My daughters' preschool offers wonderful science classes once a month. The results of which are often quite interesting. For example, after one class my oldest daughter came home talking about a "wonderful machine" that can make feet bigger. And, "can we get one so I can have REALLY big feet all the time?" It took over a month for me to figure out she was talking about a magnifying glass (I now read the class's take-home summaries for parents much more closely). Further, once at a dinner party she explained gravity to everyone present (and did a much better job then I could ever do). But her favorite lesson of all was about the distinction between liquids and solids, when they made goo. For those who've never played with goo, it's sort of like play dough, but it can be poured like a liquid. Not only is goo fascinating to play with (for both children and adults) it is incredibly easy to make. Thus, goo has quickly become THE rainy day activity in our house, as pictured above (though we don't usually add paper towels into the mix). Warning, it is messy, but clean up is easy with soap and water.
Goo
1. empty some cornstarch into a bowl (about half a box)
2. SLOWLY add water. if you add too much water the goo turns completely into a liquid, which is not what you want. so keep adding a little bit of water at a time and slowly mix with a spoon or your hands until it becomes "gooey" (for lack of a better word)
3. add food coloring to make it more fun. this can also be a good opportunity to teach kids about the color wheel (yellow and blue make green, etc.)
So have fun!! What about everyone else? What's your favorite rainy day activity?
For more on the company that offers preschool science classes, click here - http://thescienceseed.webs.com/
So we tried the goo and it was everywhere! Do you make them keep it in the bowl? Soren had it all over the floor. They had a blast and we had a good time, but they made a huge mess. Does the food coloring stain? We didn't do the food coloring because I was afraid. I loved the texture!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you had fun - it does get everywhere. The food coloring can stain -if you use a normal amount, not really, but if your kids start dumping tons in the bowl, then yes, but only clothes, it won't stain the table or floor (i don't think)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great activity! My girls, who are 3 and 2, made a total mess and loved every minute. They were fascinated by the texture and the colors. We added just a bit of food coloring and it cleaned up without any trouble. I just discovered your blog, after a year at home with my girls (I'm also a lawyer turned stay-at-home mom). Last year was simply about survival, but this year the girls are old enough for crafts and baking. Your blog has been a great source of inspiration. Thanks!
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