In the story of Hansel and Gretel, the children leave stones and then breadcrumbs to find their way home, but the breadcrumbs get eaten, and the children end up in a witch’s house.
The idea of this science activity is to find a new way for Hansel and Gretel to leave a message or draw a map so they can find their way back home.
These Hansel and Gretel activity ideas are fantastic for younger children at home or school.
Secret Messages with Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is great for writing secret messages. Squeeze the juice from a lemon or lime and use a small paintbrush to write a message on paper. Pop the paper in a warm oven for a few minutes to reveal the writing.
If you don’t have lemon juice, lime juice or milk also works well!
Why does lemon juice turn brown
Lemon and lime juice react with oxygen ( they oxidise ), which makes them turn brown when heated!
Instead of a message, lemon juice can also be used to draw a secret map!
Crayon Resist Messages
To write a crayon-resist message, you’ll need a white crayon and watercolour paints or wax crayons.
Draw a map or write a message using the white crayon ( you’ll need to press down hard ). To reveal the message, paint or crayon lightly over the top.
I need to create a better image for this one, but you get the idea.
More Hansel and Gretel Science Activities
Build a house made from sweets or a house made of gingerbread for the witch. One way to turn this into an investigation is to experiment with different types of sticky things to hold the pieces of the house together. Icing sugar, glucose syrup or even jam are good to try!
Last Updated on March 18, 2025 by Emma Vanstone
