Summer is here and it’s time to start thinking about ideas to keep the kids entertained. That is why I’m so excited about the new book, 101 Kids Activities, by two of my favorite bloggers and friends!
If you have kids, you will LOVE 101 Kids Activities by Holly Homer and Rachel Miller from Kids Activities Blog! I’m excited to share one of the cool kid activities from the book today along with a giveaway!
This book really will save me this summer! Full of simple crafts, boredom busters, games and experiments, now I won’t have to think much this summer, just tell the kids to open up the book and pick an idea to do! Yay! Thanks Holly and Rachel:-)
From Slimy Goop Recipes and Simple Science Play to DIY Water Bottle Bangles, you’ll find creative ideas for both boys and girls. After flipping through the book, it’s really hard to decide which one to do first.
My daughter has been bookmarking the ideas she wants to do this summer! We have a lot saved.
What I love so much about this book are the modified ideas for younger and older kids. I wish I had this as a teenager when I spent several summers babysitting! If you have babysitters, this book is a must get for them.
Enjoy this cool craft idea for kids and be sure to scroll down (or click over to the blog if you are reading from email) to enter to win a FREE 101 Kids Activities book!
Fizzing Sidewalk Paint
[pullquote]From 101 Kids Activities by Holly Homer and Rachel Miller, printed with permission of Page Street Publishing June 2014[/pullquote]This activity trumps ordinary sidewalk chalk with a little science magic by creating a chalk-based paint and then spritzing on a little fizz. It all starts with pH. When solutions that are pH base mix with an acid, action happens!
You’ll need
- Large mixing bowl
- 1 (1-pound [454 g]) box baking soda
- ½ cup (63 g) cornstarch
- Warm water
- Several containers to hold the paint
- Food coloring
- Paintbrush(es)
- Spray bottle filled with vinegar—1 per child
- Buckets for cleanup
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, mix the baking soda and the cornstarch together. Add the warm (almost hot) water, stirring until it is the consistency of pancake batter. Split the recipe into several containers, adding the food coloring color of your choice to each.
Use the homemade paint to create a scene or flick it with a paintbrush into a modern masterpiece. It is best to work fast because the paint dries quickly (but can always be diluted with the addition of more warm water).
Once the painting is in place, it is time for something a little extra. Spray the artwork with the vinegar-filled bottle and watch what happens. Your artwork will sizzle and pop!
About Cleanup
A bucketful of water splashed across the art can make it disappear. Because that is fun, too, you might not want to wait for rain.
Modifications for Younger Kids
If a paintbrush is hard to negotiate in the paint, give your children a spoon and let them drip or drop spoonfuls of paint onto the pavement. For the little ones, be sure to fully supervise when they spray vinegar. It can sting little eyes.
Modifications for Older Kids
This activity is an easy way to work in a lesson on reactions between acids and base chemicals and talk about why this works. Maybe you can have your budding scientists adapt the recipe to see whether they can get bigger bubbles and more fizz in their next batch of paint.
TIP
Do you have a prewriting preschooler? Use a turkey baster to squirt vinegar at the paint. The grasping and squeezing helps strengthen finger muscles they will use when they are writing.
Stephanie Fisher says
planning my son’s 8th birthday party and our first grandsons, twin boys, were just born.
sara says
To be honest, we are taking care of my dying father, he is living with us. Hopefully we will squeeze in some fun and pool time with my little girls.
Lesley Withers says
I'm visiting friends and family!
christyh72 says
We are spending lots of time in the pool this summer!!!
Cheryl Rahkonen says
This summer I hope to be swimming and gardening. Also, I will be repainting in the house.
Michelle Paige says
We have a couple of family road trips this summer! Can’t wait!
Ciara Garcia says
To have more crazy, fun and enjoying time with my daughter
Lacey says
Looking forward to sending specia homemadel gifts and toys to send/give to my neices and nephew!)
Stacia Kidder says
I want to buy pool noodles and try the marble activity that you posted!
emily r says
Spending time with my daughters and my mom.
Indra says
Spending time at home with the kiddos. The book would be quite helpful 🙂
laurenerhoades says
Would love to have this book to come up with cool craft projects for the kids I teach!
foodandcrafts says
We are doing nothing – no schedules and relaxing.
Kindra R. says
We’re doing swim lessons and art projects.
Donna says
Road Trips with the trailer.
Kim says
Going to the beach!
Allison Almond says
i have no plan for summer yet – winging it
Kathy Schultz says
I'm working so I can send the kids to their many camps!
Rhonda Dillingham Crouch says
I'm looking forward to all my grandchildren coming for a two week visit. The Kids' Activity Book could provide many hours of fun and memories during their stay!
Eva Marie Scott says
we are spending the summer relaxing, swimming and lots of play dates!
Sheri Zilinskas says
This summer will be spent setting up for my new preschool opening in September! Woo hoo!
Natalie Yarbrough says
This summer I am looking forward to traveling to Colorado to visit my brother.
Carol Sinsel Docken says
I am spending one week in June, July & August with my grandson. I am always on the lookout for fun things we can do together.
Kimberly says
Playing with our five children, ages 10 and under, outside. We are fixing up a treehouse, exploring our land, taking photographs for a summer scrapbook, swimming, etc. This book looks great!
Anneke says
We’re going rock hunting at the lake!
Lisa says
We have a trip,to the beach planned.
Jen Shoemaker Wallace says
Keeping my 6 kids busy and entertained by doing fun crafty projects like this!! 🙂
Pamela A. Lopez says
Lots of family time: Camping, boating and backyard movie nights!
Jasmine Wu says
I'm going to explore the local area and try new things!
Jessica w says
hoping for a few pool days
Mia Sammut says
hopefully swimming in our pool and using these great summer activity ideas
Kimberly Martin G says
We are going to Bar Harbor, Maine.
Jenny Kime says
Leaving for Hawaii today. Start teaching art in the fall. Would love to win your book :0)
Jennifer Hughes says
We’ll be moving at the end of the summer, so there aren’t a lot of funds to go on vacation. We’ll be trying to find fun stuff to do around home while mom and dad try to work :/
Jennifer Buel says
We love making memorable summers by spending lots of time outside! Camping, swimming, picnics, exploring, traveling… all things we look forward to.
Wendy Winget Cleffi says
Looking forward to no real schedule with meetings, lessons, practices, games, tournaments, etc. and spending quality time with my 8,10 and 13 year old:0)
Jodi Russell says
Keeping a friends kids for the summer and heading to the beach!!! Hopefully lots of fun and crafting!
Catherine Spencer Nathanson says
We will be going camping in Kings Canyon Yosemite National Park
Janet says
I will be sitting on my front porch on my days off and sipping water with lemon and lime reading a good book or taking a walk in the beautiful nature around me. Two of my favorite things!
Susan P says
Such a wonderful collection of activities. I can’t wait to try them with my grandbabies!
Audrey Byrd says
Great idea!
Lesley Johnston says
plan on many more beach trips than last year!
Christine Passler says
Looking forward to eating meals outside as much as possible!
Abigail says
We’ll be outside as much as possible going to the beach, bike rides, nature hikes and picnics!
Stephanie Pensinger says
We’ll probably go to the beach….a lot!!
MARISSA HOWARD says
I’m trying to keep my 6 year old and 9 month old busy this summer!
Barbara Platt says
spending time with my g-kids
Erika W. says
We just got back from Dollywood in TN. We are also planning on going to Washington, DC later in the summer. Other than that, we hit up the pool and beach and do fun things around the house to keep busy!
Lauren Wyler says
We’re taking some time to relax and have no plans around the house, VBS, and a trip to the beach!
shannon says
Can’t wait to do this with the wee ones!
Lisa Carpenter says
I'm spending as much time as possible with my grandsons, as the third arrives next week (we hope!) — meaning Southwest Airlines will be making mega-bucks off this long-distance grandma.
Fallon Roy says
We're preparing to move out of state….and taking a 10 day beach vacation 🙂