Salad Spinner Art

This art activity has become a favorite with the boys and me for two very different reasons. 

I like it because despite how it looks it is actually a really quick clean up, mess contained activity, all the paint goes in the spinner. I even did this with a bunch of my sons friends at his third birthday party, average age 2, guess what? Nobody needed a hose down. 

My boys like it because they get to squirt paint and spin wheels REALLY fast! Plus the art comes out awesome.

You will need:

Salad spinner (I bought mine just for art in IKEA for a few $'s you can got it on Amazon for a little more, the paint does wash out each time but you might not want to use your brand new $50 spinner for the job)

Paper

Washable paint

White Tac

Medicine Droppers / Pipets 

Step 1

Cut paper into pieces that will fit inside of spinner. Tac paper down in center.

Add a few drops of color.

Ensure everyone adds equal paint to make things fair, this will lead to boys trying to hold six colors at once.

And a bit more...

Step 2

Spin hard. 

Once all have had a turn, spin again as a team to make it go faster!

Voila

Now Repeat

As you can see we could do this for a long time. Only limited by paint and paper. 

Bouncy Balls

So my lovely kids at the Blue Barn tried making these yesterday, they were a lot of fun, if a little slimy and/or lumpy in some cases. Buba and I had another go this morning with a little more success (less slime more bounce). Either way it makes for a fun experiment.

You will need:

(These quantities make one ball)

1/2 tsp Borax
1 tbl Cornstarch
1tbl Glue (we used Elmer's)
2 tbl Hot water
Food coloring
2 bowls labelled A and B

Step 1

In bowl A dissolve the 1/2 tsp borax into 2 tbl spoons hot water.

Step 2

In bowl B mix together a few drops of food coloring, 1 tbl corn starch and 1 tbl glue. 

Step 3

Add 1/2 tsp of bowl A to bowl B. Let it sit for about 30 seconds to begin to react. Then stir it.

When you stir it will begin to form a solid 'gunk', at this point you will need to get your hands messy, roll it round and round. The more its rolled the less sticky it will become.

Heres a few pictures from the Blue Barn kids, their attempts were far slimier but still fun. We had a lot of corn starch flying around so I think some of the quantities might be a little off. A few had more of a putty to take home.

Step 4

Once you loose the tackiness as you are rolling it, you will see you have formed a rubber bouncy ball. These balls won't bound of the floor to ceiling but they do have some bounce. If however you leave them sat out they will start to flatten out and loose their shape. They are also best stored in a ziplock to prevent the outside getting dried out. 

D and Buba destroyed there bouncy balls quickly after taking them outside and them getting covered in grass and mud - which by the way is not easily cleaned off.

The good news, if they do dry out or get too dirty you can always make another! 

Goggly Eyed Grass Heads

I remember growing a grass head as a child, trimming the hair and giving it hairstyles. I actually think it was one of the first indoor plants I was in charge of, that or a cactus. We decided to try making them ourselves, the kids all wanted to have their own head to style. I must say I think they would all be dead if I hadn't kept up the watering.

You will need:

Nylon stocking

Soil

Grass seed

Googly Eyes

Pipe cleaner

Small pot

Elastic band (We used a rainbow loom band)

Step 1

Take a stocking and trim to about 6 inches in length. 

Open up the stocking and try to widen it into a circle so that you can put a layer of grass seed at the closed end.

 Step 2

Take a cupful of soil and add it on top of the grass seed. You can kind of mold it around inside the stocking to create a longer or rounder face to your grass head.

Tie a knot in the open end of the stocking.

Step 3

Pinch a small amount of the soil about halfway down and twist to form small ball, this is going to be the nose, twist a small rubber band around to hold the hose in place.

Step 4

Glue on googly eyes and a pipe cleaner mouth (Or any other things you have to create a face, maybe button eyes or string for the mouth). Stand your head in the pot and water and wait for grass to grow.

We soaked our heads by submerging them in water the first watering, then leaving them sitting in a small pot of water from then after. The knot in the tights helps to suck up the water from the container. If your glue is water based it might lead to eyes falling off with frequent watering (a hot glue gun is best).

Sit your grass heads on a sunny windowsill and keep watering, within 2 weeks you should have hair to trim and style.

Ours have even had a few trips outside to enjoy the warmer spring weather.

Meet Bubas...his name is lightening!

Jello Play Dough

So my wonderful intentions today were to finish up my grass heads post and share it with you all. The grass has grown and I am almost ready; but for spring, it sprang, and reminded me I needed to get myself out and take care of some of the million jobs that seem to have been added to my to do list. After spending a good few hours outside in the yard with my littlest he was not prepared to watch me type but instead 'had to' do play dough RIGHT NOW...You get the drift. Anyway, I decided if he wanted it that bad he could help make the play dough. So he did.

About a year ago I discovered the wonders of no cook dough and I've been experimenting ever since it's SO easy (it really is), it's so easy my 3 year old can make it and heres how.

You will need:

1 Cup flour

1/4 Cup Salt

2 tbls Cream of Tartar (Found in the spices isle of the supermarket)

2 tbls Oil

1 packet sugar free Jello (Needs to be sugar free)

1 Cup boiling water

Step 1 and only step this takes minutes

Heres my secret to the smoothest, easiest play dough, my blender. Measure and pour out all the ingredients into the blender, finish with the boiling water. If you don't have a blender you can mix it the old way with a bit of elbow grease it will just take longer. D did it all apart from the boiling water which I did. 

He was very happy when he opened the Jello box 'all by myself'.

But the best bit was driving the blender.

And thats it, scrape it out the bowl and play. If you feel its too dry add oil, too wet add a little more salt (I try to keep that on the low side as it dries your hands so much).

I didn't even wash out the bowl between colors, just repeat the process adding a different flavor Jello mix. Having the different flavors adds to the smell sensory fun. I liked the lime but D preferred strawberry. Anyone for cupcakes?

So easy a 3 year old can do it.