How to make a volcano with toddlers

Here's a great activity you can do with toddlers to keep them busy this summer! Make a volcano. It's cheap, simple, fun and educational! We made these volcano's at our Little Scientists Program the other month and the kids loved it. It's a great activity if you have a Hawaiian themed Luau party too!

To make your own Volcano you need:

• Tray
• Small empty baby food jar, small plastic pop bottle or a plastic cup
• Brown play dough (homemade)
• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Red food colouring
• Spoon/scoop
• Measuring cup

Instructions:

1. Place jar/cup on tray
   
2. Surround the jar with play dough.
   
3. Form dough to look like a mountain (keep the top open). If you prepare ahead of time you can paint the dough to make it look like a mountain.
4. Put 4 drops of red food coloring in the jar.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the jar.
6. Finally, add some vinegar to it to make it erupt!

And be sure to have some Huggies Simply Clean Wipes on hand as it will get messy! 

Did You Know…..

• The cool red lava is the result of a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar.
• In this reaction, carbon dioxide gas is produced, which is also present in real volcanoes.
• In simple terms a volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a pool of molten rock (magma) below the surface of the earth. It is a hole in the Earth from which molten rock and gas erupt.
• When magma erupts through the earth's surface it is called lava
• Magma is liquid rock inside a volcano.
• Lava is liquid rock (magma) that flows out of a volcano. Fresh lava ranges from 1,300° to 2,200° F (700° to 1,200° C) in temperature and glows red hot to white hot as it flows.
• There are around 1510 'active' volcanoes in the world. We currently know of 80 or more that are under the oceans.
• Over half of the world’s volcanoes arise in a belt around the Pacific Ocean called the Ring of Fire.

A special shout out to Huggies for sending us these adorable Hawaiian Special Edition diapers for the kids. Our little scientists had a blast!

How to make Oobleck!

Believe it or not, there are some science activites that can be found using Dr. Seuss Books. The book "Bartholomew and the Oobleck" is a good example of learning about comparing solids. The Oobleck acts like both a solid and a liquid. For our momstown's Little Scientist's program we got messy and made oobleck!

For this experiment, you'll need to make some Oobleck.

Recipe:

2 cups cornstarch

3 drops food coloring

1 cup water

Mix ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. (Add water slowly as it may not need entire cup!).

Observation:

Mix the ingredients and allow children to play with the mixture. When"pushed" together, the mixture will appear dry and solid; as children let go of the mixture, it flows like a smooth liquid.

It's a really fun recipe to use as a science experiment. Is it a solid? Is it a liquid? It's a liquid until pressure is applied. Hit it hard and it feels like you are hitting a wall! Touch it gently and the material will flow around your fingers like water! Have fun using different utensils to play- see what form it takes while using different cups, spoons, bowls, etc.

Conclusion:

Using what they have learned, your kids can decide if it is a solid or a liquid.

Some other fun things to observe about OOBLECK

~ Oobleck is a solid and a liquid at the same time.

~ If you make a ball and throw it up in the air, it loses shape and becomes flat in the air.

~ Oobleck can be molded in a container and when taken out does not keep shape.

~ If you fill a balloon with Oobleck, the air presses or forces the Oobleck back out.

~ When you leave Oobleck in the sun, the color evaporates, it turns hard like cement on the top and like jelly on the bottom. When heated this also happens and it is sticky.

~ Oobleck does not bounce.

Little Scientists: Baby Sensory Play

Last week I hosted a Baby Sensory Play event in my home for momstown moms and babies. Since Earth Day had just past I thought what better way to have a sensory play event then bring out earth inspired objects for the babies to explore through touch, smell, sight, sound, and in some cases... taste.

The kids always seem to enjoy the messiest, most unusual objects.

And never fails, after ever sensory play my son sleeps extra long! All that stimulation knocks him right out!

Interested in joining us next time? Our Little Scientists Program has Baby Sensory Play for the babies and also a Little Scientists Program for toddlers. Both programs are included with your momstown membership. Log on to momstown Winnipeg to register today for your free 4 week trial.

Little Scientists: Baby Sensory Play

There are many benefits to sensory play. Sensory play is a valuable part of early childhood education and anyone can do this at home. From birth, a baby experiences life through its senses. Touch is one of the first and most important senses to develop. Sensory play allows them to use their senses of touch, sight, taste, smell, and hearing.  It also provides children the opportunity for hands-on play to encourage the development of their fine and gross motor skills.

This month was our fist Baby Sensory Play. Our babies got to be little scientists and explore different textures. Since it was around Valentines we decided to use valentines inspired items for the babies to touch and explore. Some items are not for babies mouths so it is always important to keep a close eye on your baby.

Ready to dig into his bin!

Crinkley paper was a hit with the babies!

After attempting to chew a felt heart he decided to see what else was in the green bin.

Red jello was gooey. This little gal wasn't so sure she liked stepping in it. :)

But this little one loved the jello. As did my son who proceeded to lick his hands after he realized it tasted good too.

We had loads of fun at our first Sensory Play event. Can't wait for next months!

Little Scientists: Mixing Colours

Our theme this month is Mix and Match. So for our Little Scientists lab we decided to learn all about mixing colours. What happens when you mix primary colours?

This is an easy science project that you can do with the kids too. All you need is water, food colour (in red, blue, yellow and green), a bulb syringe (your kids medicine syringe will do just fine) and clear cups or white ice cube trays. Start off with basic primary colours and start mixing. See what colours when mixed together make new colours.

Jenn was our science teacher that day.

Next month we are making Oobleck in honour of Dr. Seuss' Birthday. It's going to be another messy Science lab!