Clubhouse Bubbles: Colorful Edition

Often the first thing a Clubhouse Kid asks me when we're walking through the doors to head outside is,

"What's in the water table?!"

Can't very well just say water, now can I?

Truth is, as the Sun is heating up here in the Arizona desert, that means A LOT of water play in the outdoor sensory table is in store for us. Sometimes it really is as simple as some water and a couple of funnels. Trust me, kids can play with that on a hot day for quite some time! Usually though, we do like to get creative with what goes in there.

Clubhouse Mandala, One Month Later

Back in March I saw this Rainbow Mandala idea on The Golden Gleam and fell in love with the colors, the concept, and how much fun I knew it would be for the Clubhouse Kids. What I didn't anticipate is how it would become an over a month long process. To some that may be a downside. Obviously, I didn't get the post out during the time rainbows were everywhere. What I did get though was a lot of focus, dedication and time spent on one project.

Plus, in the end, we got this:

We started back in March with our Rainbow Scavenger Hunt, which the kids totally loved. I must admit, we are still finding all of the colors of the rainbow hidden throughout the great outdoors. That may be part of the reason this project lasted so long. First, the kids simply just wanted to continue to collect colors. We had baskets in the classroom, one for each color, and for days they just kept adding things to the baskets, sorting through the colors, discussing rainbows.

When I introduced the poster board for the actual Rainbow Mandala, they were excited. Gluing is always popular around here! They started with red, and then they stopped.


"Can we work on this more tomorrow?"


"Next time should be orange day!"

Sure. Who I am to argue with Preschoolers who want to take their time?

When they were at orange, they decided they needed more for that ring so that led to a macaroni coloring activity. Squirting paint into baggies, squishing the macaroni around, putting it out to dry.


"This will sure look good in our Mandala!"


On a day they were working on yellow, they decided they wanted to add paper. They spent a good 15 minutes just cutting up scraps of yellow paper to add to the basket.

This went on for a few weeks.

Every class someone went over to the mandala with a basket of colors and added to a color ring.

Sometimes it was a group working on it together. The baskets and glue were readily available, so they became very independent with this entire activity.

"We gotta make sure all the colors get filled up."

That's how I watched the rainbow mandala grow over time. It simply became part of the classroom.

Then I noticed something this past week.

Could it be?! Were they going to complete this after all?

Today, it happened.

*Cue the choir*...

They had reached the inner circle!

Seeing as how they had such little space left, they now rushed through to get it done.



They worked meticulously finishing up the last colors, filling in little white spaces they found in the other colors. Finally, I heard it...

"Ms. Liz, we DID it!"

"It's a Mandalaaaaa!!!"

"We got every color!"

It was almost an emotional moment in the Clubhouse Classroom. Their work of Art was finally complete, and they were thrilled.

They high fived. They hooted. They reminisced over their hard work.

"Remember when I put that Orange dinosaur on there?"

So there you have it. The Fit Kids Clubhouse Rainbow Mandala. Once it is completely dried it will make it's way to the wall. In the meantime, the Clubhouse Kids noticed we have a lot of colors left in our baskets.

"Can we make another one?"

Sure, why not? I'm thinking it will be done around the 4th of July ;)

Ms. Liz

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Clubhouse Paint, Just add Leche

There are certain words in my home that are almost always said in Spanish. There are also certain words in my home that are almost always said 150 times a day. Leche falls into both of those categories. It is Milk, and it is my Son's absolute favorite thing to drink, above all, bar none. He asks for it all day, all the time. He has even been known to ask for it in his sleep, which leads me to believe he dreams about it. Yes, it is a hot commodity in this house. I have often contemplated purchasing a cow.

So today when I brought some tins full of leche into the Clubhouse Classroom, he was ready to lap it up like a kitten and get on with his day. 

When I explained we would be making rainbows in the milk, he just wanted to know if he could drink it when we were done. Not this time buddy.

I used whole milk, food coloring, dish soap and toothpicks. This was so incredibly simple, and the results were quite impressive.

First, let the kids squeeze drops of food coloring into their milk.

Then, let them dip the end of the "rainbow maker" into the milk.

(That's really just a toothpick that has been dipped in the dish soap, 

but why call it that when you can make this magical?)

Now, watch the magic...

The colors seem to instantly run away from the toothpick...

"Rainbows in my leche!!!"

Everyone dipped,

and swirled,

and made rainbows.

The kids wanted to try "normal toothpicks" to see if they worked the same.

They didn't.

So they went back to their "rainbow makers" and kept creating magic :)

It was quite beautiful, as you can see...

and we successfully made it through the entire activity without my Son sticking his face in the tin and drinking up.


Milk, it does a body good... and you can make rainbows in it!

Ms. Liz

**Our inspiration was found here, at another blog name I adore... Modern Parents Messy Kids. 

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Clubhouse Goop, It's MAGIC!!

When I taught in a Preschool in Phoenix, making Goop was always a favorite activity. We made it in the sensory table, we made it outside, we made it with glitter, put it in ziploc bags and even used it in dramatic play, can anyone say Goop Soup Kitchen?

The Clubhouse kids hadn't done Goop yet though... until now.

The ingredients are simple.

Water.
Cornstarch.
Food Coloring.



So where does the magic come from?

Honestly, the kids add that part.

Pour corn starch in.

Start with 1 cup of Corn Starch.

FitKid Tip: (*These tips are from the kids, because they know how to do it all, don't they?) "Pat the cup, more stuff comes out."

Next, add food coloring to 1 cup of water.
FitKid Tip: "Add lots of colors!"

Add food coloring to Water.

Sure, why not? We add Red, then we add Blue.. and *presto*, we made Purple water. Whenever using color, be it paint or food coloring or watercolors, there is always room for color blending. Why just use the color Green, when you can have the kids mix Yellow and Blue and see what happens?

Add water to Corn Starch.

Add the water to the corn starch, and then let little hands mix it all together.
FitKid Tip: "I can do it myself!"

This is where all of the Scientific evaluations come in:

"It's slimy!"

"It's soft!"

"It's stuck!!"

Doesn't take long before they start to realize the consistency of Goop. It will flow like liquid when pouring slowly, and yet you can still roll it into a ball. A ball that will "melt" away as soon as you stop rolling. It can get so hard you can crack it, yet it will still flow through your fingertips. Little hands may get sticky, but little brains are processing the way polymers work. Yes, I said polymers.. and I totally looked that up. I don't remember a thing from Chemistry class. The kids had a much better explanation than the Scientific one though,

"This is MAGIC!!"

Wasn't long before we got another FitKid Tip: "Add more colors!" 

So, we do.

                                         
A few drops of food coloring, and you can actually "paint" designs right into the Goop. Our Goop went from Purple, to Blue, to Green.. as fingers swirled around.


The consistency and texture changes that occur as it is touched, along with the changes in color, and the ability to create their own free flowing Art, made this whole process exciting for the kids.

Quite beautiful as well.

Once we added so many colors, and little fingers were done creating their works of Art, we decided to pour the Goop and see if that would mix all of the colors together. Although the Goop had gotten pretty firm while sitting in the container, it still poured freely... to the Oohs and Ahhs of
"We made a Rainbow!"


Once in the cup the kids continued to observe how the colors were still separate and how the Goop they had just poured, was now firm in the cup.

We continued to pour from cup to the original container and then back again, watching colors dance and Goop change. This was one activity that kept everyone's attention for awhile, and although hands may have gotten a little sticky and temporarily color tainted... it was definitely worth the mess.

Speaking of mess, Goop is actually quite easy to clean up. Let the splashes all over your work area dry, and then it will all flake right off in a powdery substance. I left the Goop out all night so the kids could observe the changes in it the next day.

We were left with something you could crack and smash into a powdery substance. Another activity that kept the kids busy for awhile. All I had to do in the end was dust and vacuum.

Now isn't that worth this face?












Here's to making Magic and creating Rainbows,

Ms. Liz