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!


.

 

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

Time for Routine and Organization - After School

Part 3 in a 3 part series...

What happens when your kids come home from school? Do you expect homework to be completed right away? Can they have a snack? What about play time? It is important to realize each child is different and some schedules that work for one of your children may not be the best for the other.

Children do need some quiet time and down time after school. Completing homework has to be done and you will need to decide when it works for you, your after school schedule and your child(ren). Keep this a routine so that your kids will know the expectation. Also, monitor any anxiety around your after school schedule. This will help you determine what will work best. Home work should always be done in a suitable place in your home. A desk or table with a well lit area is good. Keep the outside distractions to a minimum. You should plan to supervise, encourage and praise. This is a great place to make learning creative – make sure you and your child are having fun in this process. Laughing and finding new ways to learn difficult concepts can be fun for everyone in the family. If someone is struggling with something, make a game up to play at the dinner table and have everyone participate regardless of their age. It is easier than you think to scale down an older concept or build a younger concept up. This will engage each other in this journey together.

Organization will take time and looks different each school year as your child(ren) grow. Remember that they have to start with a clean slate each year and sometimes that means parents have to be a bit more flexible in creating a new routine. Make sure that you do not over schedule your kids in after school activities. 1-2 is plenty. Let them be kids. And make sure you do not over schedule yourself in school activities and meetings. Your child(ren) need you more during the school year. And finally, everyone in the house must get a good night’s sleep so work on that night time routine and make sure that your kids are getting 8-12 hours if possible. Research shows that even through high school kids need a good night’s rest so that their brain can re-set for the next day.

In closing, remember you do not have to be super-mom or super-dad. Your child(ren) need to know that and they need to see that you have difficulties as well. This is natural and helps them understand their own feelings. It is ok to say no to your kids and to outside commitments. Keep yourself healthy, get a good night’s rest and know that if something did not get done today, there is always tomorrow.

We are building strong minds and creative imaginations. This takes a life time to achieve.

Blessings to each of you this school year!

Time for Routine and Organization

Part 2 of a 3 part series...

Now that the kids are in school think about what will happen in your day. Whether you are a stay at home mom, dad or work full time the school year changes the dynamics of any schedule. Make sure the tasks of carpools, bus schedules, after school clubs and other important dates are on a master calendar. A suggestion is to keep a master calendar in the kitchen somewhere or in a very visible spot where everyone in the family can see it. If you are talking about multiple schedules then think about color coding your kids so that they will know what they have coming. If your children are younger, try making a picture calendar to give them information at their level of understanding and this way they feel like part of the master plan as well.

Make sure that you have had the opportunity to visit the school with your child(ren). Most schools have an ice cream social or back to school night. It is important for your child to see that you are interested in their education and also let the teacher know you will be working along side of them during the school year in making sure your child is successful. If your child is new to the school, make sure you help them find places like the bathroom, the office, the lunchroom. Although, they get a tour when school starts this will help with any anxiety around the start of school. Even returning students may have nervous feelings about their new class. If your child is bigger, then empower them by having them show you around the school and where their class is located. They will feel at ease if they have a question or concern by being put in a more responsible place. How many of us have heard this statement over and over…”Mom, I know.”

It is important that you stay on top of what your child is eating for lunch and snacks throughout the day. Healthy choices begin at a young age and stay with kids throughout adolescence into adulthood. Set the example early. Find out if the school lunches being served are balanced and if your child will actually even eat them. Otherwise, send a balanced lunch. A snack should not be a sugary one and should provide enough substance to carry them through the day. A piece of fruit, a granola bar, cheese and crackers, etc. are all good examples. Always send a water bottle with your child. Most schools allow them and would rather the kids have easy access to water. This will cut down on the amount of times the children will ask to go and get a drink as well and
make more time for learning.

Part 3 ... After School

Time for Routine and Organization

Part 1 of a 3 part series...

It is that time again; time to get ready to return to school. Those long days of summer are nearing an end and soon everyone will return to a more routine schedule. That schedule can seem endless filled with school days, homework, after school clubs, sports, dance, carpool, meetings and leaving everyone looking forward to the weekend! Now is the time to set everyone up in the house to be more organized and have some daily expected routines.

Sounds wonderful! Now, where do we begin? A great way to begin is to shop for your school supplies online. kids klutter (www.kidsklutter.com) is a way to have your supplies taken care of keeping your sanity and taking the headache out of shopping at several stores. Since school is ready to begin, you may have already shopped for your supplies and realized it was not an easy task and was expensive…Well, next year think of us and we can help you get those supplies easier. So, now you have the school supplies and your children are ready to go!

Now what? How do I get my kids back into the school routine? A great place to start is with a family meeting. A meeting around a meal is always fun and communication happens naturally. Talk about the start of school, discuss concerns and build your kids up about the new adventure of meeting the teacher, new friends and seeing old faces as well. Acknowledge any fears they may have and let them know you are going to be there to help them get a good start. Also, talk about goals for the school year from each family member and write them down. Make sure you refer to those goals whenever possible to keep the kids on track. Let the family be involved in the daily routine and expectations you may have as parents. Talk about what things must be done and how the family will help one another get those things completed. This is also a good place to discuss safety, especially if your children are taking the bus or walking to school. Stranger danger awareness cannot start too early. There are many resources on this subject – check out your library for information and help your kids understand the importance of being safe at all times.

Agreeing to have a morning ritual is important since that is the first place everyone will feel successful in beginning the day with the feeling of accomplishment that will carry each of you. Wake-up times, getting ready, morning jobs and eating a healthy breakfast are all things that need to happen regularly so make them a part of the daily routine. Make sure all homework and backpacks are done and packed the night before and are kept in the same spot for easy pick up the following morning on the way out the door. Having the kids get their clothes and shoes ready the night before is a time saver in the morning and can be a part of their nighttime routine.

These are all steps in getting you and your kids organized ongoing.

Part 2 ... Back to School