Making a Baking Soda Volcano!

A couple days ago, Chance was bored, so I was trying to think of something fun to do with him.  Lately, we've had a few natural phenomena nearby...wildfires, thunderstorms with hail, and tornados...so Chance has been really interested things like that.  I remembered making baking soda volcanos as a child, so I thought it might be fun to make one with him!  I'm pretty sure it's the only volcano that will be erupting around here, though! :)

You can make one just in a glass if you want it to be a quick project, but I was wanting to actually build one, which turns it into a 2 or 3 day project.  Here are the things you will need to make a volcano like we did...

Large paper plate

Jelly jar

Old newspaper

All-purpose flour

Water

Paint and brushes

Warm water

Liquid dish soap

Food coloring

Baking soda

White vinegar

To start, I put the jelly jar in the middle of the paper plate.  Then I crumpled up about two sheets of the newspaper and wrapped them around the jar, to form the base of the volcano.  Take another two sheets or so of the newspaper, and rip it up into smallish strips.  In another plate, or bowl, make a paste of flour and water.  Use about 1/2 cup flour and 2/3 cups water.  Dip the strips of newspaper into the flour paste, and spread over the crumpled paper.  Continue layering the pasted paper to form a volcano shape around the jar.

When you have the shape you want, you need to let it dry at least overnight.  When flour paste doesn't dry all the way, it tends to mold.  Chance tried to dry it faster with a hair dryer, but we still had to let it sit until the next day. :)

The next day, when the paste has dried, you can paint it!  Chance chose 5 colors for his...black, dark brown, light brown, antique copper and green.  But you can paint it any color(s) you like!

Chance being a clown for the camera. :)

After the paint dries, you can make the volcano erupt!  In a glass, mix together about 1/2 cup of warm water, a couple drops of liquid dish soap.  The soap helps hold the bubbles and makes the eruption much better! Add a few drops of the food coloring of your choice, and about a tablespoon of baking soda.  Stir slowly to mix.  Pour this mixture into the center of the volcano.

Then it's time to add the magic ingredient!  You just need a couple tablespoons of white vinegar.  Have you child pour it into the volcano and watch the eruption!

And again...

and again...

and again!

Have fun!

Pot Holder Loom

When I was younger, my siblings and I used to weave 'pot holders' on a little plastic loom.  I had nearly forgotten about them until recently while visiting my parents.  My mom brought out a couple looms for Chance to play with.  He had alot of fun picking out colors and stretching the fabric loops over the pins.

You start off by stretching loops from pin to pin in one direction, and then weave loops in and out in the other direction.  You finish by pulling the ends of the loops through the loop next to it, all around the perimeter.

I love to find things for Chance to do that allows him to be creative, and to make something useful.  He likes to give little gifts to people he loves, so this worked out great!  We made a 'John Deere' one for Chance, a blue, white and yellow one to match grandma's kitchen, and a small purple and pink one for great-grandma's coffee cup. 

I'm not sure if you can find these is local stores, but I did find quite a few on Amazon.com.  It would also be fairly easy to make one on your own.  Let me know in a comment if you would like me to do a how to post aout making your own pot holder loom!  I hope you all have fun with this!

Soap Balls

For the past couple of years, we have been going to a Craft Fair on Thanksgiving weekend.  They have demonstrations on all sorts of crafts: woodworking, blacksmithing, pottery, cheese making, weaving, basketry, old time farming techniques, and much more!  They also have a lot of stations where kids

can do little crafts: paddle boat making, mug rugs, candles, bronze spoons, jump ropes, pottery, baskets, soap balls...the list goes on.

Chance loves going to the fair.  He is a really hands-on type of kid, and he loves to be able to make things.  Some of the things they do at the fair, we have made at home later.  One of the easiest things to make is a soap ball.  They are great fun for kids to make, and they also make a nice gift!

You will need:   bar soap, grated      

          warm water

                            food coloring (optional)

               plastic zip bags

                           festive fabric (optional)

                          tissue paper (optional)

                  ribbon (optional)

Start by grating your soap with a cheese grater.  You can use any type of bar soap you like.  This time, I used a lavender scented white soap.  Measure 1/2 cup of grated soap into a plastic zip bag.  Add 1 tablespoon warm water plus 3-4 drops of food coloring.  It works best if you add the food coloring to the water before you add it to the bag.  Seal the bag.  Now your child (or you) can squish the soap all around in the bag.  There should be just enough water to get all the soap damp and sticky.  If you add too much water, you will get suds and the soap ball will not stick together.

When the soap is all sticky, open the bag and remove as much of the soap as you can.  Now roll it around in your hands while gently squeezing to form a ball.  This makes a bit of a mess, but it's a good clean mess! :)  When the ball is formed, set it aside to dry a little bit.

To give these as a gift, I like to wrap them up with a bit of pretty cloth and some tissue paper.  Cut a 10 inch diameter circle of fabric.  Cut a 10-11 inch square of tissue paper.  Place the tissue paper on top of the fabric.  Place the soap ball in the center.  Gather the fabric around the soap ball, and tie with a ribbon.

Chance loves to have a gift to give that he made himself!  I'm sure your kids will too!  Have fun with this project! :)

Make Your Own Finger Paints

Chance and I had an afternoon with not much to do, so I decided to make him some finger paints. I looked up several recipes, but I decided on a cooked one since I figured that would have a smoother texture.  It ended up a little thicker than I had hoped, so next time I might add a little more water.

Chance had so much fun helping me make the paints and add the coloring, not to mention painting!

And even though the paint was a little thick, it made wonderful squishy goo to squeeze between his fingers!

I even had fun trying a little artwork.  :)

Fingerpaint

1/2 cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups cold water

food coloring

In a suacepan, combine all ingredients except the food coloring.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat until paint thickens and becomes opaque.  This can take 10 to 15 minutes.  You don't want to turn the heat too high.  Remove from stove and cool.  When it's cool, divide if you wish to make different colors.  Add food coloring as desired.  I added about 5 drops per color.  Have fun!

Another thing about this paint is that it is very washable!  And every mother knows that's a very good thing! :)