September 11th, 2013 - Family Fun (Ihop/Volcanoes)

Afternoon.  Today's post is about family time, and an economical way to do enjoy it.  But first, before we jump into the fun, lets take a moment to remember the events that happened on this day 12 years ago.  It was a shocking moment in United States history, and while it does no good to dwell on it, it should always be remembered.  As a country, we will never forget the lives that were affected in any way, large or small, and the devotion we have to this country.  With flags at half staff, our hearts remember, and acknowledge, the terror that reigned that day, and united our country, and support our citizens.

Now - to the fun stuff.  Today I have one 'deal' for you, and then a fun family activity that is SO cheap, it's almost free!  First off, what better way to celebrate family, than with food? I think there is no better way - breaking bread together is something that solidifies friendships, and love, and is often considered a gesture of love and communion.  AND, going OUT to eat is usually a treat for the littles!  So, for this first part of the post, I wanted to share a link with you from IHOP.  Just click on the link, fill out the information, and wait for your email.  By signing up, you get a free meal (the Rooty Tooty Fresh N Fruity) or a meal/menu item of equal or lesser cost.  And its not just one meal - you get one now, one for your birthday and one on your anniversary.  At our house, I did it for me, then had my husband do it for him, with his email.  Our little is only four, so she just shared dinner with us.  We spent about five bucks on our meal, then tip. (Don't forget to tip on the PRE COUPON cost!)

Lastly, a fun activity to do at home after you break bread with your loved ones.  This activity is one of our favorite ones - and all you need is some flour, vinegar, baking soda, and an empty water bottle.  Optional ingredients are dish soap, a cookie tray and red food coloring.

Directions: 

1.  Take two cups of flour, and mix some water in.  There is no real requirement, you just want a good doughy texture.  This will be the volcano!

2.  Mold the dough around the bottle (and make sure it is set on the cookie tray!).

3.  Fill the bottle with warm water about 3/4 full. 

4.  Add red food coloring, about one spoonful of dish soap, and two tablespoons of baking soda.

5.  Pour vinegar until you see the eruption!

**DO NOT, ha ha, believe your spouse when they say....hmmm....I can make this better.  If you do that, I guarantee you will be cursing that decision when you are scrubbing red volcanic insides off the far wall, ceiling and carpet.**

I find this experiment usually takes about 30 minutes, and we chat about our day, and important mama/daughter things in this time.  Something fun we like to do is go through the scientific method as we create - R loves to play, and doesn't notice the learning we sneak in.

The basic scientific method guidelines are: 

• Ask a Question
• Do Background Research
• Construct a Hypothesis
• Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment
• Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion
• Communicate Your Results

So, we will define a question (in this case, usually, what will happen when we pour in the vinegar), talk about chemical reactions (I leave this part to daddy - he's a scientist), and then we come up with our best guess.  We test our guess by doing the experiment, then we discuss what happened (LOTS of bubbly insides) and why (Acid (in vinegar) reacts with sodium bicarbonate (in baking soda) and makes a new acid.  The new acid is weak and fall apart and escapes.  The bubbles are the acid, escaping in gas form.)

Eventually, everything you do, will be put through this process, and the basic fundamentals of chemistry are easily absorbed by a curious child.



I hope this inspires you to go out and enjoy your family, and do a little learning together!

I would love to hear how the experiment works out for you!

~Danielle 

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