Once upon a time we were all really, really tired of being cooped up inside. But, go figure, it was March in Utah and it was raining. Again. And you can only splash in so many puddles before you need a new activity. Anyway, T-Bone is BUSY. Like, only stops moving for Daniel Tiger busy. "Hm," thought Mommy, "does this kid ever sit still? Probably not, but CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!" So, Mommy got busy thinking of ways to keep T-Bone busy, and then she remembered that science is really cool and really fun. Plus, it's messy, and what little boy doesn't love making messes? Seriously, though, we had so much fun with this activity and it's super easy. Also, you probably already have everything you need on hand.
First, put a hefty layer of baking soda in a baking sheet. I'm kind of a baking soda junkie, so we had plenty of this.
Next, fill some bowls with plain old white vinegar. I put food coloring in ours, just to add a little spice to life.
Next, use a medicine dropper to make mini-volcanoes all over the baking sheet.
Sometimes, you need to get your hands all up in it, too.
Not only does it teach about acid/base reactions, you can practice mixing colors and see what happens.
And then, if you really want to get crazy, put the bowls of vinegar right on top of the baking soda and go to town.
T-Bone loved dropping the "powder" in the "water" and making them bubble over.
And you know what happened? He was quiet, and happy, and entertained... for a whole hour! I even heard giggling and squeals of glee instead of "No!" and whining. Amazing!
