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Everybody has been sick a lot at our house recently, which has led to way too much grumpiness. I find sensory play to be one of the best solutions. Corn starch with water and a little washable paint (better than food coloring since it doesn’t stain) is a favorite.
Such an interesting texture to move around, and to try to mold and pick up. Not the neatest of pastimes, but hardly the messiest either.
My floor was covered with this afterwards, but it wipes up with a damp cloth or mop. Or you can be super lazy and let it dry, after which it sweeps or vacuums up (assuming your child doesn’t track it all over the house first!)
Cost-benefit analysis:
- Prep: Getting out corn starch, trays, water, and washable paint – under two minutes
- Initial entertainment: at least twenty minutes
- Clean-up: 5 minutes
- Cost: Less than $2
- Lasting value: Dispelling whiny/grumpy moods – priceless!
Sharing this post at Red Ted Art and Science Sunday at Adventures in Mommydom
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That looks fun! We’ve used dry cornstarch, and adding a bit of water would make it a whole new experience.
I wipe up worse than that off the floor after each mealtime…
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maryanne Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 10:08 am
Good point. Meal times here make a huge mess as well!
The corn starch with water has quickly become a favorite activity here =)
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Sounds like lots of fun :) What a smart mama to distract with something so fun to take away the grumpies!
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Oh sick and the grumpies no fun for anyone… I’m hoping the next place we move to has a bigger kitchen or a dining room that isn’t covered in carpet so we can do more messy crafts. Bet this was a fun time for all the kids.
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maryanne Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 10:07 am
I don’t understand why so many rentals have carpet in the dining room. Why is that ever a good idea?!
I hope you do get a more craft-friendly home when you move!
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I am a meanie and haven’t really tried “messy messy play” much with my children, though I know I should! You look like you are having lots of fun!! Fabulous!
Thanks for linking and sharing :-)
Maggy
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looks like lots of fun
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Priceless indeed
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Very fun and messy!
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Very messy and very fun!!!
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Very cool! I’ve never done this before!
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Sorry that everyone has been sick. This made me want to make oobleck again even though Lars was not too pleased about the mess.
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Great tip on using the washable paint in place of food coloring! My kids LOVE to play with this stuff.
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We love making cornstarch goo! We learned the hard way, though, NEVER put it down the sink! Always the trash! (Clogged drain. sigh.)
( :
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maryanne Reply:
May 14th, 2011 at 7:48 pm
Thanks for the warning! Clogged drains are NOT fun!
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I love cornstarch….I have made it a staple for my food storage…an instant toy…that can give hours of smiles!
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I love making cornstarch goop! It’s so fun!
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We went through a whole box of cornstarch this way a few months ago!! I was glad it cleaned up really well…and so was Peter since my kids didn’t keep it very contained.
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I’d forgotten about this! We did it a few years ago and had a blast learning about Non-Newtonian fluids! There’s some projects with Elmer’s Glue (like Silly Putty) that’s fun too! Stopping by from Science Sunday!
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We do this outside on the trampoline in bathing suits, then hose off when you are done!
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maryanne Reply:
July 18th, 2012 at 10:39 am
Brilliant!
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[...] materials in our house are cornmeal (great way for older kids to practice writing letters!) and corn starch mixed with water (hint: we use washable paint instead of food coloring to add a splash of color to liquid sensory [...]
Where did you get the trays? I really like the look of them! I remember playing a lot with cornstarch and water growing up – even in elementary school! Such a fun thing. Thanks for posting this!
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