Magic potions-

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I had a couple of my little ones mixing up "Potions" in the playroom yesterday so I thought next week I would set up a potion mixing center outside I think that I am going to collect some plastic bottles and fill them with water and "stuff" to pour and make potions outside next week. I thought one could have some baking soda and one vinegar so we can get a nice fizz- some paint in one for coloring. What else can you think of that I could put in them that would be fun? I don't want glitter because I want to be able to pour this out outside and wash away

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

Oh I just thought- I could add some chopped up herbs to some of them.. I have mint out there going wild so that one would smell really good... maybe some lemons in one????

[bklsmum]

This is a great idea that I am going to borrow! Maybe put some food coloring in different bottles of water so they can combine colors to make different ones?

[Kabob]

That's an interesting idea.

How about pepper or other spices instead of glitter? I always liked mixing various spices together and daring my friends to drink it as a child. ::

Maybe food coloring or something like that instead of paint in case they try to drink their nice-smelling concoctions?

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

That's an interesting idea.

How about pepper or other spices instead of glitter? I always liked mixing various spices together and daring my friends to drink it as a child. ::

Maybe food coloring or something like that instead of paint in case they try to drink their nice-smelling concoctions?

Paint- non toxic washable- I am worried that food coloring they will be colored! But it wouldn't be that much- I wouldn't have blue and red kids would I? I had one bad kool aid finger paint incident...

[Kabob]

Paint- non toxic washable- I am worried that food coloring they will be colored! But it wouldn't be that much- I wouldn't have blue and red kids would I? I had one bad kool aid finger paint incident...

Yeah, that's a good point. It's tougher to wash that out.

What about using food or food powder to make your own food coloring?

Of course now we're just making this simple project more complicated.

I'm sure they will be happy just to get a chance to make a mess while exploring.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Cornstarch is good--makes an intriguing texture.
Dish soap (biodegradable so the whole mess can be safe outside).
I also like to give something that looks sort of like baking soda, but isn't, so they can discover the difference--flour, salt.
Also, another acid besides vinegar would be interesting--maybe some lemon juice?

Potion-making is one of my daughter's favorites, and one that often buys me some quiet time and sanity at the end of a long day!

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Also forgot to add--a mortar and pestle are really fun for smashing stuff up before adding it to potions. Spices, dried herbs. Also fun to smash up small bits of chalk.

[kendallina]

Fun! We also put food coloring in ours when we make potions. Sometimes I put a little having cream on top of their containers too.

Sometimes I bring out trays and pour little 'mountains' of baking soda on them and give each child a small cup with colored vinegar and an eye dropper and they can drop the vinegar onto different parts of the baking soda 'mountains'. This way, they get lots of small reactions instead of one big one.

[Unregistered]

I've had a "soap Factory". I saved up pump soap dispensers and filled them with water. They always have a bit if soap in them.. Those foam soap pumpers are the best! I had small bowls, spoons for mixing, etc. this has been played with for hours. I had some mini ivory soap bars...think they were 99 cents. I put one or two of those in their once too. They loved soaping up with a real bar of soap!

I also set up a coffee shop outside ! Used two plastic tea sets, small bowls of sand for the sugar, plastic food like strawberries, spoons, bowls if water to to fill tea pots, a foam pumper for the foam on the cappuccino , empty vanilla bottles, real paper coffee cups from a coffee shop, empty cinnamon containers, etc. the best fun event!!!