Cornstarch and Water and Dealing with Messy Activities
This is a messy activity with easy clean up. If you can’t do this outside be prepared for a bit of mess.
I have been thinking a lot about a post on messy activities. When I first started this blog several people thought maybe I would have some good ideas for Moms that can’t deal with “the mess.” Or those that shall go un-named that just aren’t very crafty or who just don’t enjoy doing crafty things. I guess my best advise is do what you can handle-do it outside, spread lots of newspaper round, set ground rules. But find a way to do it. These explorations and experiences are not just fun but hands on learning. But that doesn’t mean they can just dump the mixture on the floor. Let them explore with a few boundaries; keep it on the table, keep it in the bowl, only in the kitchen. But keep it realistic and fun too. Try not to nag so much to squash creativity. Have them help clean up too! And if you still can’t handle it, send them to a friends house where they can play in wet sand, mud, and cornstarch and water. And you don’t have to do messy things everyday. Maybe you can only handle it weekly or so. That’ s better than nothing!
Pour a good amount of cornstarch into a pan, bowl or tubbie.
Put a small amount of water into a small pitcher kids can pour by themselves. Let them add a little at a time, touching after each addition of water.
Now poke it, squish it, squeeze it….
Notice how it is wet and dry at the same time…solid and liquid at the same time. Add more water if you want, just add it in small quantities. If too wet add more cornstarch.
For easier clean up, let it dry on tabletops and floor. Then scrape up. Vacume or wash off. You can leave it in the bowl or tubbie and let dry then you can use it again. Give kids little hammers to break up the dry pieces into dust and add water and start it all over again!
Look its Mulberry time!!!
I usually like them a it more ripe but Ginger will eat anything!
Maybe that’s where all her color went!
Tags: friend, friends, Ginger, paper
I hate the feel of cornstarch (we call it cornflour) and water mixed, it gives me the chills, lol.
I hear you on the messy stuff, it’s getting hard for us to get outside as much, so our creativity is feeling a little…constrained.
lots of love,
mary