STEAM Saturday – Wood Bending Bracelets! (4/30/2022)

Welcome back to another edition of STEAM Saturday!  Today, we are combining art and science by making Wood Bending Bracelets!

These bracelets are easy to make, fun to decorate, and your child will learn about the science that allows the wood to bend. All you need is:

  • Water
  • Craft Sticks
  • A round glass (preferably the size of your child’s wrist)
  • Modge podge/Washi tape/Other decorating supplies

Your first step is to boil water.  Throw the craft sticks in the water and let them boil for five minutes.  Turn off the heat and let them sit in the water for another 30 minutes.  Take the sticks out and mold them inside the glass, then let them sit for 24 hours.  Once the bracelets are dry, take them out of the glasses and decorate them!

So what’s the science that allows the wood to bend?  Figmentcreativelabs.com explains it this way:

Wood cells are held together by a natural material in the wood called lignin.  To bend, the wood must be plasticized.  Heating the wood with steam or boiling water weakens the lignin bonds in the wood.  Weakening the bonds allows the fibers to bend.

To see the full project, click HERE.

Get as creative as you’d like, and as always, have lots of fun learning together!

We’ll see you right back here next Saturday for another STEAM Saturday activity!  Scroll through the rest of our website to learn how Critchlow Adkins is Building Brighter Futures for the children and families we serve!

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