kids zone
sunday morning i woke up with painfully sore legs. strange, considering i haven't worked out in over ten months.. unless, of course, you count my daily crazy run pushing charlie and ruthie in the stroller down eight blocks to get to eve's school in time for pick up.. (which, i'll admit, i kind of do count). after a few foggy minutes of stretching and trying to remember if i had any violent dreams, it came to me: the giant bubble.
..
from 12-3pm on saturday eve's school held a fundraiser for a future science lab. in addition to the main event, i partnered with another mom and organized the "kids zone." in honor of the end goal, we put on a little exploratory science-y fair for the kids. it was so messy, and a little crazy but hilarious and so much fun.
snail discovery. a ton of snails, hasta leaves, magnifying glasses and spray bottles (snails come out of their shells and move around a lot when sprayed with water, which actually makes them fun). the kids were fascinated. at three different points a group of kids ran up to me and, with arms about one inch from my eyeball, showed me the snails sliming their way up their arms. eve was not very interested. but ruthie, although she won't admit it, must have liked them; i have it on good authority that she gave one snail a good lick while holding it.. (no salmonella poisoning yet)..
smell identification. jam jars, painted on the inside (to hide contents), small holes punched in the lid, and filled with common foods for the kids to smell and try to identify. banana, orange, lemon, garlic, peanut butter and chocolate sauce. garlic was definitely tricky (although a lot of kids were pretty close- with guesses of "pepper" or "some kind of onion") but the chocolate syrup was particularly challenging. "oh, i know this! what is it? what is it??" eve: "i can't believe i didn't know that because i love it sooo much."
the messy table.
mounds and mounds of homemade playdough for the kids to sculpt and mix to their hearts content.
big tub of GAK (glue, borax and water). at one point i heard "chicken fat! we need more chicken fat!" as the kids broke it apart and moved it all around. placing it on the edge of the table and leaving it alone, they would watch it slowly, slowly ooze and stretch to the ground without breaking, then scoop it up and start again. fake sneezes and hours of laughter were also involved.
big tub of oobleck (2 parts cornstarch to 1 part water). playing with this mixture is one of six clear memories from my own pre-school experience. i loved it then and still do. roll it, squeeze it, hit it hard, try to move your hand quickly through it and it acts like a solid, but release the pressure or slowly let your hand sit and it acts like a liquid. "quicksand!" "ahh! my hand is stuck! really!" regardless of the smocks and rinsing bucket we provided, every kid was covered in white. admittedly, so was i.
the giant bubble. surrounding each child bubble after bubble was so entertaining that i didn't notice the 5000 squats i was doing. until the next morning. the bubble solution was amazing and got better and better by the minute. joy liquid soap, corn syrup and water. hula hoop wrapped in cotton string to soak up more solution and trough made out of a dryer vent. stiff little kids watching the bubble surround them through squinted eyes, preparing for the burst.
geysers. every 20 minutes i set off the diet coke/mentos geysers. the kids would count down, we'd guess how high it would go with three mentos, with five, with ten. then, pipe in hand to help get the mentos in all at once and to get it going higher, i set it off. the kids would scream, i would laugh as i watched their faces and tried to avoid the spray. i never did, and a few times i got soaked (it's what i get for looking down or at the kids instead of the geyser). luckily, diet coke is barely stickier than water.
after the fair i came home to try to clean up the three days of playdough, GAK and oobleck making.. i'm still finding bits and pieces throughout the apartment.. but mess, sore legs, diet coke hair and all, i am already making plans for next year. i am not satisfied with a tub of oobleck, i have visions of an entire kiddie pool of it, so kids can run across (or sink). i see secret messages, rainbow prisms, making silly putty with the kids, more geysers, more bubbles.. what else could we do? .. it could be seriously incredible. in fact, i may not be able to wait until next may/june. our own science party might be coming again soon.. i'm dying to try running across that pool of cornstarch and water..
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 at 01:31PM
Reader Comments (72)
Wow, that sounds like a total blast! Awesome pictures, too! :-)
You have inspired me for our fall festival. I have done each of these things with my students, but to have a "zone" that is awesome!
oh my goodness Katie. That looks like so much fun!! Please tell me - did you come up with these ideas yourself? Is there somehow I can study to become a more creative and fun mom like you? I am very serious about this. Really, it all looks so fabulous, those kids (and parents) are certain to have created wonderful memories. Tell us if you host your own science party because we'll be in the car on our way to NY in a minute!
okay. so -- this. is. AWESOME.
I'm quitting my (maternity leave) job and becoming a traveling science zone facilitator extraordinaire using these incredible ideas.
LOVE love LOVE it!!!
Oh my gosh. You are my favorite blogger ever! I'm so doing this!
That looks like it was such a blast! The photographs of your family are so sweet.
that looks like so much fun!
Wow! What a fun day, all of this looks so cool!
You are so inspiring! I want to mix up some gook for myself to play with (and I don't even have kids).
This looks like so much fun! I have fond memories of giant bubbles and other experiments at the Boston Children's museum when I was little. You are a great mom for organizing this, and these kids will remember this for a long time!
I'm definitely going to hang on to the gak recipe for my future kids.
i did a project in, maybe 5th grade? using oobleck. we had to design a "spaceship" that could land on a planet made of the stuff and take off again. we were given, flat washers, a styrofoam take-out box, straws, and some other stuff. it was pretty fun. a great way to work such a fun substance into a more concrete lesson.
you're a rock star!
One of the comments above mentioned Steve Spangler. His kids are in my daughter Leah's class. He always comes in and does amazing science stuff with the kids. Having said that, I don't think he could have done any better than you did. Amazing! I love the colors for the play dough. You are so inspiring. That school is lucky to have such a dedicated parent.
so. freakin. awesome. !!!
Oh, aMAZing! I am suddenly having visions of a science birthday party. What a great time you guys must have had.
I teach elementary school and I wish I had a room mom like you! Next year you could test acids and bases with a cabbage juice litmus, play with magnets and iron filings, make circuits with batteries and light bulbs, build towers-bridges-geodesic domes! How fun!
thanks everyone. next year is going to be incredible!
haydee-
the hula hoop is wrapped with cotton string. just be sure it's cotton (as opposed to nylon, etc.) and you'll be in good shape.
for the bubble solution- click on the link in the post and you'll be taken to the recipe. just remember to make it 24 hours in advance- leaving it uncovered (ideally outside, weather permitting)- or it won't have time to get strong enough to hold the big bubbles.
the gak recipe. it is not equal parts.. if you do a search for it online and find a recipe involving white glue, water and borax then that's it! actually, here! my oldest sister, jeanie, has it on her blog: http://ninijeanie.wordpress.com/2009/03/28/flubber-goo/
(thank you, jeanie! and to my other sister sarah who answered an insane amount of questions about her giant bubble-making experience!)
lol That is so cute! I love the diet Coke and Mentos pictures you look like your having a blast!
Absolutely fantastic projects!!!
This was so much fun to see and read! You have inspired me! My favorite was the picture of the super colored play dough, what a dream!
you are an amazing, inspiring mother. what a great experience to give the kids. you rock.
uhm..... can i be you please?
thank you.
Hey Katie,
I'm a good friend of Sarah & Roxy (that's how I know about your blog). I absolutely LOVE that you did this! I do science parties for kids and I KNOW this all took a ton of planning and preparation! Seriously, you are amazing!!!!!! At one party we did kiddie pools full of oobleck and had the kids run on it. It was awesome! So I highly recommend doing that one soon! The party was held in a swanky Soho hotel lounge which made it all seem surreal.
And, wow, look at those sexy legs!
I saw your pictures on Patrias blog and had to write and say hi. You look so good. I really am amazed at all the things you are able to do and create. Do you have a clothing line, or sell your stuff some where? I will have to tell my sister about your website so if anything she can come learn some ideas. Your kiddles are adorable and it really looks like you are having so much fun being a momma!
Your blog is a source of joy! And this might be the best post yet. What a fabulous day.