Not for the Faint of Heart

Yesterday, in an effort to keep Abby occupied while I chatted with a friend, I decided to let her play with water.  Inside.  On the floor.  I was brave.  Very brave.

Obviously, she loved it.  It is not everyday that we get to play with water inside.  Obviously, or what should have been obvious to me from the start, I did not love it.  I tend to be somewhat easy going when it comes to messes, but I bit off more than I could chew on this one.  It was a lot of water and a lot of dishes and a lot of pouring.  But, there were two happy byproducts of this activity:

• Our play dishes were washed.  I am not sure that has ever happened and we have had them a long time.
• Our floor was washed.  The water soaked through the tablecloth I had laid down...a vinyl tablecloth.  That was a surprise.  Water soaking THROUGH vinyl?  Is that even scientifically possible?  Is not the point of vinyl to keep what is UNDERNEATH the vinyl clean and dry? 

So, if you are brave enough to try this make sure to  

double your vinyl and 

halve the amount of water 

to triple the amount of fun had by all.  

(Now, if that is not a cheesy attempt at humor, I don't know what is.)

Dollar Deals

A while ago I spotted paintable, wooden birdhouses at Joann's for the bargain price of $1.00.  So for a grand total of $2 and some change, I scored two birdhouses that I decided to save, literally, for a rainy day.  I saved the birdhouses and saved them, rainy days came and went, and we just never got around to painting them.  There arrived a day, however, when I had two very cranky kids on my hands.  Though it was sunny outside, we got out the paints and started in on our birdhouses.

 Nothing chases away the crankies like some paint.

These birdhouses were a steal at $1.  What a find!  The kids even handled it fairly well that we would not be housing actual, real birds in their birdhouses.

It was especially fun to watch Eli paint.  For the first time ever, I noticed that he had a specific plan.  Eli painted the entire roof orange before moving on to the rest of the birdhouse.  What fun to watch his mind work in a new way!

The kids were so focused on their painting that I actually did get to drink some of my coffee.

It was also fun to watch Eli invent this little game.  He would dip his birdhouse in the paint and then stamp the tablecloth.  Again, so fun to watch his mind work!

Finished products.

A cheap mantle display.

So, don't forget to check the bargain bins at your favorite craft store for a rainy....or cranky...day activity! 

Fruit Popsicles

Here is an easy summer treat...blend up fruit, freeze it, and eat it.  Easy enough!

We blended up watermelon and bananas in our handy dandy little Magic Bullet.  Then we poured it into empty fruit and pudding containers and put it into the freezer.  Let it freeze a bit to set and then put a popsicle stick in.  We also did a watermelon and raspberry combination.  A tasty summer treat!

Yummy in our tummies.

Don't Forget the Classics

We spent Memorial Day Weekend at my parents' house and had a great time of fishing, boating, and playing.  While we were there, Eli somehow got it into his head that he wanted to build a volcano.  Let me tell you, it's very handy when your kids have a grandpa who spent a career as a science teacher.  Enter....the Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano.  A classic.

Grandpa fashioned a volcano using a pizza box, some cardboard, tape, and a film canister.  Film canister?  People still have those?  Thankfully, Grandpa is not one to throw potentially useful things away.  Grandma provided a large supply of baking soda, vinegar, and even made a special trip for red food coloring for the "laba," as Eli called it.  I tried to convince his it was lava, but he was not going for it.

Grandpa fashioned the cardboard into a cone, with an opening large enough to rest the film canister inside.  You put some baking soda in the film canister, add some vinegar, and put it in the volcano.  Leaving the cap OFF of the canister allows for a slow flow of lava, hence my kids close-up viewing of it. 

Wow.

You can also create more of a lava explosion.  To do this, put baking soda in the film canister, add the vinegar, cap it QUICKLY, and shake it, and place it in the volcano.  If you do this, make sure to have everyone stand at a safe distance.

Ooooo and Ahhhhhh

Have you ever been doing something "for the kids" and then suddenly realized that the adults were having more fun?  I think we got to that place.

 

Another classic not to forget...Diet Coke and Mentos...

Grandpa the Science Teacher drilled a hole in the Mentos and strung them on fishline.  Then, drop it into the DIET pop.  Another one to stand a safe distance from.  Again...not quite sure if this is for the kids or the adults...

What wonderfully scientific questions we are asking.

Finally, two sites, among LOTS, that describe the chemistry of each of these reactions:

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Diet Coke and Mentos

Have fun with these classics!