This project sounded like so much fun when I saw it online that I had to try it. See it here: http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2010/06/driveway-graffiti.html. But I know my kids better than to think that they'd approach it the same way as the kids online. I mean, even those kids found their own adaptations, so I knew I was in for it, but just how quickly they veered off track still surprised me. This project required that you fill a bowl with corn starch, water, and food coloring and then coat a ball in the mixture and throw the ball on the sidewalk/patio to make designs. Sounded like fun. I got 4 balls, two bowls of color, and my two kids dressed in their grubbies and out we went. (Had to cajole Bella to wear them because she had a different outfit in mind and she undressed twice during the course of the project.) They each threw two balls and then they decided they had better ideas.
Pretty soon the colors were being spooned in to my water bottle, shaken, and poured back out; hands were dunked and printed all over the ground, themselves, and each other; and then the shoes came off. They poured out the bowls and sloshed through the color, traipsing it all over the patio. It was actually quite funny to watch. I tried to keep using the balls to help them see that they're fun too, but they were uninterested in my style of play. The lady in the blog had said, "It was a great time and great for all ages (even big kids). My toddler got to learn and experiment with cause and effect. My preschooler learned about the reaction that different levels of forces put on the ball. We talked about the cornstarch dissolving in the water. We talked about the food coloring changing the paint. This activity was a wealth of scientific knowledge." Well, can't say we got to that stuff. I'll call this a great sensory activity and leave it at that.
In 30 minutes the color mixtures were empty and my kids were pink and purple head to toe. 15 minutes of scrubbing yielded little effect. They sure had fun, though. That's the most important part, right? And after an afternoon of playing at the park and a soak in the tub, the color is almost gone.
1 comment:
Don't you love how it never goes as planned! I guess thats what makes it so much fun. And I can tell your kids had a great time.
How are feeling? You are getting close with the third, aren't you? I hope the time goes by quickly for you, the last part is so hard to wait through! I want to see your belly!
Post a Comment