Home Made Bouncy Ball

Who knew you could make a homemade bouncy ball that *actually* bounces?! And that you could make it out of household items?

 

Experiments with Borax

A quick word of common sense caution before the details on making a DIY bouncy ball: Although experiments with Borax makes great DIY for kids projects, , Borax is not edible, so don’t let you toddler chew on the ball.

Materials to Make a Bouncy Ball

*Note:  The first time we did this experiment we followed a post from a fellow crafter and there  instructions   We were disappointed that the ball was not translucent the and wasn’t that bouncy.  So, we modified the experiment a few times until we got a Super Bouncy Ball. The ingredients listed below are from the original recipe, but we encourage you to try our version, which reduces the cornstarch to 1/2 tablespoon, adds the food coloring to the second cup instead of the first cup, and mixes the second cup’s ingredients first before adding the borax solution from the first cup.

• two cups
• measuring spoons
• a coffee stir stick (or something to stir the solutions)
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon borax (find it in the laundry detergent section of your local store)
• 1 tablespoon glue
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• food coloring (optional)
• plastic bag (for storing your ball)

How To Make A Bouncy Ball

Step 1

Pour the water and borax into the first cup and stir the mixture until it is dissolved.  We used just boiled water from the kettle, so it was more hot than warm.

Step 2

Pour the glue, cornstarch, food coloring, and 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture from the first cup into the second cup.  We got the best results when we mixed the glue, cornstarch, and food coloring first, and then poured in the borax mixture.

Step 3

Let the ingredients in the second cup interact on their own for about 15 seconds, then stir.

Step 4

Once the mixture becomes difficult to stir, scoop it out of the cup, and roll it into a ball.  
Super easy. Super bouncy.
Great for Races, Estimating, and just plain fun!


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With School almost out we thought it would be fun to post some fun ideas you can do at home with little or no cost this summer.

I love all the different bugs, animals, people, and other designs you can make  by just finger painting. In my own experience I have tried  many variety's  of stamp pads,  painting pads,  the list can go on forever with the variety of items you can purchase in todays market.
When working with kiddos I found the end result most times ended up with a muddled mess that didn't showcase the true colors.

 

So we set out to make our own and here's how we did it;



I found these great shimmy's at our local Dollar Tree.  I   cut the shammy into small manageable  pieces. I sprayed them down with a water bottle to lightly moisten. The first time I over wet them so be sure to just mist. Add a small amount of tempera paint , about a quarter sized to each square,  using a brush or fingers you then can paint with ease.  As the paint thins out it really turns into a unique stamp pad.  You can wash out the shammy when your done and reuse .

www.kidslutter.com

Using this idea for finger paint is simple, cost effective way of making your colors pop and setting your kiddos up for success
visit;
www.kidslutter.com for more ideas and tools to help your child be successful in school and at play.




 

we used minimal paint for this effect

Summer Fun

Hello and welcome to the beginning of summertime! Longer days and warmer weather. However, school is out and that requires a bit more organization on our part as parents. So, what is the plan?

Perhaps you have a family vacation planned and that will take getting everyone on the same page with packing and what to bring. A suggestion would be create a to do list for the family and give each member a task to complete for this trip. Even our little one's can get their toys together and help pack. Infact, they love doing those things more than we do sometimes. Make this vacation a memorable one in planning, getting ready to go and being on the trip together. This will also help your children see what goes into taking a trip and a teachable moment in giving them early skills to keep organized and help.

Maybe you are staying home this summer and keeping low key. There is always so much going on during the school year and a quiet summer sounds like the road to travel. The local pool, a picnic or the park. The expense to do activities is sometimes outrageous.

However, it does not always have to be. In most cities, some of the major museums and zoos have a free day during the summer to explore. Check online for your local opportunities and plan a free day with the family. A picnic lunch is a great way to complete this fun day.

A ballgame can be less expensive as well. Look for the family nights where you can get four tickets and dinner for a reasonable fee. Perhaps you encourage your family to look forward to this night. Set up some summer chores around the house where everyone participates and the reward is the game.

On an academic note, let your children pick out some great summer reading books at the library. Keep their skills up in this area and map out family reading time each day. Reading will always promote positive skills and keep children engaged in the learning process. Some libraries even host a challenge of some sort to read so many hours during the summer and then your child can receive a reward from them. Check your local library to find out what summer activities they have as well.

Whatever this summer brings you, remember to practice safety and have fun. Family time seems to be shorter these days and summer is usually a time when the sports and club activities require less meeting time. Use that time to reconnect and find that family laughter with time together. Take a walk, ride your bikes, cook-out and sit on the patio, play board games and find the fun.

We at www.kidsklutter.com wish you a healthy, safe and fun summer filled with family and friends...

Happy Summer!

Summer Organization

By Deb Morgans

Time to get your kids organized for summer and keep your sanity

Are your kids getting tired and ready for summer? Those last few weeks of school can be the most difficult. Knowing that your children need some down time is a good thing but getting them ready for summer can be frustrating. We can help.

First of all, it is important to clean up this past school year. As the school days come to an end, a good tip is to find a place at the beginning of the year where you can collect school papers, reports and other things from your child’s schoolwork. I use a bin or a shelf for each of my children and just put everything in there as the year progresses. I usually do not throw anything away until I clean it out at the end of the year because I always find that my child needs something they have forgotten to turn in at a later time. At the end of the school year, I go through the papers and take a sample of every subject along with some art work and special reports. I put them in a folder and write the school year on the front and file it in a memories box for my child to look at later. Or, ask your child to help you pick out the things you both would like to keep. This helps give them closure on the year and is a way to build them up about their success they just finished. It is a good way to see progress over the years and you have an automatic portfolio of your child’s work! My children love to go back through those memories on a rainy or snowy day.

Then comes getting ready for summer; I find the summer the most difficult for children.
The first few weeks are always great. They play, they hand around, day events are planned but then all of a sudden we, as parents, cannot wait for school to begin again. They start to get bored or seem unglued at times. I started realizing that what they need is some sort of summer routine. All children do best when they know what is coming. That is why they can be so successful in school. Routine is the key. Of course, we do not want to routine them out during the summer, BUT it is important for them to have some sort of schedule or balance in their summer days. Too much of any one thing as they say is not good. So, make sure your days are balanced with outside activities, reading, a short amount of TV, games and events that engage their minds and bodies.

And, if your child was struggling in a subject during the school year, integrate some basic skills in their day as summer moves on. There are plenty of ways to keep a child’s skills up in the summer without making it feel like school. Visiting the library is a great example and most of them have a summer reading program that will work toward a reward. And there are many skill books in our bookstores that will help children keep up. Just have a time where your child will complete a few pages each day or every other day. Other examples of keeping children engaged are letting them help plan mid-day meals, shop for the items and prepare them also. Cooking is a great skill and children love to eat.

In closing, remember that they need to be outside in the sunlight daily so don’t forget the sunscreen. Outside chores are a good way to engage the video game child. And one final note…we tend to let them have a “whatever” time you want to stay up till attitude in the summer; however, that really works against our children and their ability to self regulate when they are too tired. So, some days are good to say ok but it is better to try to stick to a routine time even if it is just a little later then the school year. You will find that your child has a much better time making positive decisions during the day, interacting with other children and feeling good about themselves. And, you will find that you feel better yourself!

Blessings to you and your family for a fun, safe and healthy summer!