In this BLOG post I will teach you how to make fizzy dinosaur eggs, the benefits of activities like this and ways to extend your learning and play.
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XO Gina
My four kids LOVE any kind of activity where they have to dig, chip, smash or poke something out of an egg. They used to ask me to buy them ALL of the time, so I got to work creating a recipe that we could make together at home. I wanted it to be fun, simple and engaging!
The recipe that we created is perfect to make with your kids. They can help measure and mix the ingredients and form the eggs. Not only is it a great way to spend time together, but it also reinforces important academic and social skills. For instance, following a recipe, measuring and patience.
Benefits of Frozen Fizzy Activities:
Strengthen fine motor skills.
Increase opportunities for language & vocabulary.
Practice self-regulation skills.
Work on cause and effect.
Allow opportunities to problem solve.
Exposure to temperature and science topics.
Purposeful ways to practice socials skills (waiting, using manners, taking turns, sharing).
Bilateral Coordination (using both sides of the body).
Materials:
Ice cube tray or mixing bowl
Sensory tray or bowl
Baking soda
Water
Ground coffee grounds
White vinegar
Pipette or medicine dropper
Step 1: Grab a mold. This can be a sand toy or any bowl or ice cube tray you already have.
Step 2: In a bowl, mix 2 cups baking soda and 1/2 cup of water. Stir in 1/4-1/2 cup of coffee grounds. I dump in whatever I have after brewing a pot of coffee. MIX.
Step 3: Fill the mold halfway with the mixture, then smoosh a dino in the middle. Fill the remainder of the mold with the mixture. Freeze for a few hours until solid.
Step 4: Once frozen, place in a sensory tray or bowl. In a cup or bowl, mix together half water and half white vinegar.
Step 5: Use a pipette or medicine dropper and squirt the mixture onto the letters. Watch as they bubble and fizz! Keep going until the dino pops out!
Tools you can use to excavate the eggs:
These are all GREAT for strengthening fine motor skills. They can also be reused over and over for learning and play.
Tweezers
Tongs
Squirt bottle
Medicine dropper
Wooden mallet
Pipette
Measuring cups/spoons
Self Regulation:
Did you know that banging, hitting or smashing an object (safely) can be a big stress-reliever for children? Activities like this can be a safe and supportive way to release big energy or big emotions.
Activities like this are an incredible way to strengthen fine motor skills. As kids squeeze and squirt, they are strengthening the tiny muscles in their fingers and hands. Those same muscles are responsible for self-help skills like feeding yourself and zippering your coat. They are also responsible for supporting you during the writing process!
The more we can strengthen those muscles early on through sensory-driven experiences like this, the more supported children will be when they enter school-age.
The possibilities for FUN are endless. You can learn & play & create all through simple materials!! They are great to have on hand for a rainy day, during playdates or on a day when you just need a little something!
While kids explore frozen activities together, they will have the opportunity to work on a TON of social skills. They will be sharing materials, sharing space, practice using their manners, waiting their turn and problem solving together!
They will also be learning from each other! Kids observe EVERYTHING! They will be watching how each person explores the bin. They will learn their own personal boundaries and maybe even be encouraged to try something they may not have before!
SO many language opportunities. SO much social skills practice. SO. MUCH. FUN.
Always monitor young children in or around water. Small objects can be choking hazards. You get to decide what is safe and manageable in your home.
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