Bring out the paint!

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Families may need be practicing social distancing but we can still enjoy the bene�ts of nature and the outdoors. As a mother of two boys- 3 and 6 years old, I �nd myself asking, what is a good activity for us to do as a family? Luckily we are now seeing some nicer weather so we took out some paint and paintbrushes and looked for outdoor things to add some colour to!

What you will need:-washable paints-paintbrushes-paper plates (something to pour the paints onto)-a place to decorate such as your driveway, the sidewalk, the bricks on your home, or if these are not appropriate, just bring out some large sheets of paper or a canvas to paint on!

Engaging with your child. You should open your activity with a simple invitation. “Let’s paint outside today. What should we paint?” During the activity you can ask open-ended questions. “What colors are we using?” “What will happen if we add this yellow to the blue?”. Listen and comment on your child’s actions and follow their lead! They will enjoy this experience because you are doing the activity with them and because it’s fun to paint outdoors!

Bubble Snake Experiment

As the days pass, you might be wondering what to do next with your little ones. This activity will be sure to delight as it involves BUBBLES! First, take a plastic bottle and carefully cut the bottom end off. Next, take a sock and put it on around the cut off end of the bottle using an elastic band. Now it’s time to make the bubble mixture. For this, �ll a container with water and some dish soap.

Experiment: For the experiment, allow your child to dip the sock end of the bottle into the bubble mixture and have them blow through the other end. When air is blown through the bubble maker, it will create hundreds of tiny bubbles. As the air wiggles through the fabric, bubbles will continuously form, and a bubble snake will emerge. Let’s see if you and your child can make the longest bubble snake ever!

Materials for the bubble maker: - Plastic Bottle - Scissors - A thin sock - Elastic Band

Engaging Your Child:Children are curious about experiments and may have many questions. During this experience help your child understand what is happening, “When you blow in the bubble maker it makes lots of bubbles on the other end.” or “More and more bubbles are coming out and making a long bubble snake.” You can also ask your child questions to encourage language from your child, “How many bubbles do you think there are?” or, “What happens if you blow a bit harder?”

Materials for the bubble mixture: - Container - Water - Dish Soap