Jello Aquarium

Create your own ocean blue sea, with swedish fish, and colorful coral reefs! Designed for preschool and school-aged children, you are able to enhance your fine motor skills from mixing, stirring, and placing.

Your child also has the opportunity to discover different colors, shapes, and textures. You only need a few materials to help you gain confidence and comfort in the kitchen, while enjoying activity time with your child.

While this treat is fun to look at, it’s a perfect, tasty treat to eat while watching a movie!

Supplies

• 1 Mason Jar (any size of your choice)

• 3 oz Box of Blue Jello

• ½ Cup of Nerds Candy

• 4 Swedish Fish Candies

Optional: You can always buy more little gummies that are found in the ocean to add to your aquarium! Such as...gummy sharks, starfishes, dolphins, worms, ect.

Activity Steps

Step 1. First, wash your hands and gather all of your supplies/ingredients.

Step 2. Pour Jello powder in a medium bowl.

Step 3. Boil 3/4 cup water until it starts bubbling. This should take about 2-4 minutes. Set a timer and begin to watch how to water changes!

TIP: The water will be extra hot, so make sure not to touch it and use an adult for some guidance!

Step 4. Then, pour the hot water over the Jello. Use the hand-over-hand technique with a parent if needed. This is when an adult places their hands on the hands of the child and helps move the child's hands through the activity.

Stir for about 2 minutes, until completely dissolved. Use a circular motion with your hand when stirring. Stir by the circular shape of the bowl and you will see how the ingredients all mix and flow in a circular motion.

Step 5. Then, add 3/4 cup cold water. Place in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. You will be able to know when the jell-o is done when you touch it and the Jell-O bounces back. This will mean that the Jell-O is firm and is no longer a liquid.

Step 6. Measure about ¼ cup of nerds and pour them into the bottom of your mason jar. This will be the first ingredient in your jar, and you should still have over half of the room for your Jell-O. The nerds are the coral reef in the ocean! You may think that coral reefs are made up of tiny rocks, but they are actually live organisms. These organisms are tiny little animals called polyps. The polyps live on the outside of the reef.

As the polyps die, they become hard and new polyps grow on top of them causing the reef to grow! Coral reefs have many shapes and colors.

Step 7. After dividing the Nerds, carefully scoop the Jell-O on top of the nerds, to the top of the mason jar. The Jell-O is your ocean blue water.

Step 8. Cut two to four pockets/holes in the Jell-O to insert your Swedish Fish in there. (and other gummies if you decide!)

TIP: Use parental guidance when running the knife along the inside edges to help be safe!

Step 9. Lastly, serve and enjoy!!