Learn how to make homemade salt crystals and make salt crystal apples! They were super fun to make, and kept my preschooler fully engaged for several days as we watched the crystals grow larger and larger every day. This is a super fun STEM lesson plan that you can use as one of your fall apple STEM activities.

Follow along to learn how to make your own salt crystal apples. This activity is perfect for toddlers, preschoolers, and older kids alike!
How to Make Homemade Salt Crystals that Look Like Apples!
We’ve always tried to give our kids educational activities and STEM activities to try, but my kids quickly got bored with repeating the same experiments over and over.
So this time, in celebration of the fall season, we made our homemade salt crystals look like delicious sparkly apples!
Table of Contents
Apple-Themed Decorations
Here are some fun apple-themed decorations you can use to decorate your classroom or home when playing apple games or just for some fall flair!
Salt Crystal Science for Kids
If you are making salt crystals, you might want to know the science behind it!
Salt crystals form when water evaporates from a supersaturated salt solution.
As water evaporates, it can’t hold on to as much salt. The salt deposits then cling together and form square crystal shapes.
In nature, you’ll see this happen near oceans, in salt caves, and in special saltwater pools like the Dead Sea.
Apple-Themed Teaching Resources
Apples and teaching go hand-in-hand!
Add these fun apple-themed teaching supplies to your classroom (or your house, if you just love apples that much!).




Because a lot of these natural salt formations aren’t made of pure salt, you won’t see the square shape of the crystal as much as with homemade salt crystals.
But when you look closely, you’ll see that salt always makes a square shape, unless it has something extra added like when growing crystals with bluing and ammonia!
And of course, you can also use this crystal activity when you’re looking for fun crystal experiments to try.
You may also want to check out these other STEM activities for fall.
What You Need to Make Homemade Salt Crystal Apples
You’ll need just a few things to make these pretty salt crystal apples!
After you’ve completed your STEM activity, you can use the apples as fall decorations for the classroom.
This post contains affiliate links.
- Pipe cleaners
- Mason jars
- Salt
- Clothespins
- String
- STEM worksheet (grab it below)
Apple Books for Kids
Here are some colorful books children will enjoy reading to learn more about apples!

Let’s Go to the Apple Orchard Book
More Apple Activities for Kids
Get even more fun things to do with for your class with an apple theme!
- How to Use Apples to Boost STEM Thinking in the Classroom
- How to Make Fluffy Apple Slime That Will Bring the Scents of Fall Indoors
- Apple Tree Life Cycle Worksheet
- Apple Math Worksheets
Apple-Themed Shirts and Accessories
If you love to celebrate a theme as much as I do, you’ll love these apple-themed shirts and accessories!
Mini Apple Customizable Teacher Shirt
Barbie Style Apple Teacher Shirt
Customizable Apple Teacher Tumbler

Apple Word Cloud Tote for Teachers
Salt Crystal Apples STEM Lesson Plan
Get the complete salt crystal apples lesson plan below!