Just because :)
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Ice Excavation
I thought this would be a great idea in the early morning before our 100+ degree temperatures took over. It took me a couple days to freeze different objects and colored ice cubes (froze them in layers) and today I brought it out for Isabel to excavate. I got the idea from Counting Coconuts (just love her!).
I set out the ice block and gave Isabel some tools to use to melt the ice and extract the objects. Salt, sugar, warm water, a rock, a hammer, eye dropper and paint brush, along with a scoop for the sugar. Obviously I knew that not all these items would work, but she had to figure out which ones would!
This kept her engaged for well over an hour.
First she tried using sugar to melt the ice............
Then salt. I didn't have a small salt shaker...so I made one out of an old spice jar with the holes. I underestimated how fun shaking the salt out of the jar would be....she shook and shook!
Then she tried using warm water dispensed by an eye dropper.
And a brush to try to move the melting ice and water slush.
Then she asked if she could combine the sugar and salt and try to melt the ice that way. She decided that that was the best way to melt the ice (second best really, to water). I didn't object! Just let her try it all out.
I really had to hold myself back because I was getting impatient (I wanted her to try my last device for getting the objects out) but she was so engaged I kept having to remind myself that she was discovering this all for herself and if she wanted to take an entire hour without getting bored using a salt shaker, salt and sugar combo and droppers full of water to melt this chunk, I was going to let her do it! (Why would you rush an engaged child??)
But finally I let her have at it......
I set out the ice block and gave Isabel some tools to use to melt the ice and extract the objects. Salt, sugar, warm water, a rock, a hammer, eye dropper and paint brush, along with a scoop for the sugar. Obviously I knew that not all these items would work, but she had to figure out which ones would!
This kept her engaged for well over an hour.
First she tried using sugar to melt the ice............
Then salt. I didn't have a small salt shaker...so I made one out of an old spice jar with the holes. I underestimated how fun shaking the salt out of the jar would be....she shook and shook!
Then she tried using warm water dispensed by an eye dropper.
And a brush to try to move the melting ice and water slush.
Then she asked if she could combine the sugar and salt and try to melt the ice that way. She decided that that was the best way to melt the ice (second best really, to water). I didn't object! Just let her try it all out.
I really had to hold myself back because I was getting impatient (I wanted her to try my last device for getting the objects out) but she was so engaged I kept having to remind myself that she was discovering this all for herself and if she wanted to take an entire hour without getting bored using a salt shaker, salt and sugar combo and droppers full of water to melt this chunk, I was going to let her do it! (Why would you rush an engaged child??)
But finally I let her have at it......
Surprisingly (to me) hammering was the least interesting for her!!! Can you believe it?? So she went back to the other devices and was able to retrieve all her objects! Tip for next time: I would put many more colored ice cubes in for interest! This time I did about 2 ice cube trays and it just didn't seem like quite enough color.
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