Glow in the Dark Jell-O!!!

Normally on Thursdays we post about a craft or a field trip.  This week though, we’re posting a special detailed post about a lesson in our unit.  This lesson does make a great family activity, so we encourage you to try it with all your kiddos! 

For this activity you will need:

• 2 8 serving boxes of Jell-O, any flavor
• 1 cup of Tonic Water
• 1 1/2 cups of Water
• Cookie Cutters in Halloween Shapes
• A Black Light Bulb

To make the Jell-O

• Bring the Tonic Water and the water to a boil
• Stir in the Jell-O mix and allow it to completely dissolve
• Pour into a 9×13 cake pan and put refrigerate for 3 1/2 hours

• Once you remove from the refrigerator soak the bottom of the cake pan in warm water to loosen the Jell-O
• Turn the Jell-O out onto a cookie sheet
• Use cookie cutters to cut out Jell-O shapes

Once you’ve cut out the shapes, put them on a white plate, if you have one, and turn off all of the lights but the black light.  Step back and look at the show! 

Some Tips:

• We used red Jell-O but I wouldn’t recommend it.  It came out very dark.  If I did it again I would use blue or orange. 
• Black Light bulbs can be found at any store
• Tonic Water is made by Canada Dry and is in the drink aisle at your grocery.  Do not use Diet Tonic Water, like we did.  It dulls the glow. 
• Spray your cake pan with cooking spray before putting the Jell-O in to chill
• Halloween cookie cutters can be bought individually for around a $1.  I found ours at Kroger in the seasonal aisle. 
• Tonic water is carbonated, and if shaken, it will explode when opening…not that it happened to me or anything :) 

Have fun!