Fizzy Paint

It has been a Fizzy Week at school.  My previous post was on how we have been exploring different reactions using vinegar and baking soda.  Of course the children cannot get enough of these experiments. 

So, I found a recipe that I adapted to make baking soda paint, and was curious what would happen if the children made paintings that they later would fizz.

 

 

I mixed up a bunch of paint and the children painted as they usually do. 

These paints actually had some really nice colors.

I did not measure out for these paints, but what I did was put 3-4 teaspoons of baking soda into the container, I squirted a little shaving cream, and added the food coloring.  If the paint was too thick, I then added a tiny bit of water.  You want the paint to be on the pastier side, but also fluid enough to paint with.

After the children were done, we put their paintings on a tray and they squirted vinegar onto them.

As they did a couple squirts,, I told them to pause and watch the reaction taking place on their paintings.  If they don't pause it will be over and done with in seconds, you know how they love to use spray bottles.

 

 

It was neat to see these painting fizz and bubble.  They dried nicely as well, but were rather pasty and a little flaky, so they were definitely more for the experience then for the keeping.

Color Mixing Lab II

An Invitation to Explore How Color, Water, Vinegar, Snow, and Baking Soda React in Our "Color Mixing Lab."



For the last two weeks we have been experimenting a lot in our lab.

I have a set of test tubes I purchased from Amazon, and in a previous post we named it

"Color Mixing Lab."

So far most of our explorations have been using different colored waters in test tubes to make new colors, or potions.

When we came back to school after break, we had snow, so I filled their test tubes with snow.

First we did our color mixing the way we usually do, and then I asked them to observe what happens when they add their colors to the snow.

What they were discovering was that while the colors in the water mix right away, they take time mixing when in the snow, and they were able to make "rainbow tubes."

They then had a ball coloring the bowl of snow with their left over colored water.

On Another day I set up a new invitation to investigate color mixing.

This time they had a tray with tubes of baking soda, and in two of the compartments of the tray I put vinegar and in one I put water.  Let the fun begin!

The children first picked the colors they wanted to add to their different liquids, at this point in time they didn't know that they were different types of liquid.

As their tubes started to fizz and bubble, they soon realized something was different.

We have played with baking soda and vinegar a lot, so once they saw the reaction, they knew what it was, but holding it in a test tube was the most fun I think they have had doing this experiment.



They also started to notice that one of the colors they would use would not fizz, this was the tray compartment that had the water, so they started making their own conclusions about water not fizzing in baking soda, just the vinegar.

The magic and wonderment of their fun is clear on their faces!

Continuing through the week, we did more experimenting.  This invitation was to see how both the baking soda and the snow react to their color mixing.

The joy and the sharing are wonderful to see.

 Young scientist at work

Similar conclusions were made, water in baking soda does not fizz, vinegar in snow does not fizz, just the vinegar in the baking soda.

And to add to the fun, they then dumped all their experiments into the bowl of snow to see what happens.  I am excited to see what next will happen next week!

Responses from the children:

"It's like magic." MN
"Oh it's so pretty...look, look, it is bubbling." EP-B
"We are making adult drinks, mine is fizzy root beer."-JP
"Look, look it is changing colors."-SG
"It's fizzle hot."-MN
"Woo, I made the cap fly off, he, he." -EM
"It's poison ivy drink.
"This is called Red, Pepper, Boo, Boo." -JP

Play Dough Fun with Marbles and Gems

 

 

I saw on Pinterest the idea of working with marbles in clay.  A simple idea that I thought my kids would love.  I also put a container of gems out for them as well to see what they  would do.

I Loved what I started to see in their play.

We had just finished several weeks working with clay, and the children were using the techniques they had developed from working with clay on the play dough.

They began making little marble/play dough sculptures by attaching the pieces together with a little play dough inbetween.  Some reading this may be wondering why I was so excited about this, but as an Early Childhood Educator, it is thrilling watching the children make connections, and build on skills they have developed. The elephant in the picture featured above, was the perfect example of something learned crossing over into knowledge. 

Another sculpture in the works

A snow-woman with a scarf

A penguin friend.

Gem mountain!

I love seeing her reflection in the big marble.

 

The play soon turned into making Dinosaur Land, and T-Rex took over.

Needless to say it was a lot of fun with play dough.

 

I am attaching our wonderful play dough recipe for anyone who may want it.

It lasts for months and is always soft and pliable.  The kids love making it with me.

 

Play Dough

(cooked)

 

4 Cups flour

1 Cup Salt

4 Cups Water

4 Tbsp. Vegetable oil

1/2 Cup Cream of Tartar (get it from a health food store bulk sections, it is cheaper)

food coloring

(we sometimes add essential oil or glitter to our)

 

Mix all ingredients (except food coloring and glitter, ect.)

Cook and stir over low/medium heat until play dough in no longer sticky.  Allow

to cool slightly then knead and add in your coloring and whatever else you may want to add.  Keep in an air tight container or Ziploc bag.

 

 

Snowy Days

We waited, and waited, and waited, and finally, it is here...SNOW!

The play area in the back was a dismal muddy place, and then the snow came to brighten up our world.

Even though getting all those snowsuits on can be a challenge, I love watching the kids romp around in them, or like my little snow angel below, roll around in them.

In another snow storm, we were left with snow perfect for making a snow person.

I had some experts on my hands, they only wanted me to stack the snow balls, I couldn't believe their mighty strength!

Here is our new school friend prior to painting.

We used watered down tempera for painting this day, usually we use food-color water, but we already had this paint in the spray bottles.

It made for a very bright snow friend.

Afterwards they determined that it was not a snowman or woman, it was a colorful snow wizard!

As a kid one of my favorite things was "maple syrup snow cone."

So one day for my lunch crew, we went out and got some CLEAN snow, put it in a cup and

poured a little maple syrup on it.  It soon became all but one of theirs favorites as well.

I am hoping for another big storm soon, I can't wait to try and make an igloo or snow fort, I mean I can't wait for the kids to...I don't know sometimes who get more excited about the prospect of a project:)