Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Crystal Growing Projects

When our kids were younger, we liked to get the crystal growing projects.  You can get a tree, a sheep, a variety of different parrots, the selection is endless.  I don't like to throw anything away, in case it can be reused later, so I will recycle just about anything.

I found on the internet, "Make Your Own Salt Crystal Tree:  Professor Figgy's Step-By-Step Guide" (found on Pinterest and Grandparents.com).  I read through it, thinking that I would have to make new projects.  The recycler in me kept nagging in my head about the previously used projects.  Since I really wanted to see if they could be used again, I got out the used ones.  What do you know, it worked!!  You actually can reuse them.

Whether you're starting with a make your own version, or reusing some you have, here's the deal:

What's Happening?

The main scientific principle that is at work here is capillarity or capillary action. This is the same process (involving microscopic tubes) that allows plants and trees to draw water and nutrients up from the soil, through their stems, branches, and trunks and into their leaves, flowers, and fruit.

Gather the Materials

*Thin cardboard (like the back of a notepad)

*Pen or pencil

*Scissors

*Ammonia

*Table salt (plain or iodized – either works)

*Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing (available in the laundry aisle at your local grocery store or online on amazon.com)

*Food coloring

*Measuring spoon (1 tablespoon)

*Small dish or bowl)

*Water 
 Courtesy of Professor Figgy

Trace the Shapes

Use a pen or a pencil to draw two tree shapes on the cardboard. Each shape should be about 4 inches tall and 2 inches wide. Also, be sure to draw a notch half way down from the top on one shape and half way up on the other (as shown).

Since cardboard contains cellulose from trees (like all paper products), it draws up the growing solution in very much the same way. The tree sucks up the solution until it is completely soaked! 
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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Fun with Flubber


Today, for our babysitting experiment,we made Flubber.  Now, I wondered about making this.  Was it going to be like it was in The Absent Minded Professor, played by Fred McMurray?  (This is one good old movie that should never be redone.  No one could ever replace Fred in this role.) 

However, back to Flubber.  I envisioned it bouncing off the walls, being able to bounce really high after applying it to the bottoms of my shoes, etc...  My little buddy anxiously went down for her nap so we could get to this right after snack time.  We got two containers, 3 bottles of Elmers glue, food coloring (we chose neon blue), a measuring cup, and borax.  You make up two mixtures, then mix them together.

Mixture one consists of 1 1/2 cups warm water, 2 cups Elmer's Glue, and food coloring.  














Mixture two consists of 3 tsp. Borax and 1 cup warm water.  
 

Stir up each mixture in separate bowls, making sure each one is mixed well.  Then, pour mixture 1 into mixture 2, and watch them react to each other.  



It is the chemical reaction that makes the Flubber.  When it is a glob, work it for 2-3 minutes.  Initially it feels wet, but it eventually dries up to the final product.  


It has a very interesting texture, and is great fun for the adults as well as the kids.  And don't forget to let the kids help, as that's even more fun for them!
 *Flubber recipe from Pinterest

www.kidscreateabooks.com

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Fairy Tales






Does your child love fairy tales?  Well then, get them their own collection of pop-up sticker books about their favorite tale!  They can even be included in the story!  We have Cinderella, Peter Pan, Puss in Boots, Red Riding Hood, Snow White and The Three Bears.  To place an order, head to www.kidscreateabooks.com.

Read to the Dogs

This quote comes from Parents Magazine:
"Fun fact: Kids who read aloud to the family dog can improve reading skills by 12% in 10 weeks!"
More ways to boost your child's reading skills -- and make books fun!
http://bit.ly/X6IFme
When our kids were younger,  we used to go to "Read to the Dogs" at the Urbana Free Library.  It started out at a local dog club, then the club members brought their dogs to the library.  The kids had a blast, the dogs enjoyed the attention, and it was a great learning experience for the kids.  They were working on their reading skills, while getting to play with the dogs. 
Have your child read to your dog, or check out your local library to see if they offer such a program there.  It'll be fun for everyone involved!

www.kidscreateabooks.com
 

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Experimenting With Science: Exploring Gas

After the kids started going to school, I got back into babysitting.  I have become obsessed with Pinterest-once I log on, unless the house is on fire, I have a lot of trouble getting off.  I have come across a plethora of kids' ideas there, and found some really neat experiments, crafts, etc,etc....  One website I stumbled on was www.momto2poshlildivas.blogspot.com.  This particular website had a post called, "Exploring Gas w/Balloons, Baking Soda and Vinegar.

What You Need:
baking soda
vinegar
plastic bottle
balloon
funnel

What To Do:
1. Using your funnel, pour vinegar into your bottle.
You only need to fill about 1/3 of the bottle.

2. Using another (dry) funnel, pour baking soda into your balloon.
Fill the balloon approx. 1/2 way.

3. Cover the top of the bottle with your balloon.
Make sure you don't let the baking soda spill into the bottle prematurely.

                         4. When ready, lift your balloon and let the baking soda fall into the vinegar.

5. Watch as the mixture fizzes, bubbles & expands your balloon!

                                Repeat! Believe me, your kids will want to do this more than once.

It was lots of fun to watch the ingredients combine
and form a reaction that was so visual - blowing up the balloon.

The science behind it - Baking soda and the vinegar create an ACID-BASE reaction. When combined/mixed they create a gas - carbon dioxide. Gasses need room to spread, so the carbon dioxide fills the bottle and then moves into the balloon inflating it.

Now, go ahead and try it.  You know you want to!  

www.kidscreateabooks.com

A Little More About Me and Create-A-Book...

I quit my full-time job when my husband and I decided to start our family.  I became a Licensed Home Daycare Provider, and continued to do that until just before our third child was born.  At that time, we decided we had our own daycare, so I started looking for another at-home job that I could do while spending more time with our chilren. 

I came across Create-A-Book personalized children's books, which seemed to me to be a natural fit.  I have always been an avid reader, and really believe that encouraging a child to read is one of the most important things you can do for them.  If a child can't read, they're not going to get very far in life.

Create-a-Book books make your child the star of the story.  They include your child, up to three of his/her friends, and their hometown.  What child would not want to read a book about him/herself?  And, these books are lifetime keepsakes.  They don't show up as garage sale fodder.

Why not start your child out right with his/her own library of personalizeed books?  When they grow up, they can show them to their children, and tell them, this is where I lived, and these were my friends!

www.kidscreateabooks.com