Painting with Ice

Summer is just around the corner here and summer vacation has already arrived for some of our school aged friends. Here is one great way to continue some science learning and stay cool. Painting with ice!

Usually we only think about ice in the winter, but it makes for a fun summer activity too.

I mixed regular tempera paint with water so it was about equal parts water and paint. I used small plastic cups and froze them for about 30 minutes so they were slushy but not solid. I stuck the sticks in - some I had to prop up with other sticks to get them reasonably straight.

Then I waited. That was the hardest part. But to make them solid, I waited overnight.

Then I popped the plastic cup in warm water to unfreeze it just a tiny bit and then we painted. As you can tell, we only use primary colors and as the paint defrosted during use, we created secondary colors.

Auburn Programs

Sign up time!!

Messy Fingers is a hands-on science program for preschoolers age 3-5 and their parent or caregiver. Each week we will be using commonly available materials, natural objects, and lots of imagination to explore a particular topic.

Limited space – reserve your space by calling Megan at 508-832-5707  x10  

Program held at Auburn Youth and Family Services, 21 Pheasant Court, Auburn

Program is held on Thursdays at 10:00 am and lasts about 45 minutes.
May 28 – Bubbles
June  4 –  Gliders
June 11 – Magnets
June 18 – Balls/Inclined Planes

Always dress to get messy!

Science Books for Preschoolers

As I am most often hosted by libraries, I see a lot of science books for preschoolers. I kid you not most of them are not good. Some are outdated, other incorrect, and some are misleading.

One entire series stands out Let's Read and Learn.

I generally don't like science books with drawings, I really prefer photographs, but this series does an excellent job of illustrating science concepts authentically. This series started in the 1990s and still has new books coming out.

A number of titles as a question - and I love that. Science is about exploring and that must start with a question. I wonder...? How does that...? What happens if...?

Many of these titles are available at your local library - check them out next time you and your preschooler have a question

Messy Fingers in Blackstone

Messy Fingers is on the move. Starting March 31, 2015, Messy Fingers will be at the Blackstone Public Library.

Programs run for four weeks. Each session is about 45 minutes and start at 1pm.

Call to reserve a space  (508) 883-1931

This library is not to be missed - this is a beautiful space and we will be trying out some brand new topics!  Sign up today!

Messy Fingers in the Blackstone Valley

Messy Fingers is on the move!

Starting the first week in March, Messy Fingers science programs will be in Douglas and Mendon at their respective local libraries.

If you are interested in joining in the fun - and have a preschooler aged 3-5 years of age - there are still spots available in Douglas. Please contact the Douglas library at (508) 476-2695.

If you want to be on the waiting list for Mendon, please contact that library (508) 473-3259.

Stay tuned for further locations - we have funding for two more sessions in the area and I hope to share those soon!

Go Science!

Bubbles in the cold

With temperatures expected to get into the mid teens this weekend in New England, what better way to celebrate than blowing bubbles!

Blowing bubbles is a great stress reliever as it requires a deep breath before making a bubble and it elicits giggles which are sure to relieve stress.

Check out this video my daughter and I took when it was 19' F.

I dare you to try this at home!  I would recommend two things - use small bubbles like wedding bubbles (these were huge and took a while to cool), and catch the bubble on the wand like we did so your bubble doesn't pop before freezing.

Tell me how it worked.

Messy Fingers is ON!

Despite the large snow banks and school delay in Millbury, Messy Fingers is ON at the Millbury Public Library.

We are going to study color - wear clothes to get dirty.

5 things to do in a blizzard - revisited

A while back, I posted about some fun things to do in blizzard. You can read them here. There are some fun ideas there but with temperatures hovering around 5' here, time outside with a little one is limited.

What is a simple and fun thing to do inside on a snow day?

Magnets - this is such a classic fun science topic. Magnets are one of the unseen forces of nature we can really explore with preschoolers. There are rule to learn like magnets have poles and you can only put opposite poles together. They have force meaning they can push or pull something without touching it. And we can learn these rules because they don't change.

You probably have more magnet toys than you realize. (These photos are from Amazon and Fatbraintoys.com)

• Thomas and other wooden trains are magnetic. So are some Bob the Builder toys from the same company.
  
• Magna doodles 
  
• Magna formers 
  
• Guidecraft - better builder sets - this is one of my favorites with kids
  
• Melissa and Doug - magnetic paper dolls - they have both girls and boys to dress
  
• Magnetic fishing games - wind up travel sized and battery operated larger versions
  
• Magnetic maze games
  
• Wooly Willy - this uses a magnet to move around contained iron filings
  

No Angry Way to say Bubbles

I am not a huge fan of blog posts that are merely lists of sites or a collage of pictures with no words. Generally I find there is less value in looking at someone else's pile of websites than going to look for the original blog post myself.

It was in the poking around...umm...I mean research in the blogging world that I came across one of the best quotes ever for preschoolers. Let's face it, preschoolers have a lot of new things coming at them from all directions and sometimes, they loose their cool.

This quote is for those moments.

Blowing bubbles is an excellent way to help your preschooler calm down. You have to breath deeply to blow bubbles and that alone can calm anyone down.

And then there is this quote. Great isn't it.

Go check out her blog here.  Maybe you will find inspiration too.

Messy Fingers 2015

Messy Fingers is going all out this winter and exploring new places.  But first, Messy Fingers will be home at the Millbury Public Library.

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Sign ups start Tuesday Jan 6 at the Millbury Public Library. Call if you are interested (508) 865-1181. There is a space limit of 12 parent child partners. Program dates are Jan 13, 20, 27 and Feb 3 from 10:30 to 11:30.

Stay tuned as we get messy, explore, make predictions, collect data, and analyze that data in exicting ways in new towns in the Blackstone Valley. 

Dirt!

Geologists  use core samples of rocks and sediment to give them information about the rocks below the surface. We made our own "core" sample by adding dirt to a clear pvc pipe, shaking it up, and letting it settle. The heavier dirt dropped to the bottom and the lightest dirt floated on the water. 

We examined our dirt closely and compared and contrasted different dirt samples. This is a fancy science way of saying how things are similar and how they are different.  We had some great descriptive words here: cool, soft, hard, shiny, sparkly, smooth, and rough.

We also made predictions about how much water different kinds of dirt could hold. Then we tested our predictions. 

Finally we painted with dirt. Artist in the past used rocks and dirt to make paints. Different kinds of dirt make for different colors. 

If you want more dirt activities, go here. 

Going Batty!

We went Batty! today at the library and had lots of fun with bats. We learned a lot of facts and learned that we are a lot like bats. Thanks to Jodi at her blog for some of the bat facts we used. 

Bats are a lot like people. Both have hair, come in lots of colors, and eat fish. Only bats can fly and hibernate, while only people eat mac -n- cheese!

For other great ideas about bats and a few more facts on bats in New England, check here and here.

Fun Friday Fact

A long time ago, people thought pumpkins could cure freckles!  You mixed mashed pumpkin and honey and smeared it over your face.

I see no reason to get rid of freckles. Freckles are super adorable. But if you really don't like your freckles, smearing pumpkin all over your face can hid them, but then your face will be covered with pumpkin!

Gliders Roundup

In a previous post, we explored gliders and paper airplanes. If you search for preschool gliders, well, you can see from the image above pretty much the only kid of glider you will discover so I am going to sift through the furniture ads and pictures of cute Australian sugar gliders to find some flying machines you and your preschooler can make.

Straw Gliders
This is a nice description of the gliders we make in Messy Fingers with a bit of good explanation at the end as to why this flies.

Essentially the two circles help to channel the air and create lift. What happens if the two circles are the same size? Does it matter which way you throw the glider - small circle or big circle first?

Egg Carton Glider
This is a really cool glider made from a foam egg carton. There is no explanation at that site as to how or why it flies the way it does. It is presented more as a craft project, but the template is great.

Is the penny necessary?  What would happen if you left it out or added two pennies?

Helicopters
This was a very colorful and detailed explanation of how to make these gliders.  Here is a better explanation of the science, but with only two colors.

Does the length of the wings matter to the helicopter?  If you made them shorter or longer what happens?

Pumpkins!

Pumpkins are such a great to enjoy science and fall at the same time. I found a great blog with some fun preschool pumpkin science ideas. Check it out here.

Now don't think for a single second that all those are actually science activities. Remember that when we are scientists we ask questions, make predictions, then we collect data, analyze the data, and then recheck our question.

Soo, when you see the erupting pumpkin recognize that it is a really fun activity but you will need  to help your child by making predictions and asking good questions. But it looks really cool!!

And before you start carving that scary jack-o-lantern, take a moment to make some predictions about what you think is inside it, how big it is, if it might float, how it smells, and if you are brave, how it tastes. Me, I think it tastes yucky. Yep, that is my science word - yucky.

Messy Fingers on the Move

Messy Fingers is on the move!

First stop will be our home at the Millbury Public Library every Tuesday in October. Call (508) 865 1181 to reserve a space.

Then Beginning Years Family Network is supporting Messy Fingers visiting five new towns this fall and winter. Check out this announcement for Messy Fingers in Upton.

Look for Messy Fingers to travel to Auburn, Grafton, Douglas, Upton, and Blackstone/Millville.

Upton's scheduled to take place in the Upton Public Library on Oct 2, 16, 30, and Nov 13.

This fall we will be exploring bubbles, pumpkins, incline planes, and our five senses.

Come check it out!!

Easter science

I found a really great listing of science experiments that were all egg or Easter themed. I knew you'd want to see them so HERE they are!  Guess what we are doing this weekend?  I am starting at the top and working my way down the list!

And I put that picture up to remind me to send out eggs to my niece and nephews tomorrow!  If you join me in this silly tradition, you need to ask for stamps - the meter strips are too big to fit on the eggs.

A quick look back at 2013

I was looking back over the 2013 posts and realized that my most popular post wasn't exactly about Messy Fingers but about Jello. The number one post from 2013 was how to make glow in the dark jello.

Why make Glow in the Dark Jello? For my bookclub it was thematic and since it is made with quinine, it has a slight bitterness that many not be appealing to kids. But my lovely literary friends, thought it was spectacular on many  levels. And that is only one small part of why I adore my bookclub friends - they get me.

Why should you try Glow in the Dark Jello?

Anytime you can spark your family's curiosity is a win in my book. Cooking food is chemistry at its best but we rarely step back and think about all the wondrous events that have to occur for meat to cook, onions to caramelize, or even milk to be pasteurized.

Food experiments are an easy way for everyone to start talking science. Why did the Jello glow? Would it glow if we made it with soda or orange juice? Why doesn't it glow in regular light? What would happen if.... These are the very best of questions to begin asking. All science begins with questions and the more practice you have thinking about great questions the better science questions you'll ask.

I am a huge fan of all things Glow in the Dark and different things glow for different reasons. What are your favorite Glow in the Dark objects?  And why do they glow....

Snow Days

It is that time of year when soon we will have a snow day. When you've got kids home unexpectedly, what do you do with them?  Yes, you can watch movies all day but that gets old really fast. Why not try some science!?

If you have a few things tucked away in a science box, you can put out the coolest snow day ever. And what parent doesn't love a little learning disguised as fun?!

Here is what I have in my box:
coffee filters
pipe cleaners
food coloring
foam brushes
magnifiers
various science toys

*food coloring and foam brushes - this can be turned into snow painting by putting some of the food coloring in small containers, add water and go paint the snow.

*coffee filters - use these to make symmetrical butterflies by folding in half and putting a marker on the filter until it shows on the other side. When you open it, the filter will be colored symmetrically or the same on both sides. You can fold this up and make a body out of a pipe cleaner or clothes pin.

*coffee filters - grab a snow ball and put it in the filter inside a strainer. As the snow melts, what is in the snow will stay on the filter. You can test to see if you can find the cleanest snow in your yard.

*black construction paper - put this in the freezer for a bit and then go catch snow flakes on it. You can use magnifiers to see what they look like close up. Dollar stores are a great resource for these.

*ice cubes- ok these are in the freezer. I have a few paper cups with ice. The kids can put one in spot where it will stay ice and one where it will stay frozen.

*science toys - I have some sand that doesn't get wet, hydroscopic (water loving) bubbles (Target stocking stuffer), and crystal growing kits. I also have some growing dinosaurs.

What do you have in your science stash?

Halloween Science

Halloween is one of my very favorite holidays. I live for things that glow in the dark and all the creepy crawlies!  Yes, I am that kind of girl.

Last year I challenged you to sink and float your Halloween candy. This is especially fun when you have kids with food or ingredient allergies and can't eat it anyway. Save yourself some calories and do science with candy.

Here are three simple experiments to do with your candy. I put links on the questions so you can get all the details.

1. What candy sinks and what floats? Make your predictions and then start testing them.  Since they only were in water, you can still eat them,

2. Do the Ms or Ss on M&Ms and Skittles float off?  This is kinda creepy so it is perfect for this time of year.

3. What candy is really the sourest?  Put candy to the acid test and see what candy foams the most by dissolving in water and then adding baking soda.

Have fun!!