If you aren’t familiar with what I am talking about in regards to a plan, it is fairly simple. For the first, second and third placement, students have to write in-depth plans that are taken from observations in the class. I can’t remember what my observation was that led me to believe this was a great activity but in my madness I arrived at a decision on what sensory activity I wanted to do with the kids. My plan had the steps to take, the inferences I gathered and the developmental outcomes that I hoped to see.

Of course, like most well made plans, it didn’t go off perfectly and by the end of the activity I had children painted in a multitude of colors and a big box of brown sludge to clean out. I learned from that, tweaked a few things and found a better way to enjoy gelatin fun without having as much of a fuss over the mess.

*Word of caution: This can still be a messy activity so it isn’t for the faint of heart.*

What you will need:

• A large box of clear gelatin
• A large plastic tub or container
• Food coloring
• Water
• Spray bottles
• (optional: any little animals or items that you want to put in)

Directions:

1. Prepare the whole box of gelatin as it says on the box. This will leave you with a lot of gelatin so make sure you have a big enough container and a big enough space in your fridge. If you are adding animals or anything else, add them while the gelatin is still a liquid.
2. Once it sets, tip the gelatin over into the bin.
3. Fill up the spray bottles with water.
4. Add a few drops of food coloring to the spray bottles.
5. Give to the kids and allow them to explore.

This is a great activity because the gelatin looks wet. Kids expect it to splash up or for their hands to sink into it. When they feel a cool resistance, it gives them an opportunity to problem solve. Ask questions like, “Why do you think it is like that?”

The spray bottles of color also help children learn about mixing colors. They can spray one color onto the gelatin and then another to create a third color. They can also try different ways to get the colors to sink into the gelatin.

Regardless of what they are learning, the texture of the gelatin is a complete treat and one that most children enjoy.

Sirena Van Schaik

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What you need:

• Ice Cubes (you can use simple ice cubes or freeze some with Popsicle sticks in them for holders)
• Paper (construction, card stock or mural)
• Powdered Tempura Paint of various colors (you can get this at any craft or art store and stores like Scholars Choice also offer it)
• Small dishes or shakers (if you use dishes, provide some spoons)

Directions:

1. Place a piece of paper out for the child to paint on.  (If you are using the sidewalk, skip this step.)
2. Place all the dry tempura paint in separate containers and the ice in a bowl by itself.
3. Allow the children to sprinkle dry paint onto their paper.
4. Have them pick up the ice cube and use it as a paint brush

The ice will melt and mix with the Tempura Paint making it turn into a liquid paint.  The children can move it around the paper to create designs or even start with a design and carefully melt the ice on the paint to make it into an actual painting.

Children really enjoy the cause and effect of this art experience and I find that it is a fairly clean activity, unless you are like me and always seem to spill the tempura paint yourself.

Enjoy,

Sirena Van Schaik

*The photo is a picture that my son painted with ice cube painting when he was two and a half.  He said it was a “Halloween Picture.”  Take a few moments and capture the idea behind the painting from your child’s words after they make the picture, it truly is amazing when you look back at it years later.*

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Well, it has finally been decided that my experiment with the Praying Mantis egg sac has failed. We didn’t get any Praying Mantids running around and I think the kids were a little disappointed. I mean, this has been an ongoing project for over 6 months.

Still, even with the failure of the experiment, there are many new things where I can go from here. The egg sac can be handled, pictures can be drawn of it and rubbings can be taken from it. We can discuss reasons why it failed and what are some things that we could have done to prevent the failure.

This is an excellent opportunity for any parent. If an experiment, project or a recipe fails, don’t feel that the learning experience ends. Simply shift it and allow the learning to take a new direction. Sure you aren’t left with the expected result but you may find something even more amazing than you originally imagined.

Not only that, but you also show your children to not give up, even if something doesn’t go right. You teach them that things happen and there is no reason to get overly upset if it doesn’t work but to think “outside the box” and figure out new ways to make it work.

In my case, there really is no way to make it right and after a few more weeks, we are going to be dissecting the egg sac to see what went on inside. Maybe we won’t find anything but we just might. I’ve decided to give it a few weeks, just in case I didn’t give it enough time, I would feel really guilty if I destroyed the egg sac when there was still life to it.

Next time, if there is one, I think I will put the egg sac outside in the garden and let mother nature take care of it. So, it is pretty obvious that we won’t be seeing this (a video of Praying Mantids hatching, actually this is an excellent video and covers the life cycle of a Praying Mantid) but we have a whole new angle of learning to explore.

Sirena Van Schaik

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This is an excellent activity to teach children about cause and effect and also about predicting outcomes.  Before you do the actual activity, ask questions like, “What do you think will happen when we mix baking soda and vinegar?”  You can also mix it up and have different types of powder and liquid and ask for predictions for each.  Use flour and water, vinegar and flour, water and baking soda. 

After that it is just a matter of testing the theories (cause and effect).  All you need is the ingredients you listed in your questions and a cookie sheet for the overspill.

What you will need:

• a cup or water bottle
• vinegar (usually about a cup is enough for the experiment)
• baking soda (usually about one heaping tablespoon but you can add more or less depending on the size of the container)
• food coloring (optional)

What to do:

1. Pour the vinegar into the container.
2. Let your child add the baking soda and watch it bubble up.
3. Talk about what you just saw.

And that is it.  You can have your older child record your results so they start laying the foundation of documenting their research but it isn’t necessary.  

*Alternate: place the baking soda into an empty balloon and fasten the balloon to the top of the water bottle already filled with vinegar.  Be careful when you do this so the baking soda does not fall into the vinegar.  Have your child tip the balloon up so the baking soda falls into the vinegar while you hold the mouth of the balloon to keep it from slipping off the bottle.  The balloon will fill with gas and inflate.*

I hope you enjoy this activity as much as I do.  I will post directions to making your own volcano and a volcano cheat sheet in the next few weeks but until then have fun.  Oh, if your child wants to know what the chemical reaction is, all you need to know is that vinegar and baking soda combined makes the gas, Carbon Dioxide.

Sirena Van Schaik 

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