Epic Kidz World

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Science of Making Pickles

Whenever I can pair up a science lesson with anything, I consider it a win! My middle son loves pickles. So, when my husband took him to the store to get everything, they’d need to make their own, I had to jump in and find the science behind it. The best lessons are the ones you can eat afterwards. What is the science involved in pickling you may ask? Well, let me tell you. There are two ways to make pickles. The first involves preservation by immersing produce into an acidic solution (vinegar). The other, much older method is fermentation caused by a chemical reaction between naturally present bacteria and a food’s sugars. We used the latter method when making ours. Traditional pickles are made by initiating an anaerobic (non-oxygen-requiring) fermentation process. During fermentation the sugars are transformed into lactic acids. The lactic acid gives pickles their tang, while also creating an inhospitable environment for bad bacteria to grow by eliminating sugars and creating an acidic setting. Salt acts as a preservative during this process by encouraging the growth of good bacteria. Oxygen will cause bad bacteria to grow so it’s important to keep your pickles sealed until fermentation is complete. The last important factor for encouraging good bacteria and proper fermentation is temperature. Optimum pickling temperatures is around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. A dark basement is a great place to store your covered pickles until they are ready to eat.

Here is how we made our pickles with Pickling/Canning Salt, Pickle Spices, Garlic, Distilled Water, Cucumbers, and Canning Jar.

First things first, you will need to cut your cucumbers into spears. Try to make them as evenly cut as possible. This helps with the fermentation process if the pieces are similar in size. Then you will put them into your jar. Now you are ready to add your ingredients.

Right on top of your pickles add in 1 1/2 Tablespoons of pickling/Canning Salt. These measurements may vary on the size of your jar. Next add in a healthy Tablespoon of pickle seasoning. You can get this at the supermarket in the spice section. The one we used were called Dill Pickle Spice. You can add more of less of the spices depending on your taste. We chose to add garlic to ours as well. We put in a heaping tablespoon of it for added flavor. The last step is to add in the distilled water. Fill the jar up to the bottom of the lip. You don’t want it too full, but you do want it to cover the cucumbers.

The next step is an optional one. If you are into canning or happen to see yourself doing this more in the future, you should get a canning spring. These help to push the ingredients down onto the pickles to ensure that they are evenly distributed, as well as keep the pickles in place. When my grandmother made pickles years ago, she would give the jar a hefty shaking to blend in the ingredients. Once the ingredients are blended in it is time to put the lid on very tightly. As I stated before Oxygen is not a great thing to have around your developing pickles.

The process of making the pickles is very simple and fast. The fermentation process however is not. You will need to cover your jar with a towel and store it in a cool dark place. We put our pickles in the basement covered with a dish towel for one week. After 24 hours check on your pickles and you should see the fermentation process beginning. There will be bubbles forming at the top of the jar. Continue to check on the jar each day for added science observation. Once the bubbling has stopped, your pickles are ready to eat. The amount of time this takes really depends on the temperature and the light. It can take longer, but for us it usually takes around a week. Now, you are ready to eat these amazing pickles!! My kids claim that our homemade pickles are better than any store-bought ones. I tend to agree. You can get as creative as you’d like with what additional ingredients you add. Let the kids experiment and enjoy them after!!

Happy teaching and eating!!

-Nicole

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Delicious and Simple Homemade Pretzels

My mother loves to bake. I am not the biggest fan of baking. I can bake, but sometimes it is a bit much for me. When I get wind of a recipe that is made with simple ingredients and simple instructions, I am all in! My mom shared this recipe with me for homemade pretzels. I made them with the boys, and it was a hit! They were so delicious!! I actually ate so many that the kids were mad at me because they wanted more. Good thing it is simple enough to make more. The best part was that I had all of the ingredients already in my kitchen. Let’s dive in.

For ingredients you will need:

1 Packet of Yeast

4 Cups of Flour

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Tsp. Salt

We did use a stand-up mixer with a dough hook to make these. I have made them without the mixer and just kneaded the dough with my hands. Either way works just fine, it is just faster with a mixer.

In your mixing bowl you will start with one packet of yeast (2 Tsp.) into 1 1/2 Cups of warm water. Mix those two together really well. I mix them for at least 1 minute.

Next add in 1/3 Cup of brown sugar and mix that together until it is pretty smooth. Then you can add in the 1/4 Tsp. of salt. Blend all of these together until you get a fairly smooth texture.

You are ready to add the flour. If you are using a mixer add each cup slowly while the mixer is going. If you are hand kneading, also add it in slowly as you take time to knead it together. After you have added all of the flour you should have a nice-looking dough ball. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let is set for 5-10 minutes.

While the dough is setting you can turn your oven to 375 degrees. Then in another bowl mix up 1/2 cup of water with 1 Tablespoons of baking soda. Use warm water to ensure that the baking soda dissolves.

Once the dough has set you may begin rolling it out. This is the fun part. I split up the dough between each boy and let them make their own pretzels. They can make bites or pretzel shapes. They can get as creative as they want. My youngest makes little people sometimes. After you’ve cut out all of your pretzels you will want to dip them into the baking soda solution. Laying them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper after. When all of the pretzels have been dipped and are onto the baking sheet lightly dust them with kosher salt. Now they are ready to bake! Place them into the oven for Around 10-12 minutes. When they are lightly golden brown on top, they are done!!

Let them cool and then dig in!!! You can make up a cheese dip to enjoy with them if you’d like. Honestly, they are so sweet and yummy that you don’t really need anything with them at all. I think they would make awesome rolls as well. I am going to experiment with making pretzel buns and roll with this recipe. They are just so so good! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Happy baking!

-Nicole

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2 Ingredient Fruit Leathers

I am going to give you the simplest recipe for fruit leathers ever! Even better than how simple they are to make is how great they taste. My boys love these so much. Both the boys like to make their own batch and roll them up for a quick healthy snack. I love that they can make them themselves with a bit of guidance. When I first decided to try making our own fruit snacks I read through many recipes. Most of them called for a fruit dehydrator which I did not have, nor did I want to go out and buy. I came across an oven recipe with fruit and honey. I thought to make it simpler I would skip the fruit puree part and just use applesauce. It worked out wonderfully and I had all ingredients on hand.

The only two ingredients you need are applesauce and honey. You can of course add cinnamon or other spices if you like. We chose to use strawberry applesauce because that is what the boys like the most. I have experimented with many other flavors of applesauce. There are a lot out there to choose from. I’ve also experimented with different flavors of honey. Blueberry honey is amazing with plain applesauce and cinnamon! It’s a simple recipe with many unique options. That is part of the fun. Let the kids choose their concoction and make it their own.

Here’s how to do it! In a bowl mix 2 cups of applesauce and 1/4 cup of honey. Mix it together thoroughly.

On a cookie sheet put down oven safe plastic wrap. With a spatula spread the mixture onto the plastic wrap. Making sure to get it to be about 1/8 of an inch thick. We do sometimes make ours thicker as my youngest likes it that way. It is okay to do this, but just know that it may take longer. Once it is evenly spread out, pop it in the oven at 170 degrees. Our oven does not go lower than 170. I leave the oven door open an inch or so to lower the temperature a bit. It will need to bake in there for about 3-4 hours. I know that sounds incredibly long, but if you make them in the morning, they will be ready for afternoon snacks and won’t interfere with dinner plans.

Check on the fruit as it bakes. When it is ready it will no longer be sticky to the touch. It will harden up, but still be flexible. Think of the consistency of a fruit roll up. When it is done let it cool. Once it is cool, you can peel the fruit off of the plastic. It should come off in one nice sheet. Then you can cut into squares and roll them up! Some people choose to cut the fruit into squares with the plastic still on the back and roll it up with the plastic. I am not a fan of this method and find it just as easy to roll up and unroll without the plastic. However, if packing in a lunch the plastic may help it keep better.

There you have it! I told you it was simple. When your kids are bored or say there’s nothing to eat, have them make their own snacks. Warning, they will want to make them all the time, and store-bought ones will no longer do!

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Birds and the Ecosystem: Easy DIY Projects To Help the Birds in Your Backyard

This year I’ve decided to include my own version of nature school for the summer months. Usually, we take the summer off of “school” even though we are learning every day. However, living in the Midwest we don’t have a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities that do not involve snow. So, taking advantage of the warm months to dig into ecology just made sense. We started the summer off with a tour of our metro recycling center. This jump started the learning path for all things nature and conservation. We began to do nature journaling, and I’ve decided to follow the lessons outlined within it. I expand on each day with activities to enforce what they’ve been journaling about. One of the first things we’ve studied were birds and their importance to our ecosystem. This makes a great summer lesson for your kids that won’t even feel like learning, but they are! Before we dive into these awesome low-cost projects, let’s talk about why birds are so important for the environment and for people.

When it comes to birds the most obvious benefit is watching them. They are so beautiful to watch flitting around. It can be so calming to spend time in nature and hear them chirping. My kids love to watch what they are doing and are very curious about their behavior. This can lead to some really great conversations. Birds service to our ecosystem includes everything from food to oxygen. Birds make big contributions across habitats, and they’re crucial for people and the planet to thrive and survive. One of the biggest contributions of birds is that they are pollinators. When we think of pollinators we usually go straight to bees. Where bees are extremely important in what and how they pollinate, birds are just as beneficial in their area of pollination. In addition to pollinating some of our favorite fruits, they are invaluable in their ability to keep entire forests healthy by spreading spores. It’s well known that birds transport seeds. They munch on their favorite berries, and then distribute seeds in their droppings to continue new plants to grow.

Bird droppings are also a great fertilizer for the soil and all other plants. What they eat is almost as important as what they drop. Certain bird can consume as many as 60 bugs per hour. They are a natural pest remover and can help keep crops safe without the use of pesticides. Think of how many more bugs would be bothering us on our patio if it weren’t for birds. This is why it is important for us to help create habitats and healthy places for birds to go to encourage them to stay around our back yards. The average rate of a bird to reach maturity after being born is 37 percent! If we can help them to have a better environment to live in, we can then reap the benefits of what they are capable of doing for us.

Now that you’ve got the kids fired up about birds, let’s get to some easy projects you can make with them to create these bird habitats in your own backyard. We decided that we wanted a birdbath. It is essential for birds to be able to splash around and clean themselves off. This helps to keep them free of parasites and pests, as well as keep them clean. I took the boys to look at some to buy at a local store, and as I looked at the prices, I thought we could make one ourselves. Not only would it be more cost effective, but it would also give the boys a sense of pride and connection with what we were trying to accomplish. So, we headed to the Dollar Tree and the bird bath was born!

All you need for this is one large planter, one medium planter, a wide bowl and a glue gun. It couldn’t be simpler. Apply glue to the bottom of the large planter. Attach it to the bottom of the medium planter. Then you will put glue along the rim of the bottom of the bowl and some around the top of the medium planter for good measure. Sit the bowl into the top of the medium planter and you have a bird bath! We glued a string of greenery around the seams to add a bit of decoration to it. You could jazz it up any way you want to. Fill the bowl with water and sit it outside in the yard and watch the birds come to it. They will love it and you will love watching them.

Another great project to make is a bird house. Birds are always looking for safe places to make nests and care for their young. The best part is that a lot of birds will use the same house year after year. For this project you will need a milk carton. We used a cardboard carton and a plastic one to mix things up. Either one will work just fine. You will need some duct tape, a pencil, hot glue, and scissors.

The first thing to do is to cover the entire milk carton with duct tape. This helps to waterproof the house. We found some very colorful tape that added to the appeal. Once the house is covered, you will need to cut a hole out for the bird to enter. Make sure that the hole is high enough that there is plenty of room in the bottom for a nest. Next you will make a tiny hole below the large hole for the pencil to fit in. This will be the perch for the birds to rest on. Once you’ve put the pencil in the hole, apply some hot glue around it to hold it in place. That’s it!! You can make a hole in the top with some wire to hang your house if you prefer. Otherwise, you could nail it to a fence or secure it safely to a tree.

The boys also made their own bird feeders out of milk cartons by cutting off the top and filling the bottom half with bird seed. There are so many fun ways you can create amazing habitats in your own yard. Hopefully this will get you started on your own nature learning journey, and you can come up with some of your own ideas on what you can do to help the ecosystem. Let me know what you come up with. I love to hear your ideas!

-Nicole

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Benefits of Hide and Seek

I hate Hide and Seek. Yes, I said it. Of all of the games my kids ask me to play this one is the worst. I haven’t liked it since I was a child. I don’t know why exactly, but it just doesn’t work for me. Maybe it was all of the times as a child squishing myself into uncomfortable positions and never being found. For not liking it I was actually pretty good at it. As the seeker it was always frustrating walking around aimlessly not knowing where to look. Then I had my own children. This is and always has been their favorite game. I’m not sure how this happened seeing my personal opinion on the game, but it did. The problem is that they never grew out of it. At the ages of 9 and 11, they still love it. It doesn’t help that their favorite YouTube channels do extreme versions of Hide and Seek. This keeps the game high in their priority list of what they like to play. As I have had to learn to succumb to the torture that is Hide and Seek, I decided to look into the benefits of the game, if there were any. To my surprise, there are many benefits. It doesn’t make me like the game anymore, but it does help me to understand it better and allows me to stomach it as I’m asked nightly to play.

According to http://www.childsplayinaction.com Hide and Seek hits all of the pillars of executive functioning: Working Memory, Mental Flexibility and Self Control. Let’s break these down a little bit. For younger kids the memory work is a great benefit. The child has to rely on their memory of where they have looked and keep track of this while they are searching for the hiders. They are keeping the rules of the game in their minds as they play. They know that they have to take turns being the seeker and the hider. They are also mentally thinking of where a good place for them would be to hide on their turn as they are seeking. For the younger player, the game also helps them with object permanence. They are able to remember that even though they cannot see the hiders, they know that they are there and will return once they are found.

For the older kids, the mental flexibility becomes a real benefit to playing this game. They are using critical thinking skills by determining the best place to hide. They will have to think about getting into the right position to not be seen. Will they fit in the spot they want to hide in? What is the best place to hide that no one else will think of? These questions will get their brains cranking which will lead to problem solving. They will need to think quickly how they are able to achieve what they see in their mind. They will also get a hands- on course in conflict resolutions. I don’t know about your kids, but mine get upset when they are found. Especially if they are found first. This is a great learning opportunity for your child to figure out how to work through those emotions. There may also be conflict if two people want to hide in the same space. They will learn to be flexible as they discuss who gets to keep the spot and then find themselves a new one. Along with mental flexibility is also the lesson in perseverance. It can be hard to keep looking for hiders when you cannot find anyone. Children will learn that if they keep at it, they will find what they are looking for. They will then feel the satisfaction that they did it. They kept going even though it was tough.

Self- control is a hard thing for kids to learn. It comes with age sure, but they still experience big feelings at any age that need to be worked through. We have had to resolve many conflicts in this game by way of self-control. When they are found too soon for instance, instead of getting mad we help them redirect that into a positive towards the seeker. “They did a really good finding you didn’t they?” For younger children, keeping quiet while they are waiting to be found can be a huge challenge. My youngest would always laugh and then get upset when he was found quickly. He learned quite fast they he must hold it in in order to last longer in the game. It’s also hard to fight the impulse to tell the seeker where the others are after being found. This plays into conflict resolution a bit as well. If they don’t want to upset their friends, they must learn to keep quiet as to not ruin the game for others.

In addition to being a good physical activity for your kids to do that is not on a screen, it can also help with independence. The child has to find their hiding spot on their own. Once they are in the spot they must remain alone until found. This can be scary for some children to be isolated in a small spot waiting quietly. It does give them a sense of independence when they realize that they are capable of doing it by themselves. It gives them the courage to maybe try other things they may have not thought they were able to do on their own.

While I still don’t like to play this game, I do like that it isn’t just a silly child’s game. Not that there is anything wrong with just a plain, old, silly, fun game. In fact, I tend to like those better. Knowing the benefits of it does however make me see it in a different light. So much so that I have tried to come up with an alternative to the game that shake things up a little bit. I found these adorable glow- in the- dark lightning bugs. We hide them around the house in the cold months and outside in the summer. We take turns hiding the bugs and finding them. The boys love to explore different hiding spots for the bugs and get a real kick out of some of the spots they come up with. You could do this with glow sticks or glow rings as well. I feel like I may be stuck with this game for a while so, I may as well enjoy the ride while I can. I know one day they will not ask me to play, and everyone says I will miss it. Maybe I will, or maybe I won’t. I will get back to you on my feelings then. In the meantime, I will keep trying to come up with exciting ways to play. Do you have any fun twists on the game that your family plays? I’d love to hear them!!

Happy Hide and Seeking-

Nicole

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Tea Time for Poetry and Partner Writing: Getting Kids to Love Writing

This year I’ve found it hard to get my kids excited about writing and poetry. We have many different components to our curriculum that incorporate these parts. The problem is the dread I feel when I know it is time to do them. I know I am going to get push back and endless whining. Some days I just said forget it and went on to something else. I tried silly writing prompts. That worked the first time I did it. The next time I brought out the book I received looks of torture. You know the look. Then the whining would pursue. I’ve tried workbooks. I even went as far as to purchase Minecraft writing books thinking that would be the golden ticket. Unfortunately even their favorite video game did not excite them for writing. Our overseeing teacher gave me some ideas that also never took off. We have had much success with Night Zookeeper online, but I felt they were really missing the pencil to paper component. I had to come up with something fast as I did not want them to get behind. Then, I found it. I found the missing link. It was me!

I decided to partner with them in their writing journey. Everything I was asking them to do, I did too. If it was copy work they are assigned, I sit right there with my pen and paper and copy it as well. Then we discuss it together. We did a unit with writing in different codes. I did the codes right along with them. Then we would all exchange papers and decipher the codes. I realized that with every other subject we are learning I am doing it with them. In Science I am hands on for the bookwork and experiments. With history I am reading it aloud with them and helping them with their projects. I oversee them as they are doing math. The only subject that I was not coming along side them in was writing. I was pretty much hands off until it came to editing. I noticed immediate results when I realized they wanted me to be a part of this subject too. They were not only excited for us all to sit down and write together, they were genuinely excited to see what I wrote. When we go over the grammar and punctuation together now, they are much more engaged and understanding of the concepts. Not only is it easier for me to teach, but it is actually a lot of fun!

Now poetry was another beast. They did not seem interested in it at all. We have been taking an online class that involves poetry. They listen to poems and learn the different types of poetry. I felt like it was going in one ear and out the other. We also read a lot of Shakespeare, and they always seem to be really engaged in it. Well, it was because I read it aloud to them, and then we take turns reading different parts. So I decided to make poetry fun and something they looked forward to doing each week. I started Thursday Tea Time. On Monday we all pick a poem to memorize. The boys like Shel Silverstein and they are easy poems to commit to memory. I also memorize a poem from the same books. We take a minute each day to read our poem and work on memorization. Then on Thursday I set up for tea time.

Tea Time is a special time for us to gather at the table and recite our poems. I also thought what better time to teach the importance of etiquette. I get out a nice table cloth and set the table with napkins, small plates, silverware, and of course tea. I put a plate in the middle of the table with refreshments. This week we had Lunchables spread out nicely on the plate like a charcuterie board. Other times I may have cookies or another sweet treat. We all sit down and place our napkins on our laps. This is how we start the session. I’ve had a great opportunity to teach them how to properly set a table, and basic table manners. I pick a topic each week to go deeper into, for example, how to introduce yourself and others. This week we talked about holding doors for other people, and how to politely decline something we do not like. Etiquette goes far beyond please and thank yous. This is a great setting to not only teach these properties, but execute and implement them.

The last thing we do at our tea time is recite our poems we’ve memorized. It is so fun hearing the feelings they put into the poem as they are saying it out loud. They take a lot of pride in their poem of choice and like to have the floor to speak without interruption. This gives them a better understanding of the cadences of poems and emphasis on words. It puts everything they have been learning into motion. I like to take this time to also discuss their poems. I then read a poem out of our Shakespeare for Kids poetry book. We discuss this poem and break it down. I like to hear their thoughts on what they think the poem is about. We have some of the best discussions at our tea parties, and it doesn’t even feel like school. That’s the best part. They don’t realize they are learning. It also breaks up the monotony of our regular schedule.

If you have a child that is reluctant to write, or doesn’t see the point in it, you may want to give this a try. We’ve been doing it for a semester, and the boys look forward to it. In fact this week I suggested we skip it to do something else and that was a hard no from them. It’s a bit more work for me to prepare, but it is a lot less stress in the long run. Seeing their smiling faces and reading their work makes it all worth it. I hope that this helps you. Hopefully partner writing and tea time help ease your writer’s struggles too.

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DIY Light Sabers

I get asked all the time how I come up with science activities to do with my boys. Well, I research a lot. I love science and teaching, so it’s important for me to bring the lesson to life. Also, let’s face it, I have just as much fun as they do. I also hear moms and dads saying that they are intimidated by science that has too many steps or materials to complete. I am all for making a mess, but I do try to find activities that are simple enough for the boys to do mostly on their own. This is one of those projects that can be completed independently with a little guidance.

The DIY Light Saber is a wonderful way to teach your kids about electricity, open and closed circuits, and the difference between conductors and insulators. They will be amazed at what they create. When we first made these it was so much fun seeing the boy’s eyes light up when the saber lit up! I was able to talk about the elements of electricity and explain open and closed circuits as we went through the steps of the project. They understood it so much more, and the information has stuck with them. This project is simple and effective. The best part is you don’t have to be an electrical engineer to do it!

Let’s get started. Here is what you need:

Copper Tape: https://amzn.to/3JIE1LB

Jumbo Craft Sticks: https://amzn.to/40AjfDH

Large Paper Clips: https://amzn.to/3XpjJdn

LED Lights: https://amzn.to/3IcnJJT

Lithium Button Batteries: https://amzn.to/3YwuJGr

The first step you will do is to cut two pieces of copper tape to run the length of the craft stick on both sides. Remove the sticky backing and place the tape on both sides of the craft stick. This can be a bit tricky to keep the tape smooth as you tape it to the stick. Don’t be afraid to cut a few extra strips in case you need to start over. It’s important to keep the tape as smooth as possible on the stick.

Next you take your led light and place it on one end of the stick. The prongs at the bottom of the light will line up with the copper tape on both sides of the stick. Carefully peel back the end of the tape on both sides of the stick the length of the prongs on the light. You will put the metal prongs underneath the tape on either side of the stick. Then gently press the tape back over the prongs to secure the light in place.

On the opposite end you will clamp down the large paper clip. Flip open both sides of the clip so they fold backwards. Now place your battery on one side of the stick near the end by the paper clip. We did use a little scotch tape to secure the battery, but it isn’t necessary. Now you have created an open circuit. When you fold both sides of the paper clip back over it will clamp the battery into place. When both sides are down the bottom side will make contact with the copper tape, and the top side will clamp down on the battery. This creates a closed circuit, and the light at the end will turn on!! Open up one side of the paper clip and the light will turn off making it an open circuit once again.

It’s really that easy!! My kids made several using different colors of led lights. These are so easy and fun to make. It makes for a fun and informative science project that they use and show all of their friends. Give it a shot and see for yourself how much fun science can be for you and your kids.

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Screen Printing for Kids: Fun activity you can do at home!

As a stay at home mom, I am always looking for creative things for the boys to do. We homeschool so there is a lot of “downtime” in the afternoons. I like to use that time to do different activities that we otherwise wouldn’t do. I came across the idea of screen printing our own shirts. After a little research I came up with the simplest, most effective way to accomplish this. It is also important to me, as I have said many times before, that I choose activities that they can do mostly by themselves. I want to guide them, but not do it for them. This method was such a success! Not only did they do it by themselves, they were so happy with the outcomes. They wear their shirts with pride and tell everyone they made them themselves. So here goes….

What you need:

Cross-Stitch Frame. I found plastic frames that I liked better than the wooden ones, but either one will work. I also found the rectangle shape to be easier when dragging the ink off, but again any shape would work.

Mesh Material. You need a square of a fine, screen mesh big enough to fit the cross-stitch frame with a little overhang. We washed and reused our squares in between shirt designs, so you don’t need a large amount.

Scraper. You really could use any type of scraper with a flat end. We used one that was made for drywall, but a snow scraper or a plastic bowl scraper would work just as well.

Fabric Ink Paint. You can choose as many colors as you want. We chose bright colors and mixed them to get a tye-dye effect. This is where you can really express yourself.

Stencils. Any plastic stencil will work. More intricate designs seem to work better with the ink.

T-Shirt. Use any plain Tee you have. We used white as we always have plenty of undershirts around the house. Any color that the ink will show up on would be just fine.

Masking Tape. I find masking tape works the absolute best for securing the stencil to the mesh.

Now, that may sound like a lot, but it really isn’t. Trust me, the process is slick, and I’ve got you covered with links below to all the products to make sure you have exactly what you need.

Let’s screen print!

Step 1: Secure your mesh tightly into the cross-stitch frame. Try to make it as taut as you can. This will make inking much cleaner.

Step 2: Using masking tape, secure the perimeter of your stencil onto the mesh.

Step 3: Position your frame onto the front of the shirt where you want your design to be. * Place a piece of cardboard inside of the shirt to create a flat smooth surface. This also keeps the ink from bleeding onto the other side.

Step 4: Drop globs of paint onto the stencil. Put the ink colors on separately wherever you want that color to be. Keep in mind that the colors will blend and swirl together during the dragging part. So apply your colors carefully. You want to make sure that you have enough ink on the stencil so that it covers all of the design. We found that the more ink we applied, the better the result was.

Step 5: Starting at the top, take your scraper and firmly press it down onto the stencil. Drag the ink that is on the stencil to the bottom. You want to press down pretty hard as you do this, but not hard enough to move the stencil. This motion is what pushes the color down onto the shirt in the stencil’s design. You may need to do this action several times if you used a lot of ink. Once you can see the color has transferred onto the shirt through the stencil, you are done with that step. You want just a thin layer of ink to remain on the shirt after scraping.

Step 6: Gently life the entire frame off of the shirt. Go slow almost as if you are peeling it off. You should see your design displayed in ink on your shirt!

If you want to wash it before you wear it I would suggest hand washing or putting it in the washer alone. The ink will be set after that! Believe me, once you do this you are not going to want to stop. We screen printed on canvas bags, paper, pillow cases, and the list goes on. Pretty much anything the boys could think of, we inked. This is such a fun project that I know you will love just as much as the kids do. Have fun, and share your shirts with us @epickidsworld on Instagram. We would love to see what you come up with!

Supplies:

Plastic Cross-Stitch Frames: https://amzn.to/3ZOl2oe

Mesh Material: https://amzn.to/3CV3H3i

Fabric Ink: https://amzn.to/3XodBCJ

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Mom Win: DIY Light Sabers

If you are looking for something to spark your kids interest in all things electricity you need to try these simple DIY light sabers. Not only are these fun and easy to make, they will also have your kids thinking you are a super genius. I am always looking for fun, inexpensive ways to keep my kids entertained and learning. They are both really into electrical type activities. Their father is an electrical engineer so go figure. I on the other hand am not as savvy when it comes to these things. Enter Educational Innovations on teachersource.com. This site changed my life. This is one of many awesome activities I will be sharing with you over the next year. Not only is it very inexpensive to buy the kits from them, they have videos explaining the activity and a lesson to boot. You can also buy the supplies yourself without purchasing the kit. I found all the supplies needed at our local Home Depot store.
This activity focuses on electrical currents, open and closed. The light saber demonstrates these circuits so simply. The kids can actually see what is happening. So, let’s get to it. You will need to get a few supplies to get started: large craft stick, LED light, copper tape, a binder clip, and a watch battery. All products needed are linked below for your convenience.

First, you will need to cut two strips of the copper tape. One for each side of your craft stick. Make sure that these strips run the length of the stick, but do not go over the edge.

Next, you will put the prongs of your light on either side of one end of your craft stick. You will then secure the prongs to the stick with your copper tape. Cover the end of one prong with the tape and stick the entire strip of copper to the rest of the length of the stick. Do this on the other side as well. It should look like this.

On the other end of the stick, put the battery on one side right on top of the copper tape. You may secure the battery onto the stick with a piece of scotch tape.

When you put both sides of the paper clip down at the same time, you complete the circuit. Your light should turn on. When you lift the side of the clip that is on the battery, it opens the circuit, thus shutting off the light.

That is it! A simple and fun demonstration of electrical currents that the kids can play with for the rest of the day. Give it a try, your children will be amazed!

Copper Tape:

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Craft Sticks:

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Single LED Lights:

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Binder Clips:

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Watch Battery:

https://amzn.to/3W2uotL

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Socratic Method: What is it, and how it can help

In my last post, I talked about critical thinking, and the importance of it in our children’s education. This brings me to venture more deeply into how I can incorporate this skill more effectively. Enter the Socratic Method of teaching. Right now, we are using the Torchlight Curriculum in our homeschool. It is heavily based in this method. However, I have been asked to explain the meaning of it, and how it is implemented. So…..here goes!

The Socratic method was derived from the Greek philosopher, Socrates. In an attempt to get his students to think deeper about a situation he would ask them questions until contradictions were exposed. He wanted to have an open dialogue between the teacher and the student. His probing questions forced the student to expand on their viewpoint. This causes their wheels to turn, and gets them thinking from different angles. Can they defend their point of view? Can they explain their thoughts on the subject? Right or wrong answers are not as important as the reasoning behind their explanation and view point. Socrates used this method of questioning to encourage people to question the things they were told, and to look beyond the obvious.

Now do you see why this is important in today’s world? Many parents joining the homeschool movement are looking for alternatives to traditional school. They are seeing the lack of critical thinking in their children’s education. When I think of an environment where an adult tells a child to do something because that is how it is done, with no willingness to explain, it makes my blood boil. I want my kids to question everything. This is how they learn. This is how they do not become doormats by simply following orders blindly. When a problem arises, they need to be able to see a solution from many angles. We want to encourage the next generation of innovators, not followers.

Why Use the Socratic Method?

There are 3 main reasons the Socratic method is still used today.

It helps develop critical thinking skills.
It gets students ready to think quickly.
It forces students to be prepared and attentive.

One way that we incorporate this skill is simply by reading. When the boys read a few chapters of their book, we discuss it. I ask them many questions about the plot, characters, and situations. It gets them thinking, and retaining what they’ve read. It also allows them to dive deeper into the story by exploring emotions they may have never thought about.

Boghossian identifies five steps in the Socratic approach:

1) Wonder

2) Hypothesis

3) Questioning

4) Acceptance/rejection of the hypothesis

5) Action

Can you see how easy it is to implement this into your daily lives with your kids? It can be incorporated almost anywhere. It just takes time. You can probably already see how many opportunities you have everyday to sharpen this skill with them and you don’t. Usually because we think we don’t have time, or we are just too busy. When kids ask you a question about something the easiest thing to do is tell them the answer or to Google it. We often do end up on Google, but the conversation starts with the question. Ask them what they think the answer is and why? Do this first, then look up the answer. This will give them the opportunity to see whether their hypothesis was on track or not. Don’t stop there! Keep the conversation going by asking if they agree with the answer. Why or why not? How else could the question be answered. There is nothing more awesome then watching your child figure something out, and see the light bulb go off. It may take more of your time, but it is so worth it to develop that relationship with your child. They see that their questions are valid, and their views are important.

Why Socratic method is important in education?

The Socratic Method gives students the confidence to talk to large groups, allows them to develop the ability to argue their points, and teaches them to think critically. When kids are confident enough to ask questions, they will be able to come out of their shell. I see kids in the traditional settings afraid to answer a question, because it may be wrong. I’ve seen their light for learning dim when they are told the answer is not right. I’ve also seen the child beam when they are recognized for memorizing the right answer, but still don’t have a clue why or what it means.

I’ve also seen my own kids bloom with the development of this skill with this method. They are not afraid to speak publicly. They are not afraid to speak up and get the answers they need. Sometimes it is annoying when they do it back to me, or I just want them to take the answer their given. However, I laugh inside knowing that they are seeking understanding to a concept. They are little humans with big minds that are far more capable then what we give them credit for. Your children are the next generation of great innovators, it all starts with innovative thinking.

Quilted Flowerpot

This was a fun project to do. We’ve been having rainy days here lately in the Midwest. I have a lot of pots left over from starting my seedlings this spring. After transferring the vegetables outside into the garden, I am left with many pots of many sizes. The boys love to plant seeds all year long, so I always make sure to keep these on hand. Lately, I have been thinking about ways to upcycle these pots and create a neat craft to do at the same time. I came up with this idea one day when the boys were exceptionally tired of being cooped up. I keep our craft bin full of many different supplies I pick up when I’m out and about. I had recently bought these fabric squares from the Dollar Tree. I knew they would come in handy at some point. Creating a unique flowerpot with them was the perfect use.

What you will need for this craft is glue, a flowerpot, and fabric squares. You could easily use any fabric you have on hand, old t-shirts, or blankets. The first thing you will do is cut the fabric into little squares. You will be creating a mosaic type look on the pot, so they do not need to be perfect squares. The more shapes you use just creates a more personal look.

Then, all you do is glue these fabric pieces to the outside of the flowerpot. You can make any design you want or fill up the entire pot with the squares to create a quilted mosaic look. We found the best way to apply the fabric to the pot is with a paint brush. Paint the glue onto the pot and stick the fabric to it. For a more finished look, you can paint the glue on top of the fabric as well. Continue to paint the fabric around the entire pot. Once you are done let it dry completely. Then you have a personalized creative decorative pot. Place a plant in it or start a new seedling.

This is a great way to get your kids into gardening. It can be an easy activity to incorporate into a lesson on seeds and parts of a plant. You can go into how the plant is fed and photosynthesis. I love to incorporate learning into every activity we are doing. Explaining the lesson while the kids are doing an engaging activity helps to keep their attention. It also drives the concept home in a way that they will retain. Anytime visual learning is an option, I will take it! Go ahead and get creative with your lessons and decorative flowerpots.

-Nicole

DIY Air Fresheners: Kitchen Chemistry

I came across this project one afternoon when I was trying to come up with an activity to do that included items I already had on hand. This was a simple concoction of only 3 ingredients. However, with gelatin being one of those ingredients it lent itself to a science experiment at the same time. To make these simple air fresheners all you need is: 2 packets of unflavored gelatin, warm water, essential oils, and a container to put it in. It couldn’t be simpler. It is a lot of fun to make and smells really good!

The first step to do is dissolve two packets of gelatin into 1/2 cup of hot water. Next add 15-20 drops of fragrance to the mixture. We used essential oils, but you could use perfume or natural fragrance as well. Then mix it all together and pour it into your container. Let it sit for 24 hours to set up. That is really all it is!!! Seriously!!

I think these will be great for the kids to make as gifts this year for Birthdays and Christmas presents for Grandmas and Aunties. We went to the Dollar Tree and found this cute little bee container. Imagine all of the cute containers you could use for this. We also used a little flowerpot with a rabbit on it that we had. The plant had died long ago, but the pot was just too cute to part with. This gave it the perfect new life. We plan to experiment with other scents and see which ones last the longest and are the most fragrant. Like most of our projects I am just as excited about these as the kids are.

Let’s look at the science in all of this. You may as well be teaching about the process while you are at it. I can’t resist an opportunity to insert a lesson whenever I can without them knowing it. The main component in this air freshener is gelatin. Gelatin is a flavorless, colorless substance that absorbs 5-10 times its weight in water. Think of it as teeny tiny water beads. As the powder absorbs the water it expands. You need hot water to melt these expanded particles, so they are dissolved into a liquid. The powder sucks up the liquid and expands. It then melts into a thick liquid. As the liquid cools it becomes a gel or a solid again. The particles have expanded from absorbing the water and the heat causes them to move very quickly. As the mixture cools down the particles slow back down and begin to shift back to a solid form, but instead of reverting to a powder again, it is left as a gel. It cannot return to a powder because the particles have absorbed so much water it has changed into a new form. The two have become one substance now and cannot be separated. This is great for the kids to see the transformation from a solid to a liquid and back to a solid again. If you want to dive deeper into the chemical makeup of gelatin, go right ahead! You can make this lesson as in depth as you want. That is the beauty of taking everyday projects a step further. Anytime you can teach something in a hands-on way, the information will stick so much more. I am a very visual learner, and I know my kids benefit from it too.

I hope that you enjoy making these simple air fresheners. I know your children will. I’d love to hear what lessons you incorporate into this project!

-Nicole

Why You Should Geocache with Your Kids

If you are like me you have heard of geocaching for years, but never really knew what it was or how to do it. My son recently saw a YouTube video of people geocaching and downloaded the app to his tablet. I mentioned that we should look into it and do it. His eyes lit up as he was shocked that it was a real thing, and not just something online. I told him about an aunt of mine who used to geocache all the time, but I did not know much about it. Together we researched it and decided that it was definitely something we had to do. immediately.

So, what is geocaching? It is a global game where people hide a cache anywhere, they choose and upload the location to geocache.com. Then, whoever downloads the app can turn on their location and find caches near them. From there it is a fun journey of navigation and exploration. First of all, you are probably wondering what a cache is. It is a “treasure” that you hide. It can be a micro size up to a large size. Some of the treasures have prizes inside of them like little trinkets. The smaller ones just have a piece of paper in them that you write your initials on when you find the cache. The rule is if take something you have to leave something. If there are prizes in the cache, then you take something out and put something of similar size back in. We had a lot of fun making our own cache and hiding it on a nature trail near our house.

Now back to the game. When you find a cache near you that you want to find, you hit the navigate button on your app. It pulls up a map with an icon where the cache is. This is where the fun begins. My son got a crash course in map reading and navigating. He didn’t even realize he was learning, because he was so excited to find the cache. While I drive car, he tells me where to turn and which direction to go. Once you reach your destination, you will have to park and go explore to find it. The app will tell you how close you are as you navigate on foot. Once you reach the general area, the app will light up blue and you know it is time to start looking. This is really exciting because it could be anywhere. It may be under a tree trunk, or a light post, we even found one hidden under a gutter on the side of a convenient store. Once you find the cache you open it, take a prize, and leave yours behind. Then you put it back in the exact spot. Next, you log it on the app as found and the person that set up the cache gets a notification. Now you are on to the next one.

The fun part of the game is that they are hidden so many places. They can be in urban areas, trails, or national parks. When we go camping now, we have to add geocaching to our agenda. You can even do it in other states. You will be amazed at how many there are. I was. We can spend hours doing this on days that we are bored and needing some exercise and excitement. Not to mention, all of the neat places we’ve found in our area we didn’t know existed. For instance, we found one hidden in a butterfly garden that wasn’t too far from our home. I would have never known about that place and now it is one of our favorite places to visit. The boys and I have had so much fun together running around bonding as we try to figure out where they are hidden. It is such a favorite past time now that I have to limit it, or they would want to do it every day. It gets us out in nature and out exploring our community. It gives their critical thinking skills a workout as most of the caches have clues hidden in the name of the treasure. It is just plain fun.

The boys couldn’t wait to make our cache and upload it to the app. Making a cache is easy. You can choose to do a micro cache. These are little magnetic capsules that only contain a piece of paper for initials of finders. These are fun to find because they could be stuck anywhere. We’ve found them hidden under park benches and even on the side of a train at a nearby museum. If you want to do a prize cache, you need to find a container that can hold up to the elements. We used a Tupperware container with a locking lid. The boys decided to put marbles in ours as they were small and easy little trinkets to add. We hid it under a bridge over a small creek on our nature trail. We named our cache “Bridge over Rushing Waters”. This is the clue that will help people locate the cache when they get to the correct coordinates. That brings me to another great teaching moment. You have to upload your exact coordinates into the app. This led to an impromptu lesson on longitude and latitude and how to use those coordinates to find exact locations. This led to a great conversation about where else this information is useful and in what careers it is used.

Overall, I think this is such a great thing to do with you kids this summer on vacation, at home, or anywhere. Light up their sense of adventure and get their minds working. I am so happy that we decided to give this a try. I can’t believe we never tried it before. Now it is your turn, give it a try!!

-Nicole

Summer Science: Build Your Own Barometer

With summer arriving here in the Midwest our weather is all over the place. It is such a great season to talk about meteorology with the kids. We can have 90-degree days and then a sudden drop in temperature along with severe thunderstorms. The humidity can be crazy high and hard to breathe in. There is also the chance for tornado weather at the drop of a hat. I take this opportunity to home in our weather studies. The winter has its own kind of weather, but it isn’t nearly as dramatic as our summers are.

Teaching about weather is fun when the kids can actually make something to monitor it on their own. In addition to a weather station, we set outside, we also like to make our own barometers. I’m going to share with you an easy way to make a functioning barometer that you can use to track weather in your area. We have a journal that we chart our findings in each day. This gives them a good insight as to what is going to happen outside.

Let’s first talk about what a barometer is and how it is used. A barometer is a tool that measures atmospheric pressure. The atmosphere is layers of air that has weight and presses against everything. Gravity pulls this air to the Earth and the barometer measures the pressure. It can be an indicator of weather by observing this atmospheric pressure. For example, if the air pressure is low, it is consistent with rainy, windy, or cloudy days. The air pressure isn’t strong enough to push those clouds away. If the pressure is high, then it will usually be a sunny cloudless day. The pressure is high enough to push the clouds away. This is a simple way to explain how the barometer works to your kids. If you really want to get into it with how the air pressure is measured visit: Barometer (nationalgeographic.org). This is a great article that explains all of the different types of barometers and their uses.

Now let’s get on to making our own. You will need to collect a few items to make your barometers.

Gather up: 1 Glass Jar, 1 Rubber Band, 1 Balloon, Tape, and 1 Straw.

Then you are ready to get measuring!

Begin by cutting the bottom off of the balloon off. Then you will stretch the balloon across the top of the glass jar. Secure the balloon onto the jar with a rubber band.

Next, tape the straw to the top of the balloon. Allow for quite a bit of overhang onto one side. This way you will be able to see clearly if the straw is moving up or down. Then have your child make a chart with ledger lines going vertically up a piece of paper. On the top of the paper put a sun and, on the bottom, put rain clouds. Then center your barometer so that the straw is lined up with the middle ledger line.

Now if you chart it each day, you will be able to see how high or low the straw moves in connection with the air pressure. When the barometer stays in the center, the weather should reflect this as well by being neutral. This would be not too humid or hot. There may be some fluffy white clouds in the sky. As the weather changes you will see a noticeable drop or rise in the straw. My kids have so much fun with these and enjoy charting the position every day. Once they chart it, they go look outside and keep an eye on the sky. Their barometers have not been wrong yet.

Give this project a try to capitalize on some summer science lessons. I promise this one is so fun they won’t even think they are learning. Happy summer!!

-Nicole

Dry Ice Experiments for Days

I know when you think of kids experiments dry ice isn’t the first thing you think of. However, if you take the proper safety precautions, it can be such a great medium for exploration. I was given a large box of dry ice pellets from my sister-in-law. She received some medication enclosed in it and thought instead of throwing it away she would give it to me to use with the boys. I was super excited to research what all we could do with this. To my surprise, it was a big hit with the boys. They used the entire box doing experiments that I had come up with, and some they came up with on their own. This is the stuff I love. When my boys run with something, and you can see their wheels turning. These are the best times we have in learning. Since it was such a big hit with our family, I thought I’d share with you some of the awesome things you can do and learn with such a fascinating compound.

First things first, what is dry ice made of? Dry ice is solidified carbon dioxide. To make it, carbon dioxide is first liquefied under high pressure. The pressure is decreased, which causes some of the carbon dioxide to vaporize. This leads to a drop in temperature that solidifies the remaining carbon dioxide. Dry ice is much colder than regular ice thus you need to take precautions when handling it. I made sure the boys knew the dangers of it, and they were to wear gloves at all times while experimenting with it. Also, because it is so cold it is important that you do not put your face down into the vapors and breathe it in. It will leave you with a very uncomfortable feeling. Dry ice would fall very easily into a lesson on the states of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. Since dry ice is a gas turned liquid and then a solid, it makes for a very interesting compound to discuss.

Now onto the experiments. The first thing to do is put a little dry ice into a bowl. Pour some water over it and watch the reaction. The water will instantly start to bubble, and the vapors will start to roll out of the bowl in a flowing fog. It is really neat as it looks very spooky like you’re in a haunted house. My kids enjoyed doing this in various size vessels as well as trying different water temperatures. They tried it in water bottles, cups, bowls, and a soft drink cup with a straw. It was fun to see the vapors roll out of the straw. One neat thing to try is to make a small hole in the top of a water bottle lid. Put the dry ice in and add water. Quickly screw the lid back on and squeeze the sides of the bottle sharply. The vapors will come out in rings with each puff of the squeeze. It is fun to experiment with different size holes to see what happens to the vapors in comparison.

Now if you don’t mind getting a bit messy you will have so much fun making dry ice bubbles. In a large bowl put a fair amount of dry ice pellets in. Add in some water to get the reaction started. Start blowing bubbles into the dry ice vapors with regular bubbles you can buy at the store. The bubbles will begin to accumulate on the surface of the ice. If you pop these bubbles the vapors will come out in a poof. The boys loved to pop the bubbles to see how fast the vapors would come out. Once the bubbles are covering the top of the bowl leave them sit for a while. Eventually the ones closest to the surface will pop, but the ones on the bottom will be frozen. These can be picked up and handled to observe a bit more closely. The kids had too much fun with these. As I said, it does get messy. You’ve been warned. The bubbles tend to go everywhere.

Another super cool bubble experiment involves using dish soap. In a clean bowl add dry ice pellets. Take a paper towel or thin cloth and dip it into the dish soap. Wipe the top edges all around the bowl with the soap. Now take your towel and cover it completely in dish soap. Add some water to the dry ice to the vapors going. Take your towel and lay it over the bowl sealing the sides down tightly around the bowl. Now, slowly begin to slide the towel over the top of the bowl. As you remove the towel a big bubble will form over the top of the bowl. This may take a few times to get it right but keep trying it is worth it.

One of the boy’s favorite experiments we tried was blowing a balloon up with the dry ice. In a water bottle put some dry ice pellets in and add water. Put the end of a balloon over the top of the bottle and watch it grow. The balloon gets very big with the vapors. Keep watching to see how big it gets before it pops or in our case flew off the top of the bottle and whizzed around the room.

Two other options for observation and discussion are freezing fruit and making silverware sing. We took little piles of ice and put different food items on top. Then we waited to see which item froze the fastest. We tried raspberries, bananas, potato chips, and chocolate. Then we ate them of course as part of our observation. Frozen raspberries were the winner. While you have a pile of ice out take a spoon and sit it on the ice. The silverware will begin to vibrate at such a high speed from the temperature that it will make this ringing sound. This absolutely fascinated the boys. They tried many different items to see if they could get it to create sound as well. It led to great discussions and a lot of exciting experimentation.

I’ve saved the best for last, ice cream. Making ice cream with dry ice is super easy and fun to make. If you’ve ever had nitro ice cream, it is very similar. In a bowl mix up: 1 cup of milk, 1 can of condensed milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. In a plastic baggie put in a fair amount of dry ice pellets. Crush the pellets with a meat tenderizer or the bottom of a glass. Begin to slowly add in the crushed dry ice to the mixture and stir at the same time. You have to move quickly in this process as the mixture will begin to freeze almost immediately. Keep adding in the dry ice and mixing until you have a nice consistency. Then spoon it into bowls and add your favorite toppings. That’s it! Another experiment and a tasty treat at the same time.

There are so many other ways to use dry ice in your science lessons, but I am going to stop here. I could write an entire book on it if you let me. I hope that your kids will enjoy dry ice as much as we did. It really is a fun way to spice up a science lesson and get some hands-on learning in there. Let me know if you come up with any other experiments to try with dry ice. It has become a favorite around here, and I see a lot of it in our future. Remember, science is fun, you just have to get creative with it.

-Nicole