Kitchen Experiments with Mom in the Know

Making Super Soapy Play dough

Ingredients:

2 cups of flour

½ cup salt

1 tbsp of liquid soap

8-10 drops food colouring

Water

Directions:

1. Mix flour, salt, and food colouring together in a bowl

2. Slowly add water until a workable dough is formed. You are adding the water to work towards a well combined consistency. If the dough becomes too sticky, add a little more flour.

Idea! This recipe makes a little less than three cups. Make more colours and give to your friends.

Magic Messaging

Send your friends an invisible message or picture using this Magic paint.

Ingredients:

1Tbsp baking soda

2 tbsp water

6-8 drops food colouring

Directions:

1. Mix 1tbsp of water and 1 tbsp of baking soda together.

2. Dip your paintbrush into the mixture and write your message or create your picture on a sheet of paper.

3. Let the message completely dry

4. To divulge your message, mix together the remaining 1tbsp water and food colouring in a bowl. Using a brush and the coloured mixture, paint over the Magic message. Your message will be revealed.

Idea

Use the Magic Messages and make cards for special occasions.

Water Colours

Create your own water colours using water and food colouring. You can adjust the lightness and darkness of the colours by experimenting how many drops to add

Magic Milk

Fill the bottom of a bowl with milk. Spread a few drops of food colouring around the bowl. Be sure it remains on top. Use different colours if you would like. Add a drop of dish detergent and watch the laws of emulsification at work. The dish water breaks down the fat in the milk just like it breaks down the grease on our dishes.

Erupting volcano and blowing up a balloon

Items you will need

Vinegar

Baking Soda

Food colouring if you choose

Balloon

Funnel

Plate

Directions

Errupting Volcano

Place vinegar in the in the bottom of your jar/glass or vase add 8-10 drops of food colouring. Put your chosen vessel on a plate to catch the volcano. Add up to two tablespoons of baking soda depending on the vessel you choose to experiment with and watch your volcano erupt.

Blowing up a Balloon

Choose an old plastic soda bottle. Fill the bottom with a cup of vinegar. 

Using a funnel add a tablespoon of baking soda into the balloon. Put the mouth of the balloon over the soda bottle making sure the soda does not spill into the vinegar. When you are ready, put the balloon upwards and let the baking soda fall into the bottle. Enjoy the results.

Making Crystal Creations

Items You will Need

Large Jar (take a look through your recycle bin)

Borax 

Pipe Cleaners

Pencil

String

Water

Food colouring

Directions

1. Fill the jar with boiling water. 

2. Pour Borax into the jar one spoonful at a time until it no longer dissolves and settles on the bottom of the jar.

3. Stir in 10-12 drops of food colouring

4. Use a pipe cleaner and create shapes or forms.

5. Tie one end of the string around the pipe cleaner creation and the other around the pencil.

6. Place the pencil on the jar lid so the pipe cleaner is suspended in the middle of the Borax solution.

7. Let stand overnight. Remove the crystal covered sculpture and let it dry.

Ideas

Create several crystal sculptures and make a mobile.

Greenhouse in a Bag

A great way to learn how plants grow. 

Items You will Need

Small plastic zip bag

4 wet cotton balls

3-4 large seeds (beans work best)

Clear tape

Directions

1. Place the wet cotton balls in the zip bag with the seeds placed against them.

2. Seal the zip bag and tape it to a window where it will collect plenty of sunlight. You will see growth from the seeds within 3-5 days!

3. After your sprouts grow at least 1 inch, you can transfer into soil and the plant will continue to grow.

Idea

Make several Greenhouses in a bag using different types of seeds. You can compare how different seeds sprout and get ready for your summer garden. 

Spaghetti Art

A great way to transform leftover spaghetti into works of art. 

Items You Will Need

White glue

Cold cooked spaghetti

Wax paper

Assorted colours of glitter

Directions

1. Pour some glue into a small bowl.

2. Dip a few strands of spaghetti at a time into the glue

3. Create different designs by arranging the glue covered spaghetti strands on a sheet of wax paper. It is important to make sure that the strands of spaghetti are connected and touching each other.

4. Cover the glue covered spaghetti with glitter.

5. Let your designs completely dry.

6. Carefully peel the wax paper away from the spaghetti art.

Idea

Use your spaghetti designs to create a mobile or window decorations.

Bean Mosaics

This creative mosaic could be used to create greeting cards, picture frames and small boxes.

What You Will Need

White glue

Dried beans (pinto, kidney, lima bean, etc.)

Heavy paper or cardboard.

Pencil

Directions

1. Use a pencil and draw a picture on a heavy sheet of paper or cardboard.

2. Use white glue to dill in a small area of the picture.

3. Immediately cover the glue with the beans of your choice. Repeat the process until the entire picture is complete.

Idea

Light coloured beans can be stained by painting them. Combine 1 tbsp. of water and 4-6 drops food colouring.

Hand-Made Bubbles

What You Will Need

1 cup of warm water

2 tbsp of dishwashing liquid

Directions

Pour the warm water into the bowl. Gently stir the dishwashing liquid.

Silly Putty

There are many ways to make silly putty. This is the site I used www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/silly/putty.html

A special thanks to ideas inspired by John E. Thomas and Tracey Gunnlaugson.

What experiments or concoctions do you like to do with your family? Please share.