The one thing every mom wants forMother’s Dayis more time with her kids. Whether that means going for a family hike, planting flowers or baking a cake, the experiences you share create lasting memories. Include a thoughtful gift to remind her of the day and you have the perfect Mother’s Day plan.
Plant a Garden
Does your mom have a green thumb? Indulge her love for gardening with a day spent in the dirt. Come prepared with a thoughtful selection of seeds and bulbs.
After you’ve tended the flowers, take a break to drink some lemonade and present Mom with some beautiful Gardenering Hand Cream from Terra 20.
Have a Picnic
Recapture old traditions with a picnic in the park. Good food and some fun games are all you need for a wonderful afternoon with mom. Need some help with a few goodies or a perfect gift? Thyme and Again has a beautiful selection of gift baskets, napkins and scrumptious treats for you Mom.
Go for a Hike The mom who loves the great outdoors won’t say no to a hike, so go ahead and hit the trail. Explore the Gatineau Hills or stick to your own neighbourhood. Is Mom and avid hiker? She will love one of these beautiful daypacks from Mountain Equipment Co-op.
Take a Bike Ride
There’s nothing like a leisurely bike ride on Mother’s Day. Our city is full of lovely bike paths and green spaces for you to enjoy together. Gather the family for a ride and don’t forget the bike-friendly gifts, like this sweet bike basket from Bushtukah.
Bake Something Together
For moms who love to bake, a date in the kitchen (with help from her family sous chefs) will be an experience to treasure. Pick up all the ingredients in advance, and don’t forget to take notes on her techniques for making the greatest treats of all time. For the perfect gift, consider a delightful new apron from Kitchenalia.
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.
Scrambling around for something new to delight your kids on Easter Morning? It may be time to put your basket aside and create some excitement with these alternatives to the traditional basket.
April Showers
What kids does not love an umbrella? Fill these colourful bubble umbrellas with springtime treats. Layer the base with a little Easter grass and add books, DVDs, kids gardening tools, Lego, a little candy and a few dollar store toys.
Pick a Theme
Every kid goes through stages. From Superheros to Barbie, Bubble Guppies to Shopkins there are times when our little ones just can’t get enough of a certain show, book or character. Easter is the perfect time to take advantage of a trend and wow them. This cute Shopkins basket incorporates a colourful tutu and matching hot pink accessories. Super sweet without a lot of candy.
Rainboots – Easter’s Answer to the Christmas Stocking
If you can fill a Christmas Stocking, you can fill a pair of little rubber boots to delight your bunnies on Easter morning. Stuff the toes with colourful socks and spring gloves. Add some silly sunglasses, a few treats, colouring books and pencils. After breakfast, be sure to take a walk outside looking out for springtime puddles.
Pool Party
Here’s a clever idea? Use a pool towel and googles to create a cute little summer bunny. Fill the rest of the towel with lip balm, sun screen, flip flops and a few Easter surprises.
Baker’s Delight
Older kids love to bake and create in the kitchen. This bright mixing bowl is filled baking supplies and equipment for hours of fun. Include different pastel cupcake liners, spatulas, measuring cups, an apron and boxed mixes to try. You never know, you may find an extra treat on your Easter dinner table.
Movie Night
Don’t forget the bigger kids. You can find these reusable popcorn containers at any dollar store or Walmart. Fill them with movie tickets, candy, popcorn and gift cards.
The New York Times calls it "the best musical of this century." The Washington Post says, "It is the kind of evening that restores your faith in musicals." And Entertainment Weekly says, "Grade A: the funniest musical of all time." Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show calls it "Genius. Brilliant. Phenomenal." It's THE BOOK OF MORMON, the nine-time Tony Award®-winning Best Musical.
This outrageous musical comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word. Now with standing room only productions in London, on Broadway, and across North America,THE BOOK OF MORMON has truly become an international sensation. Contains explicit language.
Kids love cooking and doing experiments, so food science experiments are like the best of both worlds for them. It’s amazing how many different experiments you can do with a few simple pantry items. Here is a roundup of some of my favourite kitchen science experiments for you to try with your kids on a cold winter day.
Coffee Dough
Make this versatile play dough from used coffer grinds. You can bake it to save your childrens’ masterpieces. I love the smell of it and the kids love the odd texture.
Supplies
1 cup used coffee grinds
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Instructions
Mix dry ingredients. Add water and stir to form a soft dough. Once shape has been finalized. Bake in 200 degree oven for 45 minutes.
Erupting Volcano
There’s nothing more exciting than reliving your childhood through your own kids. Remember making the volcanic eruption with tin foil on a cookie sheet? Here’s a fun alternative using the coffee play dough to create a more real-to life, environmentally friendly base.
Supplies
Baking Soda
Vinegar
Instructions
Place some of the baking soda into your volcano and add some of the vinegar
Teaching Moment
The baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a base while the vinegar (acetic acid) is an acid. When they react together they form carbonic acid which is very unstable, it instantly breaks apart into water and carbon dioxide, which creates all the fizzing as it escapes the solution.
Bouncy Ball
Supplies
1 T. white glue
1/2 tsp. borax powder
food colouring
3 T. cornstarch
4 T. warm water
Instructions
In one cup, combine the warm water, cornstarch and borax. In another cup or bowl, put the glue.
Next, add several drops of food coloring to the white glue and stir well.
Give your water/borax/cornstarch mixture a good stir to combine all the ingredients (the cornstarch has a tendency to settle on the bottom). Then pour the water mixture into the colored glue.
Stir and you'll see it immediately start to clump together. Stir a bit more until you have one big, slimy glob.
Take the glob out of the liquid and begin rolling it between the palms of your hands to form a ball. It'll be sticky at first, so keep a paper towel handy to wipe off your hands occasionally. Soon a rubbery ball will form.
Blow up a Balloon
Here’s a fun way to blow up an everyday balloon using baking soda and vinegar.
Supplies
Balloon
Small bottle
Small funnel
2 T. Baking soda (2 tablespoons per student)
6 T. Vinegar
Instructions
Using the funnel, add the baking soda to each balloon (two people may be needed for this; one person to hold the balloon open and the other person to put the baking soda inside of the balloon).
Pour the vinegar into the bottle.
Carefully fit the balloon over the bottle opening (be careful not to drop the baking soda into the vinegar yet).
Once the balloon is fitted snugly on the nozzle, hold up the balloon and allow the baking soda to fall into the vinegar.
Observe the chemical reaction and effect on the balloon.
Soda and Mentos Explosion
Supplies
1 roll of Mentos chewy mints
2-liter bottle of diet soda
Sheet of paper to roll into a tube
Instructions
Go outside where you can make a big mess.
Open the bottle of Coke and place it on the ground.
Roll the paper into a tube so that the Mentos will just fit inside. Hold the tube of paper upright and put the card over the bottom of the tube.
Load 4-6 Mentos into the tube, holding the card so they don’t fall out.
Carefully hold the tube and card directly on top of the bottle, lining up the tube and the mouth of the bottle.Pull the card out from under the tube, letting the Mentos drop into the bottle.
Super Slime
Supplies
School glue
Borax (Sodium tetraborate)
Food coloring (optional)
Water
Two bowls
Instructions
In one bowl mix 1 oz. glue (about ¼ of the glue bottle) and ½ cup water. If you want colored slime, add food coloring to the glue and water mixture. Add ¼ cup of borax to the glue and water mixture and stir slowly.
Stir as much as you can, then dig in and knead it with your hands until it gets less sticky.. Don't worry about any leftover water in the bowl. Just pour it out.
Teaching Moment
The glue has an ingredient called polyvinyl acetate, which is a liquid polymer. The borax links the polyvinyl acetate molecules to each other, creating one large, flexible polymer. This kind of slime will get stiffer and more like putty the more you play with it.
Brownie in a Mug
All done experimenting for the day? Treat yourselves to a cool glass of milk and one of this delicious brownies that you can make in a mug.
Ingredients
4 T. Flour
4 T. Sugar2 T. Cocoa powder
2 T. Vegetable Oil
2 T. Water
Dash of salt
Mug
Instructions
Add te sugar, flour, cocoa, and salt to the mug and mix. Then add the oil and water and mix the dry and wet ingredients together. Be sure to be thorough, there's a tendency for clumps of the dry ingredients to form
Microwave for two minutes and enjoy. Thanks to Carson for sharing his favourite recipe idea.
Monday, May 8, 2017 at 11:32AM 
