autumn

Color Magic Milk Experiment

October 8, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Have you ever done the color magic milk experiment? It is quick and easy to do, and participants are always in awe of the results. In this version, I add artistic flair by giving the experiment a leafy twist.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Just a few supplies are needed for this simple but stunning kitchen science experiment. Gather the following:

2 liters milk
red, yellow, and blue food coloring
dish detergent
large round serving tray
maple leaf frame (optional)

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The Color Magic Milk Experiment

Effortlessly perform this color magic milk experiment in four easy steps. A maple leaf frame enhances the kitchen science experiment.

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To do this experiment, start by pouring a layer of milk into a food tray. Using homo milk is recommended, but 1% and 2% will also work.

Note: Outdated milk is a great choice for this experiment.

Next, float a maple leaf frame on the milk. (My frame is a cardboard cutout purchased at a dollar store.)

Note: The leaf-themed frame adds interest to the experiment, but is not necessary for it to work.

Then drip yellow, red, and blue food coloring inside the frame.

This next step is where the magic happens… Squirt a drop of dish detergent onto each pool of colors. Watch the colors instantly race to the edge of the frame, swirling around as they go.

After the initial color burst, check back after ten minutes and you will see a variety of hues slowly starting to fill in the maple leaf shape.

Watch the color magically spread around the maple leaf frame in this kitchen science experiment.

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At this point, you can add a little more food coloring and a tiny bit of dish detergent for more color play.

The colors slowly fill out the maple leaf frame in this color magic milk experiment with an artistic twist.

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View this maple leaf color magic science experiment as a video.

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The Science Behind This Color Experiment

Although milk is made of mostly water, it also contains fat and protein. These are both sensitive to changes in the milk. When dish soap is added to the tray, it breaks up the surface tension of the milk and is attracted to the fat molecules. The fat molecules try to scurry away but end up bonded with the soap molecules. The movement of the food coloring makes this process visible. As more and more soap and fat molecules bond, the color movement slows down and eventually stops.

Since the fat content in milk is super important in this experiment, homo milk works the best. But 2% and 1% milk (which I often have handy) also show stunning results.

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More Leaf Activities

Five Leaf Art Activities

Fall Leaf Salad Spinner Art

Light Table Leaf Exploration

Eye Dropper Leaf Art

Maple Leaf Activities

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[Read more…]

DIY Portable Mud Kitchen

October 7, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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I am a huge fan of mud kitchens but also love a DIY portable mud kitchen option. A “to go” mud kitchen that can be taken on nature outings or set anywhere in the classroom is economical and easy to set up. And it offers a multitude of imaginative play opportunities.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Portable Mud Kitchen Supplies

Supplies for a portable mud kitchen that can quickly and easily be set up indoors or outside, Fall leaves are the highlight.

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To make a pop-up mud kitchen, simply use supplies you have on hand. Gather the following:

milk crate
small wire shelves
cardboard box square
play pots and pans
loaf pans and muffin tins
soup spoons
wood slices
pine cones
rocks
leaves
black permanent marker
black crayon
circle tracers

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The DIY Portable Mud Kitchen

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This portable mud kitchen can be set up anywhere. In the classroom, it allows you to bring in natural materials for early learners to explore in an effortless way.

To put it together, start off by using circle tracers (think food container lids) to draw stove burners on a cardboard box square with a black permanent marker. Color in some of the circles with a black crayon.

Place the stove top drawing on an upside-down milk crate. Or draw stove burners on the bottom of a box.

Set the crate and drawing (or box stove) in a sensory table (sand and water table.)

Add small wire shelves (available at dollar stores).

Collect old pots, pans, muffin tins, and serving bowls and place them in the table. Include serving spoons.

Sprinkle in rocks, wood slices, pine cones, and leaves in a variety of colors. Invite little learners to explore the center.

It’s that simple!

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More Mud Kitchen Play

This setup can be taken outside and arranged on the ground or on a bench. Load all the supplies in the crate for easy transport.

A metal bowl “sink”, a pitcher of water, tea cups, whisks, potato mashers, and ladles would add interest and sensory opportunities to this center.

An active world tray positioned on the ground works well as a base instead of a sensory table. Or set up the supplies on a tarp.

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Related: Fall Sensory Play

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[Read more…]

Spin Painting Maple Leaf Art

June 29, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Try this gorgeous spin painting maple leaf process art project today! It's a simple and satisfying activity the whole family will love to do!

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This spin painting maple leaf art activity is perfect for Canada Day, fall, or any time of the year. Early learners will LOVE using a salad spinner to make it! You will not find a simpler or more satisfying process art project.

Salad spinner art brings back memories of going to our local fair in the summer when I was young. There would always be a station with spin art, and it was my favorite activity to try.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

For this easy and stunning spin painting art project, gather the following supplies:

salad spinner
white cardstock paper
tempera paint
paint pots
teaspoons
maple leaf tracer
pencil
scissors

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Salad spinner process art maple leaf! It features colors seen in Canadian landscapes and decor.

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Creating Spin Painting Maple Leaves

Steps to make gorgeous maple leaf spin art. A simple and satisfying activity the whole family will love to do!

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To offer this process art project, trace and cut maple leaves from cardstock. Make them just big enough to fit in the bottom of the salad spinner you are using. Feel free to download this template to use as a tracer.

Download this free maple leaf template for art and craft activities.

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Maple Leaf PrintableDownload

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Set a cut leaf in the bottom of the salad spinner. I purchased an economical one just for art. But a salad spinner you have handy in your kitchen works just fine. The paint washes out surprisingly easily.

Next, place the cut maple leaf inside the spinner and cover it with the lid.

Using tempera paints in paint pots, invite your early learner to generously drip paint in colors of choice onto the leaf. I feature paint colors commonly found in our Canadian landscape and home décor. Red and white paints would work well for Canada Day. And of course, tempera paints in fall colors would look beautiful.

Try this gorgeous spin painting maple leaf process art project today. Using colors featured in Canadian landscapes and decor, it is perfect for Canada Day or any time of the year.

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Invite your little learner to spin the salad spinner for at least ten seconds.

Take off the lid and admire the beautiful result together.

After the first project, your little learner will want to make a few more. And the whole family may wish to get in on this gorgeous spin painting maple leaf art activity!

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Try this gorgeous salad spinner maple leaf art project today. Using colors seen in Canadian landscapes and decor, it is perfect for Canada Day or any time of the year.

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Related: Valentine’s Day Process Art

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[Read more…]

Easy S’Mores Bars

November 28, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This easy s’mores bars recipe comes from having forgotten to add wrapped round chocolates to October treat bags. Orange and purple don’t naturally transition into November activities, so I decided to use the chocolates in this melty dessert.

To add versatility to the recipe, I also feature chocolate coins and chocolates wrapped in Christmas style.

S’mores bars were originally classic campfire treats. Made indoors they can be enjoyed year-round. And little learners love to help make them!

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S’mores Bars Supplies To Collect

Just three ingredients are needed for this melty, tasty, indoor s'mores bars recipe.

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Gather the following ingredients and baking supplies:

toasted coconut marshmallows
coin-shaped chocolates
graham wafers or gluten-free crackers
parchment or wax paper
2 cookie sheet pans

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Making These Easy S’Mores Bars

Steps to make an easy sheet pan s'mores dessert recipe.

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Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the graham wafers onto two sheet pans lined with parchment or wax paper.

Place a toasted coconut marshmallow on top of each wafer on one pan. Set unwrapped chocolates on the wafers on the other pan.

Heat both pans in the oven for three to five minutes. Watch carefully as the square halves can easily be overbaked.

Sandwich wafers with chocolate together with marshmallow wafers and place on a dessert plate. Serve when slightly cooled.

Delicious s'mores bars recipe using just three ingredients.

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Stacked s'mores bars made with an easy, three-ingredient recipe.

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Variations Of This S’Mores Bars Recipe

My recipe features gluten-free graham crackers. Graham wafers are a traditional choice.

Regular or mini marshmallows can be substituted for toasted coconut ones.

Creamy Hershey’s chocolate bar squares can be used instead of wrapped chocolates. And why not experiment with one of Hershey’s festive flavors, such as “Strawberries ‘n’ Cream, “Birthday Cake”, or “Cookies ‘n’ Mint.”

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Seasonal Recipes

If you wish to go seasonal and are up for a bit more challenge, try one of these ingenious s’mores bars recipes:

Fall S’mores (Recipe at southernfatty.com)

Christmas S’mores (Recipe at darcyandbrian.com)

Snowman S’mores (Recipe at kitchenfunwithmythreesons.com)

Valentine’s Day S’mores (Recipe at prettyinpistachio.com)

Easter Peeps S’mores (Recipe at domesticsuperhero.com)

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Or surround this gooey, three-ingredient s’mores bars dessert with seasonal décor.

Make this easy, three-ingredient s'mores bars recipe that takes a classic campfire treat indoors. Serve surrounded by festive decor at Christmas time.

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[Read more…]

Edible Playdough Pumpkins

November 21, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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These easy to create edible playdough pumpkins depict the lumpy, bumpy, warty pumpkins that add contrast and edginess in fall decorating projects.

Warty pumpkins can be caused by any of the following:

a mosaic virus
growing conditions that are too cold and wet
insects feeding on young pumpkins

The result is warts that appear to be under the shell.

But some pumpkin varieties are grown especially for their bumpy look. They are genetically engineered and have been cross-pollinated many times. In these pumpkins, the ornamental bumps appear on top of the surface.

Warty pumpkins are trending in fall decorating projects. They add ornamentation, contrast, and edginess in displays.

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Peach Edible Playdough Recipe

This easy-to-make, no-cook playdough recipe is perfect for fashioning these trending pumpkins. I previously featured it (minus the orange color) in a chocolate chip sea star sculpting activity.

Creating warty pumpkins is easy and fun with white chocolate chips and an edible, no-cook playdough recipe.

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Ingredients To Collect:

1 cup store-bought vanilla frosting
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup icing sugar
¼ teaspoon peach icing color

Mix and knead the frosting, cornstarch, and icing sugar in a bowl. Then knead in the food coloring until it is completely blended. If the playdough is a little sticky, knead in a bit more cornstarch. If the dough is dry, add a spoon or two of frosting. You can also increase the amount of icing color for a darker peach shade.

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Making The Edible Playdough Pumpkins

A warty pumpkin-themed playdough tray with taste-safe, edible dough.

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Set out white chocolate chips, playdough, and pumpkin cookie cutters on a tray. A pumpkin ice cube tray and gem pumpkins could be included for more play opportunities.

Give each little learner a rolling pin.

Invite your little charges to create lumpy, bumpy pumpkins with the soft, silky dough, adding the chocolate chips for ornamentation. You might want to wait till they are almost finished using the playdough before you let on that it is edible. It is super sweet!

Creating pumpkins with warts is easy and fun with white chocolate chips and an edible playdough recipe.

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Tip: Using peach icing color works super well for this recipe, as the color comes out nice and bright.

Sculpt a trendy, warty pumpkin with edible peach playdough.

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For more food coloring tips, check out chefmaster.com.

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If this post inspires you to consider adding warty pumpkins to your garden next spring, the appropriately named Gargoyle, Knucklehead, and Goosebumps are some popular varieties to grow.

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