Snow Day Fizzy Paint
It was supposed to be the midst of a glorious snowstorm. Sofía was supposed to get out and play in the snow, and make snowballs, and get completely tuckered out. Both kids were supposed to finally get a little bit of mileage out of those matching snowsuits I bought them (and neglected to bring to Missouri over Christmas, where of course it snowed like twelve inches).
But instead it ended up just being another nasty, rainy, gloomy, frigid March day. Sofía was stuck inside, Josh had taken the big car (with carseats) fearing snowy roads, so we couldn’t go anywhere. Sofía was so grumpy over the lack of snow that she refused to get dressed or leave her room.
Until I suggested fizzy painting.
You start with a cookie sheet covered in a layer of baking soda. (I get a huge bag of baking soda from Costco because I use it for so much).
I put an inch or so of vinegar into the bottoms of a clutch of small Mason jars and gave her a dropper. Sofía got to choose her own food colors to put in and mix up. The purple didn’t work – something about the acid – so she got to mix in other colors and make “whatever.”
(“Whatever” turns out to be a kind of rusty brownish orange.)
Dropperfuls of colorful vinegar on the “sheet” of baking soda make delightful fizzes and pops. Sofía was entranced. And amused for almost an hour.
Once the chemical reactions were exhausted, she had a cookie sheet’s worth of colorful “mud” to rub her hands in and try and sculpt things with. A fully sensory experience.
Her palms will probably be neon pink for at least a few days, but she had so much fun.
March 6th, 2013 at 9:12 pm
Fun!
March 8th, 2013 at 8:21 am
Wonderful activity for “V” week! Thanks!
March 13th, 2013 at 3:32 am
another activity I just saw on a pinterest post–make a masking tape hopscotch board on a hall floor and teach Sofia how to play hopscotch. Tape should come off easily if it is removed each time she loses interest…
love the fizzy painting idea though. Does the mixture sculpt or just fall apart?
March 19th, 2013 at 9:55 pm
Well, after you dump allllll the vinegar on it, like Sofía did, you’re left with just… slop. :/She seemed to like it, though.
March 15th, 2013 at 5:30 pm
I emailed the link to this post to my husband. Emailed me back “I was thinking ‘Meh’ until I saw it kept her entranced for an hour.” That’s always a win in my mind!
March 19th, 2013 at 9:54 pm
Now I have to admit Sofía can be a leeettle hyperfocused… but hey, if it doesn’t work you’re out what, 50 cents? Seriously!
March 15th, 2013 at 5:34 pm
You know, one day I’m going to sit down and read your whole blog-up to the point were I began reading it. And then I’ll probably read that over again. You’re one of a small handful of bloggers who give me super happy face when I see in my reader that you’ve posted.
March 19th, 2013 at 9:53 pm
Awwwww! Thank you so much for saying so! I sometimes wonder if ANYBODY reads… it’s good to hear from you. Since having my littlest I haven’t once gotten the chance to read other people’s blogs, sigh. But I am remembering now how much I miss your hilarious stories!
March 15th, 2013 at 11:07 pm
Brilliant idea!!!! can’t wait until Arie is old enough to try this with him!