Ooblek

Ooblek
Classic Family Tradition


Everyone should roll up their sleeves and prepare for some gooey fun.

This is easy. Pour the cornstarch into the bowl. Don’t rush to add water – take time to feel the cornstarch. Cornstarch does not feel like any other powder. It has a texture that can be compared to that of whipped cream. The grains of cornstarch are so small that they will fill into grooves of your fingerprints and make the prints stand out.

After you’ve taken-in the feel of the powder, it's time to add water. (You should add the food coloring to your water before adding it to the powder.)

There are no exact formulas regarding how much water to add, but it will end up being about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of water per cup (235 ml) of cornstarch.

The secret is to add the water slowly and mix as you add it. Don’t be shy here – dig in with your hands and really mix it up. This is usually when you notice that this is not your average liquid. Add enough water so that the mixture slowly flows on its own when mixed. The best test is to reach in and grab a handful of the mixture and see if you can roll it into a ball between your hands – if you stop rolling it and it “melts” between your fingers – success!

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Notice that the goo does not splash (or even move) if you hit it quickly. Squeeze it hard and see what happens. How long can you get the strands of goo to drip? What happens if you let the goo sit on the table for a minute and then try to pick it up? How does it feel? Hows does it move? Try bouncing a ball on the surface of the cornstarch. You get the idea – explore!

Snow - Homemade

Homemade Snow

Equal parts:

Cornstarch
Shave foam
     *(must be foam, not gel. Equate brand works great)


Mix together thoroughly (and messily!) and enjoy!
I'd recommend either doing it outside so you can rinse everything and everyone off, or do it on a tarp etc.

Stove Top Potpourri

Stove Top Potpourri

Tami B.

3 cinnamon sticks

1 Tb cloves

½ lemon sliced

½ orange sliced

4 cups water
(optional- add cranberries for color and additional fragrance)

Raise to boil. Add water when low. Store in refrigerator to preserve freshness.

Kid-safe Play-Doh

Kid-safe Play-Doh

2 c. flour

2 c. water

½ c. salt

2 TB Cream of Tartar

2 TB oil

Food coloring

Flour

Mix all ingredients together and heat over low heat until thick (3-5 minutes). Knead on floured surface.

Homemade Bubbles

Homemade Bubbles

½ c. Dawn or Joy soap

5 c. water

2 TB glycerin

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Place in cookie sheet if desired. Make bubbles from bubble blowers or homemade straw bubble makers!

Bubble makers:

Thread two straws onto yarn. Cut and tie yarn to form a 1’x1’ square when you hold the two straws. Dip in bubble mixture and wave through the air to create large bubbles!

Cinnamon Christmas Ornaments

Cinnamon Christmas Ornaments

¾ c. ground cinnamon

1 TB allspice

2 TB ground cloves

1 TB ground nutmeg

1 c. applesauce (try to drain some of the juice from it)

Decorative ribbon for hangers

Combine first four ingredients an blend well. Stir in the applesauce. Roll to ¼” think slab. Cut shapes with cookie cutters and poke a hole in each using a pencil point (for ribbon hanger). Place on ungreased cookie sheet to air dry 3-4 days. Keep turning over. When dry, thread a ribbon through the hole and tie in a bow. Display!

Baked Art Clay

Baked Art Clay

2 c. salt

2 c. warm water

5 c. flour

Mix together and roll to ½” thick slab. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters or shape dough into sculptures (not too thick or large or it won’t cook completely.) Bake for 1 hour at 300 degrees. Remove and let cool. Paint and display!