Just for Kids

This month is a simplify life by keeping kids entertained with inexpensive homemade entertainment and more.

Keeping Kids Entertained in the Summer

Keeping children entertained at a low cost is not always easy.  Here are some inexpensive and free ideas.

Make Oobleck.  We did this today for the first time and the kids played with it for about one hour.

Oobleck is a solid when you tap or hit it, but a liquid when to gently touch it.

Oobleck Recipe

1 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 - 2 cups water

Food coloring if desired.

We started with 1 1/2 cups of water and ended up using 1 3/4 cups.  Put cornstarch into a large bowl and stir in the water.  I will get hard to stir.  Stirring it is equal to hitting it so it becomes a solid.  So just scoop up what you can and place it on top and it will turn liquid a melt into the other liquid.

Let the kids punch and scoop with their hands all they want.  It is easy to clean up a big glob that falls on the table.  Quickly grab it and it will become a solid.  Hold your fingers above the bowl and it will run off.  
The oobleck started to dry and crack after a couple of hours of no use.  I put the lid on the container and this morning (almost 24 hours after making) I slowly added water (about 1/2 cup) until it was back to the original consistency. 

Homemade Bubbles

6 cups distilled water (it works better than tap water)

3/4 cup Dawn dish soap

1 Tablespoon glycerin (this can be found below the bandages)

Stir all ingredients together.

Do you have an empty liquid laundry soap or fabric softener bottle with a push button spout?  Clean it out and pour the bubble mixture into it and the kids can refill their own bubble containers.

Bubble Wands

Make bubble wands from pipe cleaners by making a loop on one end. Dip the loop into the bubble mixture.

Cut the bottom off of a water bottle.  Dip the cut end into the bubble mixture and blow into the top of the bottle.

Squirt a little dish soap into the center of a damp washcloth and tie (string or elastic band) it onto the cut off end of the water bottle and then dip the washcloth into the bubble mixture for super bubbles. Blow into the top of the bottle.

Use a slotted spoon or spatula to dip in the bubbles.  You can blow through the slits or wave the handle.

handle.

Science Experiment (I don’t know if this has a real name)

Baking soda

White vinegar

Food coloring

Eye droppers for young kids and medicine syringes works for older kids.

Non metal tray.  The more surface area; the more fun.

Pour vinegar into small plastic cups and color as desired.  I buy Easter egg dye after Easter and use that for coloring too.  You don’t have to use the entire dye tablet.  Break a piece off and use a little at a time.

Pour a thin layer (about 1/4 inch deep) of baking soda into a tray.

Fill the droppers and syringes with vinegar and squeeze it onto the baking soda. It will keep foaming until the baking soda is saturated with vinegar.

When the kids are finished pour the mixture down the disposal to make it smell better or pour the mixture on the weeds to kill them.

Playdough

1 cup flour

1 cup water

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1/2 cup salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Food coloring.  I like the paste type for cake decorating best.

Mix everything except the food coloring in to a pan and cook over medium heat. Stir continuously until thickened and holding together.  Put the food coloring into the center of the dough and knead until distributed throughout.  The kids love to do this and watch the color change.

The food coloring can be added as it is thickening.

Don’t cook on high heat.  I think that is why mine has leached out the salt as it is played with.  The salt didn’t get a chance to dissolve completely, because of being in a hurry to get it cooked.

If it started to crumble after a few days it was overcooked.

Chocolate Playdough

Same as above with these exceptions.

Use 3/4 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of cocoa powder

Leave out food coloring.

This is such a hit that I always double this recipe.

Check out your Local Library

You can find more than just books.

Borrow movies.

Check out video games.  These go fast, so you may want to put it on hold (waiting list).  I wanted a game for our WII, but didn’t want to pay the price, so I put it on hold from the library and was excited when it was finally available for me to check out.  I soon found out that I hated it.

Books on CD.  This is my favorite.  I put them on my computer and then onto my MP3 player.

Electronic books are available to download to your MP3 player, IPod, Nook, Kindle, and more.  These are done from the library website.

I just found out that the first Friday of the month is free Museum day at Virginia City, but NOT July 4 thru August 1. Normally this is May through October.

Check the different attractions in your area for free and discounted days. 

Don’t forget camping.  I don’t like to camp without flushing toilets and showers. Those places are not cheap to find this time of year, so we have already camped in the backyard.  We stay out all day and cook outside and sleep in a tent.  It is too much work for one night, so we camp at least two nights. We have a few things in an ice chest outside, but go in house to get the majority of what we need.  Lazy camping, but the kids love it.

For more ideas go to my Just for Kids Pinterest page by clicking here.