Watch dry toothpicks “magically” form a star shape when water is added!
Materials Needed:
- 5 wooden toothpicks (preferably flat or round ones that snap easily)
- Plate or tray (white or light-colored works best)
- Water
- Dropper or straw (or use a spoon)
Instructions:
1. Bend the Toothpicks
- Take each toothpick and gently bend it in the middle until it cracks but doesn’t break completely.
- You should be able to fold it into a shallow “V” shape without separating the two halves.
✅ Do this for all 5 toothpicks.
2. Arrange the Toothpicks
- On a flat plate or tray, place the bent toothpicks with the cracked sides pointing inward so they look like a star that hasn’t opened yet.
- Position them so the points of the “V” shapes nearly touch in the center.
3. Add Water
- Use a dropper, straw, or spoon to gently drop a few drops of water in the center of the toothpicks, where all the points nearly meet.
💧 Only a small amount of water is needed—just enough to touch the center of each toothpick.
4. Watch the Magic!
- In just a few seconds, the toothpicks will slowly move and begin to open up into a star shape!
Science Behind It:
When you bend the toothpicks, you create stress in the fibers of the wood. As the water is absorbed, the wood expands, especially where it was cracked. This causes the toothpicks to straighten slightly, pushing against each other and forming a 5-pointed star.
Learning Extensions:
Would you like a printable step-by-step guide or science worksheet to go with this experiment (with diagrams, questions, and space for predictions)? I can create a PDF for use in classrooms or kids’ activity packs!
