This might’ve been mentioned already, but shaving cream was a hit yesterday. We also had Kiddo doing painting with acrylic paints and they can be mixed in with shaving cream to make kind of “puffy” paints (his teacher did this to make snowmen paintings last year). This was great for outdoor play and then splashing in the pool right after, or else doing it in the bathtub if you do it indoors.
Edit: We also added food coloring to see if we could dye his light-colored hair. My hands were somewhat stained (scrubbing got rid of it later) but his hair stayed the same color.
Cheap small espresso/latte foaming cups, and the lid from an ikea box. I stand her in her learning tower in the kitchen, plus give her a little washcloth to clean up spills. She pours water back and forth for long enough for me to make some sort of food happen.
Brain storming here for “science” projects over the summer for Kiddo without making too much work for myself, suggestions welcome:
DIY ice cream
He keeps asking “what happens if you mix [drink] and [other drink]?” so one day I want to write out a chart with different things on it and see now mixing them tastes. I’m thinking milk, cranberry juice, lemonade, water, ginger ale, and seltzer water. Anything else I should add? I don’t want to have too many things going on but like I expect milk+lemonade to be not great. The chart will have for each combination.
We built a Mars rover out of Lego but never did the pretend landing practice, maybe we’ll do that?
Making ooblek (how have we not done that already?)
Does anyone know if slime a terrible idea? Is it like glitter that we’ll wish it had never entered our home? Vinegar+baking soda is already a favorite. Sometimes I freeze plastic toys in a bucket of ice (if there’s enough room for it in the freezer).
I’m afraid he’d try to start poaching our coffees then. He likes most flavors including red wine, whiskey, beer, and lime juice. On the bright side he’s not really a picky eater.
Haha I assumed that was already a problem Latte lives up to her name and regularly tries to steal drinks. She loves to steal my (unsweetened) iced decaf all the time. I made the mistake of letting her try it, hoping it would dissuade her from begging for it in the future. That backfired…
It’s a thing to buy, but my son is SUPER into silicone bubble poppers. I have let the kids do plastic bubble wrap, but this seems a bit safer to give the 2-year old if I’m not sitting with him. He also really likes to play with it when we sit on the toilet for what seems like freaking hours at a time.
Oil and water (in approximately equal volumes) in a tallish glass, a few drops of food coloring, then drop an alka-seltzer tab in for bubbles. It’s pretty cool, and you can use it more than once, although eventually the water doesn’t react with the alka-seltzer anymore.
There’s one with milk, food colouring and a q-tip dipped in washing up liquid.
Steve Spangler Youtube videos
TheDadLab facebook/youtube
Layer oil and water in a clear container, then drop different items in to see which layer (s) they sink through. Kinda cool when you find something that sinks through the oil but floats on the water. Add food coloring to the water so it’s easier to see the layers
Everyone has done this, but wanted to +1 shaving cream in water table outside. With water. animals. Spoons. Cups. Etc. Do not add all at once. Add when child is bored of the first thing. 20 mins of coffee time guaranteed.
I know most people have slightly older kids but we’ve been getting a lot of milage out of a bowl with ice in it this week. Big glass bowls, little plastic bowls, add a measuring cup, rubber spatula etc. and my 8-month old is entertained for quite a while.
Until child has hands strong enough to get ALL the shaving cream out of the can at once and you left the can sitting around because you didn’t realize they could do this yet and thought you could get some yardwork done in peace.
Caution on this one- Latte nearly choked on an ice cube when I did this once it was terrifying and I’d never considered the possibility. It was like, full gagging, red in the face, coughing so hard she nearly puked type situation. I’m STILL a little scarred, hence my passing on a warning lol.
ETA BUT she’s always been a very oral exploring child. She only now at 19 months is slowing down on the “all things are stored in the mouth” life.
then we’re all done and she helps me wipe up. I count it as mopping. Only way my floors are mopped.
for each combination.
it was terrifying and I’d never considered the possibility. It was like, full gagging, red in the face, coughing so hard she nearly puked type situation. I’m STILL a little scarred, hence my passing on a warning lol.