bottle of awesome!

Have you ever wandered into the Museum of Life and Science and seen the big blue mesmerizing exhibit? This exhibit is hands down one of my favorites because it changes every time you spin it. While working at a museum in Helena, Montana I found out that it is quite easy to make your own Turbulant Orb, or as I like to call it; Bottle Of Awesomeness!

To make your own all you need is :

• Empty plastic soda/ pop/ water bottle WITH CAP!
• Water
• Food coloring (optional but well worth it!)
• Liquid hand soap that has glycol stearate in it* (I know this sounds daunting but I promise it is not, here is a picture!) 
  

To do this is very easy. First fill water bottle to about 1/4 full of the soap and add a couple of drops of food coloring. Next, very slowly! pour water in to the very top, if it does not go all the way to the top, there will be some air bubbles but that is not a big deal. Put the lid on, I like to tape it to prevent it from accidentally opening.

For variations on this we like to try using different colors of food coloring and and different sizes of bottles. We also like putting a little bit of  sparkles in to see how they move around, glow in the dark liquid.



Going with the flow!

The Garage Creative

* This is the hand soap that looks pearly white, I have bought the generic brand at Walgreens, Target, and Walmart and never had any problems.

groovy science

I love this time of year! Family, friends, food, and time off all help to make this one of my favorite times of year. However, the long winter break can start to wear me and the kids thin as we near the end so it is always helpful to have a few easy activities. I have done this one many times and have always been amazed how easy, fun, and engaging it is for everyone!

Here is a small list of items to collect for this experiment:

• salt
• water
• olive oil
• alka seltzer
• food coloring
• cups, glass jars, something to hold ingredients
• flashlights (optional)
• Mineral oil and baby oil can be fun additions after the initial experiment with the olive oil.

To begin put a drop of food coloring in water and observe what happens. After the first drop, it is fun to drop another drop of another color in to see what color you can create. I like to do it first with cold water and then very hot water to see the difference.

Next saturate a water solution with salt and squeeze one drop of food coloring in. It is important not to start with too much food coloring because it will cause it to get to dark and you will not longer be able to see. It is fun to add the food coloring after stirring the solution, you get a really neat swirl pattern!

Finally, fill a glass about half full with water. Next, pour some olive oil in, so the glass is about 2/3 full. Put a few drops of food coloring in, you can mix colors if you would like, but remember not to do too much because it will get to dark. Observe the food coloring and then the real fun, either drop in the alka seltzer table or pour salt directly over the food coloring.

When you are done, you will have a salt lava lamp! For added fun, find a dark room and repeat all the steps under a flashlight!

Happy mixing and for other fun ideas, be sure to visit www.thegaragecreative.com!

The Garage Creative

i made goo; and it's glorious!

There are many different ways to achieve glorious goo, here are two very simple, don't want to stop playing with the goo favorites. To learn about goo, visit everyday scientist.

Glorious Goo number 1! 

This is very simple. First gather these items:

• Bowl
• Cornstarch
• Water
• Food Coloring (optional but definitely adds more fun!)

This can get a little messy but it is just cornstarch and water so it comes right up. I used to do this a lot for kids at Birthday parties and every time was just as fun as the last. All the directions I have seen say to use about 1 cup of cornstarch to about 1/2 cup of water. I have found that how much food coloring you put in can change this ratio so I like to start here and add more if needed. For example, if it is too runny, add  more cornstarch. If it is too dry, add more water (a little can go along way!) Here is a video showing what the consistency "should" look like.

For extra fun, buy LOTS of cornstarch and try to walk on "water". I have had the opportunity to do this a couple of times and it is a lot of fun! I used a large tupperware container and mixed 18 boxes of cornstarch. Try sinking down and then jumping out, you will be surprised what happens! I think this would be a great next Garage Creative event!

Glorious Goo number 2!

This is another classic recipe that you will find at any science center you go to. You may have to go to the store to purchase a couple of the materials but they are cheap and the end product is well worth it! Here is what you need:

• Bowl
• 4 tsp water
• 1/4 tsp Borax (see picture, it used to come int a green box but this one was new to me) 

• 
• 2 tsp Elmers Glue
• Food Coloring (again optional but well worth it!)

With this one first mix 2 tsp of water with 2 tsp of the glue and some food coloring. In another container mix the remaining amount of water with the borax. When the borax has dissolved, pour the borax mixture into the glue mixture and stir!

I really like changing the amounts to see how that changes the end product. It is also fun to double it and make more. There you have, you just made your own silly putty!

Have fun!

The Garage Creative

coffee filters are not just for coffee!

I am constantly looking for inspiration from everyday items to experiment and mess around with. Sometimes I forget how fun and inspirational an object is until it hits me in the face, which is what happened this morning.

As I was making my coffee, I accidentally bumped my coffee filters and one of them fell down. Watching it fall gracefully down to the ground I decided that I would get some string, tape, and a a little weight (I used a wine cork) to see if I could make a small little parachute. Here is a very short video of it falling and a picture of it hanging up.

After the parachute worked I got some watercolor markers and colored on the coffee filters. I then dropped water on them to "tie dye" them through chromatography!

I then combined the two activities and made a very nice parachute!

 

Happy landing!

The Garage Creative

recycled gold, tools, and supplies

I love recycled gold for a couple of reasons. First, it can be  your own little recycling bin. I have also discovered, some of the best items in our recycled gold are items that may not be able to be recycled.

Secondly, it never ceases to amaze me when I give kids the opportunity to examine an everyday "garbage" object to re-purpose it. They always seemed stunned that I would give them that freedom and they leave me amazed and inspired by what they come up with.

Finally, by encouraging the reusing of items, we are teaching kids the value recycling and the importance of taking care of our planet.

Here is my list (in process) of favorites; if you have something I am forgetting, please tell me so I can add it!

• Paper towel/ toilet paper tubes
• Plastic bottles and lids
• Coffee containers
• Milk jugs (plastic and cardboard)
• Egg Cartons
• Yogurt Containers
• Cardboard Boxes
• Plastic fruit containers
• Popsicle Sticks
• Wine corks
• Children's medicine cups and syringes
• Rubberbands
• String

Here is a list (in process) of tools and other supplies that I like to have for the kids to use (with adult supervision of course!)

• SAFETY GOGGLES!
• Zip Ties
• Duct Tape (different colors and animal print for more fun!)
• Scissors
• Hammer
• Box Cutter (careful)
• Screwdrivers (phillips and flat)
• Power screwdriver
• Hot glue and hot glue gun

boats!

July 5th addition!

In wanting to keep with the water/ boat theme the next suggestion I am making is to now make waves and see if your boats can sustain the energy in the waves.

All waves are caused by wind, except one......who knows the answer? To make your own wind try using fans (following safety precautions with water and electricity). If you do not have access to that, try dropping things in the water or making your own waves with your hands. Remember, getting wet in the hot weather is kind of the point!

In response to a couple readers questions about the aluminum foil boats, I have attached a photo of one of our many designs. This particular boat was able to hold 55 marbles before it took on to much water and went under. How many did yours hold? Don't forget to decorate your boats and maybe make some passengers.

One final suggestion, if you are in an area that is inundated with water, use the water you have. For example try sending your boats down the running water of the street (following all safety precautions of course and making sure you retrieve your boat so you do not litter!)

Stay tuned for videos and pictures of our boat regattas from this weekend!

Take care and have fun y'all!

The Garage Creative

For those of you looking to cool off (West Coast) and escape the rain (East Coast) and do something fun, creative, and learn something from it, here is my first suggestion.

BOATS!

I have done this many times with kids and love it for so many reasons.

·         Kids love it and its fun!

·         It teaches about buoyancy, engineering, and problem solving

·         So many different, easy, and readily accessible materials can be used

·         Super easy (see attached photo from my 3 year old!)

·         It can go on and on and on and on, well you get the idea

Here are the supplies you will need for the initial experiment:

·         Aluminum foil

·         Something heavy (pennies, marble, pebbles……)

·         Tub full of water (Bowl, swimming pool, bathtub….)

If your kids love it (which I guarantee they will) here are guiding questions and supplies you can use to extend it:

1.       Can you make a boat that moves?

2.       Can you make a boat that uses wind power?

3.       Can you make a boat that uses a paddle with a rubberband?

4.       How many more marbles, pennies, pebbles……..can your boat hold?

5.       That was a lot of aluminum, can you use less?

6.       What is the fewest amount of supplies you can use to make a moveable boat?

·         Popsicle sticks

·         Rubberbands

·         Sticks

·         Corks

·         Cardboard

·         Empty Yogurt, Milk, Pop, Coffee………..Containers

If you do this, please share your results, successes, re-gaventions, and thoughts! We would love to hear what worked and what did not. Remember, it is possible to learn more by failure than success. Encourage redo’s!

"toys" to inspire creativity!

As a father and science teacher I have done my fair share researching products and activities that not only engage kids for hours but also encourage critical thinking skills.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Makedo - I have given a number of workshops that feature these creative pieces. All you need is cardboard and imagination and the possibilities are limitless!

littleBits - I just started messing around with these and am a very big fan already for many reasons. First the simplicity of them, one does not need a computer. Two they are very mobile, you can make something and take it with you. Finally, there are so many bits the opportunities are limitless!

Keva Planks - While working at my previous science museum, we had 10,000 Keva Planks! There are a couple favorite memories I have. One is when a group of middle school students visited, built a 12ft column, and then "tackled" it. Another is when one family spent the entire day building a Keva city with trains, buildings, bridges, it was amazing!

Magna Tiles - I cannot tell you how much time I have spent with my daughter's playing with these. They help hone critical thinking skills while allowing them to build amazing, fun, and unique creations.

Scratch animation - I have taught classes with this free software many times. Simply put, I love it. There are communities you can join, it teaches kids computer programming, allows for creativity, and it is FUN!

I am sure I will think of more that I have worked with but for now, that should do it. I will keep you updated as to when I update the list and if you have any that are not on here that should be, please let me know!

Cre8ively yours,

The Garage Creative

this is what the garage creative looks like!

We did it, our first "official" garage create!* We had nine kids ranging in age from 5 months (yes Bryce is getting a shout out) through 6 year olds, seven adults, lots of creativity, boats, and fun! It took a little over an hour to do with minimal setup. Here are the rest of the supplies we had and the way we accomplished it.

• Kiddie pool filled with water
• Aluminum foil
• Small rocks
• Duct Tape
• Plastic Bags (for sails)
• Small dowels or wooden skewers
• Items from our recycled treasure tab (milk jugs, coffee containers, corks, straws)

To start, I asked Marley if she wanted to do a Garage Creative this weekend and she said yes! She was so excited leading up to it she kept asking if it was time and if she could help set up! I love the buy in she has with this whole project, even little Isla is on board already. 

I invited friends to the garage and asked them to bring some of their recycling along. This was great because it added more treasure for us to use, including recycled kite material!

When it was time, Marley and I filled the pool, set out supplies and discussed how she was going to build her boat. I said it sounded great and offered her the chance to draw her design on the new chalkboard we had recently hung in the garage. She drew a fantastic representation and I asked her what she was going to use. She told me and I suggested she write it down next to her drawing, which she did.

When our friends showed up we briefly discussed sinking and floating and which objects would do what. We tested some items and were surprised to see ice and wine corks floating. When we felt as though we had tested enough different items, it was time to start building.

We started by building boats out of tinfoil with the goal of holding 3 small rocks (we started with an easier task to accomplish so they felt comfortable later on). They were not really sure what the boat should look like so I asked if they had been in or seen boats before. They had and I suggested they try to fashion their tinfoil in the shape of a boat they had seen. Finally it was time to experiment! Once they had built one that could hold three, I asked how many could their boats hold? They were so proud when they held 12 and anxious to try again when it sank!

When they were done with the tin foil boats, we told them it was time to build a boat out of any of the materials they wanted. They started to build and some got a little concerned; they wanted to know if they could take them home. I assured them that yes, of course they could! Many built three different designs using different materials. We saw rafts fashioned from straws and corks, boats from milk jugs, sailboats, and a luxury cruise liner made of a pop/ soda bottle. Below is a small sampling.

During these times of building I have found over and over again it is a tricky line to walk. As a parent and educator you want to jump in and help, which you should but you don't want to do too much. The way I gauge it is to not do so much that you are doing it for them, but just enough so they do not get frustrated, remember, the main goal for this is for everyone to have fun!

When they were done building, we moved the pool back and forth to simulate large waves and this was a nice way to extend the activity. We also used the hose and spray nozzle to simulate a large rainstorm, which they loved! Finally the heat overcame us and it was time to cool off!

 

All in all, it was a great day! Kids (big and little) had fun working together to create something new. It was a great way to start the Garage Creative and am looking forward to doing activities like this again soon! Thank you very much for those who came, I hope you had as much fun as I did!

Please email thegaragecreative@gmail.com or find us on Facebook to drop us a line!

Creatively yours,

The Garage Creative

*I know some people who may not know me say I use exclamation marks a lot. I do but I also am that enthusiastic and have that much energy so while they are there are a lot, I mean every single one!!

The Power of Idea!

The Power of Idea!

If you are reading this, hello fellow ga-venter! This is my second post about the power of being creative and having ideas. The Garage Creative has been set up to help encourage my children’s creative outlets. I started talking with them about it Friday morning as I asked one of them to draw a picture for our Facebook page. This proved to be very valuable for a number of reasons.

First and foremost, it was a great drawing and very well represents what I would like The Garage Creative to be. Secondly, I told her it was going to be our Cover Photo on Facebook. This blew her away! She was so excited for me to post it for her and the world to see on the computer! This gave me an idea.

I am setting up a gallery on The Garage Creative to share, post, and view others wonderful creations. If you would like for me to post them, please email them to thegaragecreative@gmail.com or post them on our Facebook page under ga-vention gallery. The more I get, the happier I will be so please SHARE and COLLABORATE! Perhaps someday, I can get some cool The Garage Creative swag with shirts and stickers and we can have contests.

Another take away I was struck with happened after her summer camp at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center. We were walking to the car and she showed me a great model she had made at the camp (see photo and if you would like to know more about the activity, let me know). She was quizzing me on the order of the planets and I told her my pneumonic device for remembering them (my very eager mother just served us nachos. (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune)). I told her we could find a good place in her room to hang it up and she said, “Dada, we should put it in The Garage Creative!”

DUH! Obviously I was thrilled to hear this. It reiterated to me that by having her help guide the process of The Garage Creative her buy in to the project is huge. She is invested and she will continue to guide her own learning; all with the power of idea!

In Creative Solidarity,

The Garage Creative