Grow a candy apple M&M science {fall STEAM activity for kids}

Looking for an apple-related science activity that will mesmerize kids and grownups alike? Try growing a candy apple!

This isn’t the kind of candy apple you may have eaten before. Instead, this candy apple is “grown” using M&Ms and a bit of dissolving science. And it makes for a great fall STEAM activity for kids.

I absolutely adore these M&M experiments so much that I like to pull them out as a bit of a party trick when other kids come over to play.

I hope you and your children will enjoy this activity as much as we do!

Note: For more apple activities, see my Apple Unit Study page.

To grow a candy apple, you will need the following materials:

• A plate
• Red or green M&Ms, depending on your preferred apple color
• A couple of brown M&Ms for the stem
• Water

Begin by making a circle of red or green M&Ms in the middle of your plate. Add a small “stem” at the top using two brown M&Ms.

Slowly pour water in the middle of the apple until water is touching all of the M&Ms.

To see what happens next, check out this short video:

Amazing, right?

What’s the science behind growing a candy apple?

The hard shell of the M&Ms is made with water soluble colors. When the water touches the M&Ms, the colors begin to dissolve off of the M&Ms and run into the water, turning the candy apple a bright red or green color, depending on the M&Ms you are using.

And if you enjoy growing a candy apple, you might also enjoy these other M&M activities:

• M&M science rainbow
• Grow a candy heart for Valentine’s Day

More apple resources

More apple posts from Gift of Curiosity:

• Apple Unit Study
• Apple Printables Pack
• Apple Do-a-Dot Printables
• Apple taste testing
• Apple rotting experiment
• Dissecting an apple
• Apple sensory bin
• Apple Montessori activities

For more kid-friendly apple activities and apple printables, see my Apple Unit Study page and my Apples Pinterest board.