it into your container. Let it sit for 24 hours to set up. That is really all it is!!! Seriously!!
I think these will be great for the kids to make as gifts this year for Birthdays and Christmas presents for Grandmas and Aunties. We went to the Dollar Tree and found this cute little bee container. Imagine all of the cute containers you could use for this. We also used a little flowerpot with a rabbit on it that we had. The plant had died long ago, but the pot was just too cute to part with. This gave it the perfect new life. We plan to experiment with other scents and see which ones last the longest and are the most fragrant. Like most of our projects I am just as excited about these as the kids are.
Let’s look at the science in all of this. You may as well be teaching about the process while you are at it. I can’t resist an opportunity to insert a lesson whenever I can without them knowing it. The main component in this air freshener is gelatin. Gelatin is a flavorless, colorless substance that absorbs 5-10 times its weight in water. Think of it as teeny tiny water beads. As the powder absorbs the water it expands. You need hot water to melt these expanded particles, so they are dissolved into a liquid. The powder sucks up the liquid and expands. It then melts into a thick liquid. As the liquid cools it becomes a gel or a solid again. The particles have expanded from absorbing the water and the heat causes them to move very quickly. As the mixture cools down the particles slow back down and begin to shift back to a solid form, but instead of reverting to a powder again, it is left as a gel. It cannot return to a powder because the particles have absorbed so much water it has changed into a new form. The two have become one substance now and cannot be separated. This is great for the kids to see the transformation from a solid to a liquid and back to a solid again. If you want to dive deeper into the chemical makeup of gelatin, go right ahead! You can make this lesson as in depth as you want. That is the beauty of taking everyday projects a step further. Anytime you can teach something in a hands-on way, the information will stick so much more. I am a very visual learner, and I know my kids benefit from it too.
I hope that you enjoy making these simple air fresheners. I know your children will. I’d love to hear what lessons you incorporate into this project!
-Nicole