desertflower Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Hello! I was wondering what one does with a almost 6 year old who loves to mix things? He's been like this since he was little (2? 3?). I just assumed it was a part of being a kid. But I really think he enjoys it. So, I got this idea from another thread: buy jumbo test tubes, set towels down, set flour, corn starch, salt, vinegar, etc near the kitchen sink and let him at it. I also bought droppers. Graduated beakers are on the way. I have color tablets for the 2 year old. Is there anything else I can do? Kits are fine. I don't necessarily want to make anything at this stage, but please don't hesitate to make any suggestions along those lines. I'm just wondering if there's something else that I can do for my son. I'm going to ask x-post this. Thanks for any input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Introduce cooking/baking and let him have at it! Baking, especially, is all chemistry, and you can eat your attempts. Peanut brittle and/or toffee are good, although a parent would have to supervise and assist with the cooking since boiling sugar/butter are no joke.(My dad used to do that with his students when he still taught the general chem for non-majors. There was a food-safe kitchen on the first floor of the chem building, and they'd go down and make peanut brittle, because it taught a lot of the same lab skills, and it showed the kids a way that what they were doing applied to their day to day life.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Check out Guest Hollow chemistry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 A digital weighing scale. If you have coffee filters, you can cut them up for paper chromatography. Celery sticks and food dyes for the 2 year old. Its biology rather than chemistry but still fun. Butter can be melted in the microwave (if you have one) by kids. Caramelising sugar has to be stovetop. A candy thermometer is fun to get. An oven thermometer too if you use the oven often. My oven temperature setting is off and I have to use more time than what recipes state. Yeast. Play around with temperature and quantity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 Thank you dmmetler! That is an excellent idea. I don't bake, so probably why I didn't think of it before. But will definitely change now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 Thank you Angie in VA! I didn't realize that Guest Hollow website would be useful in this instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 Thank you Arcadia! Excellent suggestions! Especially for the 2 year old. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Thank you Angie in VA! I didn't realize that Guest Hollow website would be useful in this instance. YVW! I tell you, GH biology was something that saved biology, our school year, and quite possibly my relationship w/ my ds. I lacked the confidence to let go of my death grip on that textbook and the creativity to piece together my own curriculum. Then I found Guest Hollow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SereneHome Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 I buy food coloring weekly and baking soda in 13 lbs bags bc my 4 yr old is the exact same way. Yes, baking has been great bc he loves to mix all the ingredients. And since I am lazy, we pretty much make cakes and cupcakes bc you can just mix everything in one bowl this set worked great bc he was mixing things non-stop for weeks http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BURAP2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 He wants to do "real" school, so I am thinking of starting him on RS4K Chemistry pre-level 1. Home science tools have a kit that goes with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 I buy food coloring weekly and baking soda in 13 lbs bags bc my 4 yr old is the exact same way. Yes, baking has been great bc he loves to mix all the ingredients. And since I am lazy, we pretty much make cakes and cupcakes bc you can just mix everything in one bowl this set worked great bc he was mixing things non-stop for weeks http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BURAP2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 He wants to do "real" school, so I am thinking of starting him on RS4K Chemistry pre-level 1. Home science tools have a kit that goes with it Thank you for the info! I actually have Real Science Odyssey Chemistry and just bought the extra student sheets on Black Friday. :P A few people are saying to bake. I guess I will have to....... I'm not much of a baker. This should be interesting. lol We did make pizza over the summer. I have RS4K Physics. Because it was the only physics course I could find for elementary students. :) I may look into their chemistry one as well. :P Like someone else said "I may need a support group." lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SereneHome Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 My guess is you don't live anywhere near me or we could combine all the "mixing" :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 My guess is you don't live anywhere near me or we could combine all the "mixing" :lol: Lol I wish i had a funny reply! :) We do seem to have a lot in common. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SereneHome Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Did you see this? I am probably getting it when it comes on lighting deal http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E0DYOU/ref=gb1h_img_c-2_6282_b8ab783a?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_s=center-new-2&pf_rd_r=0289XSZCRABDPAX9SDWR&pf_rd_i=20&pf_rd_p=1980506282 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 I'm just now figuring out this same thing, as my DS6 loves to mix stuff, on his own, with no 'school' involved. 😋 Yesterday he set himself up in the kitchen with some cups, measuring cups, spoons, funnel etc. I have a squirt bottle (think cheap mustard/ketchup bottles) filled with vinegar just for him. This helps so it doesn't come out super fast. I gave him a small cup of baking soda. From there, he mixed and bubbled, added a piece of chocolate, added a Mentos, froze stuff in the freezer, etc for over an hour! 😄 If you get some Borax to go along with what you already have, you can easily make some polymer slime. The recipe can be found by Internet search. Also, someone unthread mentioned cooking brittle. Kind of along those same lines, we watched a Steve Spangler Sick Science! Video yesterday that showed how to make stained glass sugar. It was really cool and we will be trying that soon. Have fun experimenting! It's such a sweet age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 Did you see this? I am probably getting it when it comes on lighting deal http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E0DYOU/ref=gb1h_img_c-2_6282_b8ab783a?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_s=center-new-2&pf_rd_r=0289XSZCRABDPAX9SDWR&pf_rd_i=20&pf_rd_p=1980506282 No I haven't seen that before. Thanks for bringing it up. It definitely looks like fun! More money going out......*sigh* :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 I'm just now figuring out this same thing, as my DS6 loves to mix stuff, on his own, with no 'school' involved. 😋 Yesterday he set himself up in the kitchen with some cups, measuring cups, spoons, funnel etc. I have a squirt bottle (think cheap mustard/ketchup bottles) filled with vinegar just for him. This helps so it doesn't come out super fast. I gave him a small cup of baking soda. From there, he mixed and bubbled, added a piece of chocolate, added a Mentos, froze stuff in the freezer, etc for over an hour! 😄 If you get some Borax to go along with what you already have, you can easily make some polymer slime. The recipe can be found by Internet search. Also, someone unthread mentioned cooking brittle. Kind of along those same lines, we watched a Steve Spangler Sick Science! Video yesterday that showed how to make stained glass sugar. It was really cool and we will be trying that soon. Have fun experimenting! It's such a sweet age. Thanks for the info! I didn't think of mentos. And great idea on the bottle for the vinegar. Where do you get one of those? Restaurant supplies? I'll check out the video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertflower Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 Here's my other thread: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/535545-chemist-for-the-young/?p=6058094 Good info from Curlymom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Thanks for the info! I didn't think of mentos. And great idea on the bottle for the vinegar. Where do you get one of those? Restaurant supplies? I'll check out the video. I found ours at The Container Store. It is clear. I have seen them in the classic red/yellow for ketchup and mustard at the dollar stores before. You can also put baking soda in an old spice shaker so it comes out more slowly too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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