I have decided that since Gage LOVES science and I was able to get K in on the action this time, I am going to make Friday's all about science!
I have really been slacking on the activities this week. It has been quite hectic what with Momma going on early maternity leave and all. I have been trying to accommodate her and keep the boys as low maintenance as possible. Now that this first week is out of the way though, I can get back into our normal routine of activities. Whew!
So since I was slacking I decided that today had to be full of fun for them! Last weekend I purchased some corn meal because I have seen it used as a sensory bin material. We had yet to use it so I pulled it out and filled a bin. I wasn't sure of what theme to give this one so instead I pulled out sea shells and pipe cleaners and let the boys decide. At first they went to town with the shells but that was quite short lived.
I pulled out the pipe cleaners and started to make trees for them to "plant". Gage was thrilled by this and then requested that I make a pool and a door and the sun and Grandma. Well I was of course unable to build Grandma from our pipe cleaners but he was happy with the rest of it!
K was not as enthused by my trees or other objects so I showed them how to bend and manipulate the pipe cleaners and stick them into the "sand". That is when K really got into things!
After quite a long nap for K and a lot of alone playtime for Gage, which is usually how he prefers it, I decided we would do some things that were out of our norm. Our first little "project" was milk, food coloring and dish soap. This was of course more of a visual experiment than anything else.
The drops spread as you would expect them to once they were put in the milk.
But after adding the dish soap to the middle of them all the colors scattered! This effect excited Gage!
He watched as the colors danced around in the milk.
And of course he then decided it was time to play in it! Go figure right?
After mixing all the colors up I handed him a straw dropped some other, brighter colors into the mix and told him to blow bubbles in the color. He looked up at me with the biggest grin after doing this!
Our next little experiment was supposed to be one where the boys would dip the dinosaurs and other figurines in vinegar and have them "walk" through baking soda but it was not working at all. So instead I pulled out the medicine dropper and nose cleaner and showed them how to fill them and empty them.
They both got a kick out of the fizzing colors. I even put some colored vinegar in a spray bottle and let them both have a try with it.
Once the baking soda was looking almost a tint of brown, I showed the boys what would happen if we reversed the process and put baking soda in the cups of vinegar. They both enjoyed this so much more than the other way!
I set them each up with two cups of colored vinegar and then told them it was fine to add the baking soda in. I was pretty surprised by how quickly K grasped the whole process. He then had as much fun as Gage with all of it!
Not wanting to let all that baking soda go to waste I gave the boys a grand finale of sorts. I poured a good amount of vinegar into the bin and they both watched as it because one big fizzy pool.
I added the cups of green and blue vinegar to give it a turquoise tint and gave them both spoons to play around in it with.
While Gage was busy taking the baking soda out of the tray and adding it to his cup, K was taking the vinegar from his cup and adding it to the tray. I was pleased to see that they each chose different methods of doing this and neither of them required my guidance to do so either.
I have to say that our Science Friday was a huge success and an even bigger hit with the boys! I can not wait for next weeks projects. Over the weekend I plan on trying the egg experiments, you know making a rubber egg and a see through egg. Gage won't entirely grasp the concept of course but its not something I have ever done so we will just say that they are for me.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and as always look for us and our inspiration in the following places!
Until next week!
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