Party Cloud Dough | Glittery Fizz
Welcome to the most awesome sensory play this side of the Mississippi. It is soft and moldable, yet dry and crumbly. It is made of just two ingredients. After the kids are done shaping it and using it for imaginative sensory play, you can add vinegar and it becomes a really cool science activity. Prepare yourselves for some pretty outrageous fun. I call it Party Dough because of all the glitter and the "Ooh's" and "Aah's" that are elicited as the kids experiment and play!
We used the same basic recipe for Erupting Snow as found on Growing a Jeweled Rose. Since we wanted Party Dough we added food coloring (blue) and TONS of glitter of all colors. I also added a little bit of water to make it less crumbly and more moldable. It worked beautifully and the kids had a blast playing in it.
The kids had fun playing in it with all kinds of toys and tools. They scooped it into little cups, molded it into cookie cutters, made an igloo, stirred it, and ran their fingers through it just to see how it felt. (Note: Fizzy Cloud Dough is not edible.)
Once they were done with sensory play, we got out the vinegar and let the real magic begin. The kids used plastic pipettes to squirt the vinegar onto their Party Dough, squealing with delight as it fizzed and erupted into foamy bubbles. This was definitely the highlight of their play!
We even caught some of the glittery fizz on video!
Want more sensory play ideas? Check out our Play Gel, made from a surprising (and disturbing) source.
Craving more fizzy fun? Try out the film canister rocket (eye protection encouraged) or get directions to make your own fire extinguisher!
*This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy. The Big Leap | City Living
It's amazing how one tiny decision can change your life.
Last week I talked about how we gave up our car, almost on a whim, and bought bikes and transit passes instead. After a year of carfree living in the suburbs we decided to take our experiment to a whole new level and move right into the city. As a lifelong suburbanite, this is one of the scariest things I have ever done!
I mean, isn't the city dangerous? Isn't there a lot of crime? What about kids living in the city? Aren't kids supposed to have their own backyard, their own sandbox, their own fenced-in playground and treehouse? And don't even get me started on downsizing to fit into something we could afford in the city. How is a family of four supposed to squeeze into 750 sq ft and be happy?
Why we decided to move to the city was pretty simple. Ben commuted nearly an hour each way to work via bike and/or public transit. He left in the morning before the kids were awake and arrived back home in the evening just in time for dinner, then bedtime. It was no way to live. He saw the kids so little.
Initially we only had one criterion for our new dwelling. We wanted to be within a 20-minute bike commute to Ben's work. That was it. We just wanted him home more.
We could have bought a car, sure. We were 100% debt free and saving money every month. However, we had fallen in love with our carfree lifestyle. We loved biking, walking, and bussing. We loved the stress-free, simple, healthy, happy lifestyle carfree living afforded us. We knew that living in the city would simplify our life even more since it would be even easier to get around without a car.
Simplify your life?! It was amazing the reactions we got from people when we broke the news that we were giving up a decent-sized house and backyard to live in the city. It seemed to a lot of people that we were going against the American dream. We wanted no car, a smaller living space, less stuff, and more time as a family. Call us crazy. Many have.
So we did it. Our goal as a family is to live an interesting, meaningful, intentional life. Moving into the city fit that goal. We got rid of 50% of our stuff, packed up what was left, and squished it all into an apartment in the heart of Portland. We knew it was going to be different and maybe a little scary, but we also knew that if we hated it we could change our plans again.
Well, we haven't hated it at all. We LOVE it. We love the city. We love Portland. We have met some of the most amazing and interesting people in our community. City living has afforded us business and social opportunities that we never would have experienced in the suburbs. We are happier and healthier as a family than we have ever been before. We are thriving in the city. We are thriving with less stuff. We are thriving without a car.
One of the experiences we love the most is the opportunity we have to participate in the Sharing Economy. We donate our stuff and our time to non-profits like Free Geek, the Tool Share, the Kitchen Share, and Swap 'n' Play. I'll write about these meaningful organizations that bring the community together and allow us to share our resources and our knowledge with each other next time :) Stay tuned!
Last week I talked about how we gave up our car, almost on a whim, and bought bikes and transit passes instead. After a year of carfree living in the suburbs we decided to take our experiment to a whole new level and move right into the city. As a lifelong suburbanite, this is one of the scariest things I have ever done!
Why we decided to move to the city was pretty simple. Ben commuted nearly an hour each way to work via bike and/or public transit. He left in the morning before the kids were awake and arrived back home in the evening just in time for dinner, then bedtime. It was no way to live. He saw the kids so little.
Initially we only had one criterion for our new dwelling. We wanted to be within a 20-minute bike commute to Ben's work. That was it. We just wanted him home more.
We could have bought a car, sure. We were 100% debt free and saving money every month. However, we had fallen in love with our carfree lifestyle. We loved biking, walking, and bussing. We loved the stress-free, simple, healthy, happy lifestyle carfree living afforded us. We knew that living in the city would simplify our life even more since it would be even easier to get around without a car.
Simplify your life?! It was amazing the reactions we got from people when we broke the news that we were giving up a decent-sized house and backyard to live in the city. It seemed to a lot of people that we were going against the American dream. We wanted no car, a smaller living space, less stuff, and more time as a family. Call us crazy. Many have.
So we did it. Our goal as a family is to live an interesting, meaningful, intentional life. Moving into the city fit that goal. We got rid of 50% of our stuff, packed up what was left, and squished it all into an apartment in the heart of Portland. We knew it was going to be different and maybe a little scary, but we also knew that if we hated it we could change our plans again.
Well, we haven't hated it at all. We LOVE it. We love the city. We love Portland. We have met some of the most amazing and interesting people in our community. City living has afforded us business and social opportunities that we never would have experienced in the suburbs. We are happier and healthier as a family than we have ever been before. We are thriving in the city. We are thriving with less stuff. We are thriving without a car.
One of the experiences we love the most is the opportunity we have to participate in the Sharing Economy. We donate our stuff and our time to non-profits like Free Geek, the Tool Share, the Kitchen Share, and Swap 'n' Play. I'll write about these meaningful organizations that bring the community together and allow us to share our resources and our knowledge with each other next time :) Stay tuned!
QR Codes for Kids | An Introduction to Technology
We have discovered a new favorite game that I want to share with you today. It's called "Spot the QR Code," and you'll be amazed at what you can find. It's one of those sneaky games that makes kids learn stuff while they are having fun.
My kids were initially introduced to QR Codes through Usborne's Children's Encyclopedia.
Each page touches on a different topic and has an associated QR Code that, when scanned, sends the reader somewhere (safe) on the internet. Often it's an educational video or picture or quiz that expands the child's knowledge about the subject they are reading about in the book. My kids loving scanning the codes so much that sometimes they just flip through the book, scanning each code and looking at whatever educational material pops up. IT'S AWESOME!
Now my kids notice QR Codes everywhere. A bus stop, a store front, a box of cereal, the wall of a public restroom. They are all over my house, too. In the refrigerator, on the side of the washing machine, inside the toilet tank. (Don't ask, just please, don't ask.) And ya know, I happily stop and let the kids scan those funny little square boxes because they get a thrill out of seeing where the scan takes us. It's fun for me, too! Plus I feel like my kids are learning, not just about technology, but about business, marketing, and web campaigns.
Hey, I'm really glad you asked! QR Code is an abbreviation for Quick Response Code. It is a special kind of barcode that anybody can scan with a smartphone app that usually directs the user to a website. (You can download any number of free apps for iPhone and Android. This is the one I have for my Android.) QR Codes have gained a lot of popularity in commercial marketing because they are so easy! Rather than typing in an entire web address, the user merely scans the code and they are there! So easy.
Here are a few examples of unique QR Codes we have run into recently:
In my experience, most QR Codes direct you to a company website. Sometimes they enable you to send a text message directly to a company. Sometimes they instantly pull up a video or send you to an online campaign. Sometimes it just pulls up a phone number or a plain text message. The possibilities are endless! My kids are always excited to scan the code to see what pops up.
You can even generate your own QR Codes! I'll tell you how to do that and why you might want to make your own codes in another post coming up, so stay tuned!
What are you waiting for? Get scannin'!
Now my kids notice QR Codes everywhere. A bus stop, a store front, a box of cereal, the wall of a public restroom. They are all over my house, too. In the refrigerator, on the side of the washing machine, inside the toilet tank. (Don't ask, just please, don't ask.) And ya know, I happily stop and let the kids scan those funny little square boxes because they get a thrill out of seeing where the scan takes us. It's fun for me, too! Plus I feel like my kids are learning, not just about technology, but about business, marketing, and web campaigns.
What is a QR Code?
Hey, I'm really glad you asked! QR Code is an abbreviation for Quick Response Code. It is a special kind of barcode that anybody can scan with a smartphone app that usually directs the user to a website. (You can download any number of free apps for iPhone and Android. This is the one I have for my Android.) QR Codes have gained a lot of popularity in commercial marketing because they are so easy! Rather than typing in an entire web address, the user merely scans the code and they are there! So easy.
Here are a few examples of unique QR Codes we have run into recently:
 |
| On the trash can at Chick-fil-A. |
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| Don't want to wait in line to buy tickets? Scan the QR Code, buy tickets on your mobile device, and walk right in! |
 |
| QR Code on a car! Difficult to scan if it's moving, but pretty brilliant parked on the side of the road. |
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| On the wall of the bathroom at the Denver Airport. It was clean and I told them so, BTW! |
You can even generate your own QR Codes! I'll tell you how to do that and why you might want to make your own codes in another post coming up, so stay tuned!
What are you waiting for? Get scannin'!
Saturday Science
And now on to our STEM Saturday link up! Check out our wonderful co-hosts and link up your own math and science activities:
Hands-On Solar System for Preschoolers from Stir the Wonder
Does Snow Sink or Float? from Lemon Lime Adventures
Ichnology from Suzy Homeschooler
Magnetic Ice Science Sensory from Little Bins for Little Hands
Does Snow Sink or Float? from Lemon Lime Adventures
Ichnology from Suzy Homeschooler
Magnetic Ice Science Sensory from Little Bins for Little Hands
The Day I Gave Up on Homeschooling
Yeah, I had one of those days last week.
For whatever reason, Tommy woke up on Wednesday determined to do everything except what I wanted him to do. He refused to do his school work. He said all sorts of nasty things. I tried to be kind and understanding, but secretly I wished I could just send him off somewhere - anywhere - for the day.
There was a lot of crying, mostly from my end. We ended up going to the gym (aka My Sanity) and I cried to my husband on the phone for a good 30 minutes while the kids happily played in the child care. I felt like a bad mom. I felt like a horrible teacher. And I seriously wondered if my kids (and me) would be happier if they went to school.
Now, I recognize that homeschooling is not the right choice for everyone, but for those of us who do homeschool, how do you get through days like this? How do you not go running to the nearest public school in a frazzled mess and enroll all your children on the spot?
This is how I got through this week to get our homeschool back on track:
- I recognized that all families experience difficult days, whether they homeschool or not. If my child doesn't want to do his homeschool work, what makes me think he will happily do his homework after a long day away at school? And what makes me think that sending my child to school will make him more amiable and more obedient at home?
- I called my husband for support. Everyone needs a cheerleader, right? Sometimes it's my husband, sometimes it's my mom, sometimes it's a friend.
- I asked some questions. Does he need a little brain break? Is he feeling a lot of pressure? Is there something else that is stressful in his life that is making him act out and resist? It turns out that he was super worried about an impending dentist appointment (which he rocked, BTW) and was taking it out on my efforts to give him an amazing education.
- I switched things up a little bit. Does he need more/less structure? Does he need a different curriculum? Does he need to do school at a different time of day or in a different place? I'm still pondering these questions.
- I wasn't afraid to take a break! This time we got out of the house and went to the gym, a place the kids love to play and I love to work out my frustrations. On other days we have taken the day off or gone on a field trip. Some days it's as simple as turning on some music and having a dance party in the front room
- I came up with an incentive. This isn't a bribe. Tommy doesn't do bribes. There is a huge difference between, "If you are good, you get X," and, "We can get through these hard days because next week we get to go to this really cool place you love!" This gives us something to look forward to when school gets rough.
- I remembered that I know my child better than anybody else. I also love him more than anybody else does. I have confidence that I can meet his needs more effectively than anyone else can.
Carfree With Kids | Two Kids, One Commute, No Car
Almost one year ago we moved our family of four lifelong suburbanites to the city. It has been one of the most adventurous and rewarding moves we have ever made. Each Monday I'll be writing an article about different aspects of urban living with small kids that I hope you find interesting. Please contribute to the discussion in the comments, on Facebook, and on Twitter!
Today I want to write about our carfree lifestyle and how we have lived without a car for nearly two years now! That's right: two kids, one commute, no car. But before I tell you that story, I have to tell you this story...
Rewind to the end of 2012. We were living in the exurbs of Phoenix, Arizona. We owned a large house (4 beds, 3 baths) with a giant backyard. We owned one pretty old car that got us around just fine. My husband, Ben, worked remotely and I was a stay-at-home mom to our two kids, so all four of us were home basically all the time.
In October 2012 Ben's company downsized and he was unfortunately one of the casualties. He applied for jobs all over the country and ended up getting a job in Portland, Oregon. In February of 2013 we relocated to Beaverton, a suburb of Portland.
Right up until about two weeks before our move date, we had planned to drive our car up to Oregon. We knew it wasn't in great shape and that it was leaking some fluids, but we didn't know just how bad it was until we took it to our mechanic for a little pre-trip tuneup. He basically said that we should only attempt the drive if we really wanted to get stranded somewhere in the middle of the desert and subsequently get eaten by wild coyotes. That didn't sound too fun, so we started considering alternatives.
Long story short, we decided to leave our car in Phoenix with some friends and sell it online. We flew up to Portland and had to decide what to do at that point. But before I tell you that story, I have to tell you this story...
The year 2012 was a financially strenuous year for us. We were debt-free (besides the house) at the beginning of the year, but by the end we had incurred over $10,000 in medical debt because our then-baby, Lily, got MRSA, underwent emergency surgery, and spent a couple of days in the hospital. Add onto that Ben's job loss. Add onto that our car went caput. Add onto that the fact that when we moved to Oregon our house in Phoenix still hadn't sold, so we were making our mortgage payments and paying for utilities in Phoenix while paying rent and utilities in Oregon. Needless to say, we were strapped financially and it was uncertain how long we would be making payments on two houses. And we didn't have a car.
Unwilling to go into more debt, we decided to buy some bikes and try our hand at carfree living. Portland is well known for its public transit system and biking infrastructure, even in the suburbs. We kind of shrugged our shoulders, looked at each other, and said, "Why not? Let's see how long we can go without a car. Let's just see how long we can do it. Maybe it will be fun?" We never had plans to go more than a few weeks or months.
We scoured Craigslist and found a couple of bikes and a trailer* for the kids. We learned to navigate the public transit system and found that we could basically get everywhere we needed to go via bus or bike. Ben commuted nearly an hour into Portland everyday on the MAX (Portland's light rail), while I took the kids all over the place in the trailer or on the bus. We fell in love with our new lifestyle. We were getting exercise daily. We were saving hundreds of dollars every month. We found that our life was simpler and less stressful. We found that we were happier.
In October 2013 we became 100% debt-free again, thanks, in large part, to our decision to forego buying a new car. It has been nearly two years since we owned a car and we are more convinced than ever that being carfree is awesome. We hope to go many years more before buying a car again.
Next week I'll tell you more about how we moved from Beaverton to a 750 sq ft apartment in inner Portland and how all our friends thought we had finally lost our minds for real.
What do you think? Have you ever lived carfree? Would you? What if you tried it?
*I get asked about bike trailers all the time now. We bought the Chariot Cougar 2. While pricey, it is the only trailer I recommend for families who are biking more than to the park and back. It's a bike trailer/stroller for families who are serious about using it as a primary mode of transportation.
**This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Today I want to write about our carfree lifestyle and how we have lived without a car for nearly two years now! That's right: two kids, one commute, no car. But before I tell you that story, I have to tell you this story...
2012 in Phoenix, Arizona
Rewind to the end of 2012. We were living in the exurbs of Phoenix, Arizona. We owned a large house (4 beds, 3 baths) with a giant backyard. We owned one pretty old car that got us around just fine. My husband, Ben, worked remotely and I was a stay-at-home mom to our two kids, so all four of us were home basically all the time.
Right up until about two weeks before our move date, we had planned to drive our car up to Oregon. We knew it wasn't in great shape and that it was leaking some fluids, but we didn't know just how bad it was until we took it to our mechanic for a little pre-trip tuneup. He basically said that we should only attempt the drive if we really wanted to get stranded somewhere in the middle of the desert and subsequently get eaten by wild coyotes. That didn't sound too fun, so we started considering alternatives.
Long story short, we decided to leave our car in Phoenix with some friends and sell it online. We flew up to Portland and had to decide what to do at that point. But before I tell you that story, I have to tell you this story...
The Financially Disastrous Trifecta
The year 2012 was a financially strenuous year for us. We were debt-free (besides the house) at the beginning of the year, but by the end we had incurred over $10,000 in medical debt because our then-baby, Lily, got MRSA, underwent emergency surgery, and spent a couple of days in the hospital. Add onto that Ben's job loss. Add onto that our car went caput. Add onto that the fact that when we moved to Oregon our house in Phoenix still hadn't sold, so we were making our mortgage payments and paying for utilities in Phoenix while paying rent and utilities in Oregon. Needless to say, we were strapped financially and it was uncertain how long we would be making payments on two houses. And we didn't have a car.
Unwilling to go into more debt, we decided to buy some bikes and try our hand at carfree living. Portland is well known for its public transit system and biking infrastructure, even in the suburbs. We kind of shrugged our shoulders, looked at each other, and said, "Why not? Let's see how long we can go without a car. Let's just see how long we can do it. Maybe it will be fun?" We never had plans to go more than a few weeks or months.
Carfree for Realsies
We scoured Craigslist and found a couple of bikes and a trailer* for the kids. We learned to navigate the public transit system and found that we could basically get everywhere we needed to go via bus or bike. Ben commuted nearly an hour into Portland everyday on the MAX (Portland's light rail), while I took the kids all over the place in the trailer or on the bus. We fell in love with our new lifestyle. We were getting exercise daily. We were saving hundreds of dollars every month. We found that our life was simpler and less stressful. We found that we were happier.
Next week I'll tell you more about how we moved from Beaverton to a 750 sq ft apartment in inner Portland and how all our friends thought we had finally lost our minds for real.
What do you think? Have you ever lived carfree? Would you? What if you tried it?
*I get asked about bike trailers all the time now. We bought the Chariot Cougar 2. While pricey, it is the only trailer I recommend for families who are biking more than to the park and back. It's a bike trailer/stroller for families who are serious about using it as a primary mode of transportation.
Borax Crystal Snowy Snowman | Winter Science Craft
This week I outdid myself. I did a science craft that is adorable and perfect for winter. Dear Reader, please meet Erwin, my beautiful borax crystal snowman. Please take special notice of his acorn hat.
Last month we made a whole bunch of borax crystal Christmas tree ornaments and gave some of them away as Christmas gifts. I love crystallizing stuff. It's gotten to the point now where everyone knows the signs. I pick up some random object. I get a goofy look on my face. I start boiling water and searching for the yarn. I'm officially addicted. I need a twelve-step program to end the pattern. "Hi, I'm Crystal. You probably guessed from my name that I like to make crystals. Please help me before I crystallize my neighbor's cat!" (That's right, Bernie, I'm comin' for ya.)
I'm just kidding, I'm not actually going to crystallize Bernie. But, for the record, he would look UH-mazing.
I am thrilled with how this project worked out. I'm not usually very crafty. I can count on one hand the number of times I have used a hot glue gun in my entire life. But one day I had an idea, nay, even a vision, of this cute little snowman I wanted to build. I imagined how the crystals would give him a glittery snow-dusted look. Guys, I have fallen in love all over again. With Erwin. He's adorable.
Total Time: About 20-30 minutes to assemble your snowman and get the borax solution set up. Then several hours to wait for the crystals to grow.
Safety Concerns: You will need to use a hot glue gun and boil water for this. Just watch the kiddos!
Materials You Need:
To Assemble the Snowman:
Pom poms of various sizes
Pipe cleaners (aka chenille stems)
Googly eyes
Various beads and yarn pieces, depending on how you want to adorn your snowman
An acorn top to use as a hat
Acrylic paint
Mod Podge
Hot glue gun
To Crystallize:
String
Pencil
Mug, vase, or jar
Boiling Water
Borax
Directions:
Assemble the Snowman:
To Crystallize:
The word crystal actually refers to any material that is arranged in an ordered form. Some crystals (like borax) are arranged into little cubes. Other crystals (like snowflakes) have six different arms. You can make crystals from many substances including salt, sugar, baking soda, borax, and epsom salt.
More borax dissolves in hot water than in cooler water, which creates a supersaturated solution. This is unstable. As the solution cools down the little borax particles come out of solution and crystallize easily.
I can't wait to see your snowy snowman and to hear what you name him! Be sure to post a picture on my Facebook page so we can all enjoy your creation :)
So now you have a big box of borax. What else can you do with it? How about making some slime? Or crystallizing more stuff like I've been doing all week? Let me know what you are up to in the comments!
*This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
I'm just kidding, I'm not actually going to crystallize Bernie. But, for the record, he would look UH-mazing.
I am thrilled with how this project worked out. I'm not usually very crafty. I can count on one hand the number of times I have used a hot glue gun in my entire life. But one day I had an idea, nay, even a vision, of this cute little snowman I wanted to build. I imagined how the crystals would give him a glittery snow-dusted look. Guys, I have fallen in love all over again. With Erwin. He's adorable.
Safety Concerns: You will need to use a hot glue gun and boil water for this. Just watch the kiddos!
Materials You Need:
To Assemble the Snowman:
Pom poms of various sizes
Pipe cleaners (aka chenille stems)
Googly eyes
Various beads and yarn pieces, depending on how you want to adorn your snowman
An acorn top to use as a hat
Acrylic paint
Mod Podge
Hot glue gun
To Crystallize:
String
Pencil
Mug, vase, or jar
Boiling Water
Borax
Directions:
Assemble the Snowman:
- Paint the acorn top with acrylic paint. When dry, seal with Mod Podge. Set aside and let dry.
- Use hot glue to assemble your snowman. Be creative! Stick the pom poms together first. Then glue on the eyes, nose, mouth, etc. I cut a pipe cleaner into smaller pieces and glued them to the sides for arms.
- Lastly, glue on the acorn hat. Be generous on the glue on this one.
- Tie a string to the top of the acorn top and hot glue it so it's good and secure.
- Attach the string to a pencil, pen, spoon, or other long object.
- Fill your jar or vase with boiling water. Add 3 TBSP borax per cup of water and stir. It's okay if some borax settles on the bottom of your container.
- Lower your snowman into the hot water/borax mixture. Make sure it is not touching the sides or the bottom of your container, and that you can get it through the mouth of your container easily. Feel free to trim or bend your snowman accordingly.
- Make sure your jar is in a quiet place where it won't be disturbed. You don't want it to get jostled or bumped at all while the crystals are growing.
- After a couple of hours you will start to see crystals growing! Leave your mixture overnight for best results, or remove your snowman after just a few hours if you just want a light dusting of crystals.
- Let your snowman dry on a paper towel for an hour or so. Then pick it up and admire it in the sunlight. Grab your magnifying glass to get a closer look at your crystals!
- Name your snowman. Display him proudly. Take a picture and post it on the Science Kiddo Facebook page for us all to enjoy!
More borax dissolves in hot water than in cooler water, which creates a supersaturated solution. This is unstable. As the solution cools down the little borax particles come out of solution and crystallize easily.
So now you have a big box of borax. What else can you do with it? How about making some slime? Or crystallizing more stuff like I've been doing all week? Let me know what you are up to in the comments!
*This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
