Fort McHenry (Baltimore, MD)

Yesterday was a beautiful early Spring day here in Baltimore so I took my girls to spend an afternoon at Fort McHenry.  If you're ever in Baltimore, Fort McHenry is just a short drive from the Inner Harbor, Maryland Science Center, and American Visionary Art Museum.  It's the perfect place to learn a little history and get out a little bit of extra energy outdoors.

Check out our visit...

As a little history refresher, Fort McHenry is best known for its role in successfully defending the city of Baltimore during the War of 1812.   It was the morning after the British attack in September 1814, when Francis Scott Key saw the U.S. flag being raised above the fort, that the Star Spangled Banner was written.

My girls enjoyed our afternoon...

  Fort McHenry is part of the National Park Service and has its own Junior Ranger Program.  If you're ever at the fort, or any of the other NPS sites that have this program, definitely let your kids participate.   (check their website for a list of participating sites) 

The girls got a list of questions about the fort and the War of 1812.  All the answers could be found in the Visitor Center and on the grounds.  It was almost like a scavenger hunt for them,  as they ran from exhibit to exhibit reading signs to find information.  (Pretty fun way to sneak in lots of learning, don't you think?)

After all the questions were answered, they took their completed papers back to the ranger station to be checked.  The ranger determined that everything looked good and they were sworn in as Junior Park Rangers.  They got certificates and fun little badges.

As I mentioned, Fort McHenry is just a short drive from Baltimore's Inner Harbor and it's just off of I-95.  There's also a water taxi service that can take you from the Inner Harbor to the the Fort (which is a fun boat ride for the kids).  I'd definitely recommend it as part of your Baltimore visit and it's would be a good side trip from a visit to Washington DC.  Kids can learn some history and just run around on the grounds ~ there's a great path all along the water around the fort.  It's a great spot for a picnic lunch as you watch the boats go in and out of the Harbor.

Play and Learn in a homemade puppet theater

I'm excited to share my blog space this morning with a guest host from "across the pond".  I love the way Rebecca and her girls worked together to make this adorable little puppet theater from a cardboard box ~ then used it for all sorts of learning activities (disguised as fun play!).

Check it out...

Hi, I'm Rebecca.  I'm just popping over from the UK where I blog at Here Come the Girls to show you my puppet theatre and some of the things we did with it. I've been blogging for nearly a year and love to write about all the fun we get up to as a family. I have three girls a five year old and twins who have just turned two - which means two lots of toddler tantrums - great! I am currently a stay at home mum although I teach a few days a month as a cover teacher at a local school.

I love activities which on the surface seem merely fun but actually encourage so much sneaky learning behind the scenes. I cant help it. It makes me think of the old saying "you can take the teacher out of the classroom but you can't take the classroom out of the teacher". My poor children can't do anything without me trying to sneak in an extra teaching point or two. Probably the best activity we have done has been the cardboard box puppet theatre.

Art and design

Planning the theatre. We looked at lots of pictures on google but none really did what we wanted them to. We wanted to be able to put our hands in the side and hold the puppets. We also wanted a curtains which we could open and close. Although I had to do a lot of the cutting, decorating the theatre was a team effort.

  

Here is a step by step guide to how we made this theatre.

   My daughter made a lot of puppets. These were very simple with craft foam and lollypop sticks and other small bits and pieces from our craft drawers. I let her design and make these completely unaided.

Literacy

Making signs and posters for the theatre, e.g. what time it will start.  Older children could write out their play.

Numeracy

We didn't really explore this but you could have time  for different performances. You could also sell tickets to practice the use of money.

Speaking and listening

 

I was surprised by how much speaking and listening there was through the whole activity. Making something collaboratively requires a lot of skills - also social skills like turn taking and listening to other people's ideas. Once the play was set up my daughter was particularly involved in getting the audience (her dad, sisters and I) sitting nicely and listening without interrupting. This was as much a part of the performance as anything else. Then of course it was the story telling skills when she put on her performance. Although she didn't write down her play before hand she tried it out a few times and it took several changes of narrative until she performed it.

Drama

 

With older children you would probably give a bit more direction with the acting. I was happy to keep her staying on the same plot and I encouraged her to use different voices for the characters. The best thing about any drama activity is how it builds confidence and self esteem.


Really of course the main thing about this was that it was fun. My daughter had a great time and her little sisters enjoyed watching her. It was creative and you can focus on the parts which they are interested in. The only problem is that our puppet theatre has been knocked down by a giant rampaging toddler. Oh well I suppose we now have a great opportunity to build another one.  

If you liked this then I have a few more cardboard box activities up my sleeve. Have a look at one of my favourites: a cardboard box police car.

 { Thank you so much for sharing, Rebecca!  Cardboard boxes can be so much fun for kids ~ I love how you took your cardboard box play to the next level with that awesome puppet theater and cute police car!  Oh, and as a former teacher myself, I'm all for recognizing all the great learning that can take place where we least expect it! ~ Laura }

Activities & Projects with Children's Books

Welcome to our latest Themed Collection!

Spending time reading books with your kids

is one of the best ways to 

promote a lifelong love of reading

as well as future success in the classroom. 

There are so many amazing kids' books out there

and so many amazing parents and teachers 

who have created some fantastic activities, 

crafts, and projects

to go along with those books.

Let's use this link party to share 

and be inspired by those ideas.

Link up any children's book-related posts 

you might have.

It can be a craft, an activity, a game, etc.

as long as it ties in with children's books.

A few guidelines:

1.  You can link up as many ideas as you want, as long as they relate 

     to the theme of children's books.

2. Please don't link up your business, shop or unrelated posts.

   (To keep this collection a relevant & helpful resource, I'll delete any unrelated links)

3.  As with all my link parties, this one will be on-going, 

     so you can link up your new ideas at any time 

     and stop back often for fresh inspiration.

4.  By linking up, you're allowing me permission to feature your photo 

     and a description of your project in a "5 Fun Ideas" Featured Post. 

      (With a link back to your full post, of course)

5.  Finally, the more people who know about this collection, 

      the better it will be.  Help spread the word by including 

      a text link back to Come Together Kids.

      Spread the word even further by sharing 

      this post on Facebook or Pinterest!

Swirling Colors Milk (science experiment)

Who would have thought you could do such a colorful science experiment with milk?  We had fun at our Super Science Party adding a "secret substance" that would turn a tray full of milk and food coloring into a swirling symphony of colors!

Here's what you need:

• milk (whole or half and half ~ skim won't work)
• tray or shallow bowl
• food coloring
• cotton swabs
• liquid dish soap (Dawn works well)

Here's what to do:

1. Pour some milk into your tray.  You'll want it at least 1/4" deep.
2. Add several drops of food coloring near the center of the tray.
3. Dip a cotton swab into the color (don't stir it, just dip!).  Nothing really happens.
4. Now, dip your cotton swab into your liquid dish soap and then dip back into your milk.  (again, don't stir, just dip it in and hold it in place for a few seconds!).  Watch how the colors "jump" away from the soap, and then begin swirling around on their own!

 Look at all the fun we had at the party.

Here's the science behind the swirling colors.  (From Steve Spangler Science)

"Milk is mostly water but it also contains vitamins, minerals, proteins, and tiny droplets of fat suspended in solution. Fats and proteins are sensitive to changes in the surrounding solution (the milk).

The secret of the bursting colors is the chemistry of that tiny drop of soap. Dish soap, because of its bipolar characteristics (nonpolar on one end and polar on the other), weakens the chemical bonds that hold the proteins and fats in solution. The soap's polar, or hydrophilic (water-loving), end dissolves in water, and its hydrophobic (water-fearing) end attaches to a fat globule in the milk. This is when the fun begins.

The molecules of fat bend, roll, twist, and contort in all directions as the soap molecules race around to join up with the fat molecules. During all of this fat molecule gymnastics, the food coloring molecules are bumped and shoved everywhere, providing an easy way to observe all the invisible activity. As the soap becomes evenly mixed with the milk, the action slows down and eventually stops.

Try adding another drop of soap to see if there's any more movement. If so, you discovered there are still more fat molecules that haven't found a partner at the big color dance. Add another drop of soap to start the process again."

Sharing this swirling good time at:

Exploding Sandwich Bag experiment

This simple, yet exciting, experiment was the favorite of many of the kids at our Super Science Party.  It's a fun twist on the classic vinegar and baking soda reaction that I found HERE at Steve Spangler science!

Here's what you need:

• sandwich-sized ziploc bag (I used a generic brand and it worked fine!)
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1 tbsp. baking soda
• toilet paper

Here's what to do:  (It's helpful to have two people working together on this)

1. Tear off a square or two of toilet paper and put a tablespoon of baking soda in the middle.  Twist or fold the toilet paper around the pile of baking soda making a small packet.
2. Next, open your sandwich bag and pour in 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup warm water. Zip the bag closed, but not all the way.  You'll want a small opening just large enough to drop in the packet of baking soda.
3. Move the experiment to the sink or outside!  Put the baking soda packet into the bag and then quickly zip it all the way closed.  (I found it helpful to carefully put the packet in, then hold it towards the top away from the liquid so I could zip the bag all the way closed, then let it drop in)

 

      4.  Once the bag is sealed, give it a quick, gentle shake so the packet drops into the liquid and set it down.  The reaction will occur almost immediately and the bag will start to fill with carbon dioxide.  It'll get bigger and bigger until it finally POPS!

And because a picture of an air filled bag doesn't capture the fun, here's a quick little video from our Science Party.  (excuse the kid's voice in the background saying it sounds like a fart, 8 and 9-year olds have their own sense of humor!)

Here's the science behind this cool explosion (from Steve Spangler Science) 

 When you mix vinegar and baking soda, a chemical reaction takes place producing a gas called carbon dioxide (CO₂). If you really want to impress your friends, use the chemical names for each of the ingredients. Acetic acid (that’s vinegar) plus sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) produces carbon dioxide gas and water. The bag puffs up because the carbon dioxide gas takes up lots of space, eventually filling the bag. If there’s more gas than the bag can hold… KABOOM!  Wrapping the baking soda in tissue paper or separating the substances in bags is a clever way of slowing down the reaction.

Sharing our explosion at:

"Elephant Toothpaste" Foaming Science Experiment

We did this awesome Foaming Science Experiment (from Science Bob) at my son's Super Science Birthday Party and it was a HUGE hit!  Mix together a few ingredients and you get an amazing eruption of thick, bubbly foam!  It does require a trip to a beauty supply store to pick up some extra strong hydrogen peroxide (or you can order it HERE on Amazon ) , but it's absolutely worth it.

It almost looks like toothpaste for an elephant, doesn't it?

Here's what you'll need:

• 1/2 cup 6% hydrogen peroxide (sold in beauty supply stores or online as 20 Volume Clear Developer )
• 2 tsp. yeast (1 packet)
• 3 tbsp. warm water
• dish detergent
• food coloring (optional)
• empty 16oz plastic bottle 
• funnel
• safety goggles
• tray or container to catch the foaming fun

Here's what to do:

1. Pour 1/2 cup of the peroxide into the empty water bottle (Hydrogen peroxide can irritate skin and eyes, so make sure you protect your eyes and skin and let a grown up do the pouring.)
2. Add about 8 drops of food coloring to the bottle (optional)
3. Add about 1 tbsp. of liquid dish soap into the bottle and swish it just a bit to mix it.
4. In a separate cup, combine yeast and warm water.  Mix for about 30 seconds until most lumps are gone.
5. Now the fun begins!!  Pour the yeast mixture into the bottle ( using a funnel) and watch the foaminess begin.
6. The foam is just water, soap and oxygen so it's safe to touch, but it will be warm because of the reaction!

Check out the fun the kids had with this at the Super Science Party!

And here it is on video so you can see the fun foaming fountain in action!!


 



Here's the science behind this experiment (from ScienceBob.com) 

 

Foam is awesome! The foam you made is special because each tiny foam bubble is filled with oxygen. The yeast acted as a catalyst (a helper) to remove the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide. Since it did this very fast, it created lots and lots of bubbles. Did you notice the bottle got warm. Your experiment created a reaction called an Exothermic Reaction - that means it not only created foam, it created heat! The foam produced is just water, soap, and oxygen so you can clean it up with a sponge and pour any extra liquid left in the bottle down the drain. 

This experiment is sometimes called "Elephant's Toothpaste" because it looks like toothpaste coming out of a tube, but don't get the foam in your mouth!

Sharing this awesome experiment at:

Football Brainteaser

With the Superbowl coming up next weekend, here's a fun little brain teaser you can use to stump your older kids (or husbands, coworkers or other adults!)

NOTE:  I used crayons and eraser with my son because that's what a mom with kids has on hand.  However, you can use just about anything to make your goal posts and "football". (especially considering I might have learned this trick years ago in a bar with drink stirrers and a crumpled cocktail napkin! ;)  )

Ivory Soap Explosion

For the past few months, I kept reading about the amazing results you get by sticking a bar of Ivory Soap in the microwave.  Then just a couple weeks ago, I saw it here and I knew I wanted to try it here with my kids.  

Let me tell you, if you don't have any Ivory soap in the house, pick it up on your next shopping trip, because this is what you'll get...

Pretty cool, isn't it?  And it's so super easy.  Just pop your soap in the microwave (it'll only work with Ivory), put it on high for about 2 minutes and watch it expand like crazy. (Note:  Different microwaves may be stronger than others.  Your soap may be finished expanding sooner, just watch it carefully )

Just heed my warning, though.  I didn't go back to reread the post where it directed you to cut your soap into pieces first.  I popped the whole thing in, then had to push my oohing and ahhing kids aside before the growing blob completely filled my small microwave!

She loved it!

Be careful at first, because it is fairly hot when it first comes out of the microwave.  However, it cools down quickly and can be easily handled.  I thought it would be sticky or slimy feeling, but it was actually dry and a bit crumbly.  The kids had fun touching it and breaking it apart.  (and it was really easy to get them in the shower with a promise that they could break off a clump of the exploded soap to use to wash up!)

NOTE:  For all of you who make your own laundry detergent, Jessica sent me this message on our Facebook page...

My daughter and I just tried the Ivory Soap Explosion..and LOVED it! We found another perk to this too: Once the soap has been expanded and the kiddos play with it..it turns to that fine powder. I make my own laundry soap....1 bar shaved soap, 1 cup washing soda and 1 cup borax. I will never shave my bar of soap again!! Expand, play, mix..that's my new laundry soap motto!!! 

I think I'm going to have to keep a few bars tucked away in the closet and pull it out whenever we need a little fun before bathtime.

Oh, and there's some scientific principles behind it too.  Basically, in the manufacturing process, tiny air pockets are formed in the soap (that's why Ivory floats).  When heated in the microwave, the moisture in those air pockets changes to a gas and expands.  (I told my kids it was similar to what happens with popcorn ~ but you can read more about the science part of it in more detail here at Steve Spangler Science) 

Sharing our cool soap experiment at: 

Living Life Intentionally 
I heart Nap Time
Skip to My Lou 

Easy Letter Reversal Solution

Learning lowercase letters can be really confusing for many children, especially the letters b, d, p, and g.  When you think about it, it's not surprising that kids often mix them up.  After all, most objects don't change what they are just because you flip them around or turn them upside down!   

Several years ago when I went to a workshop while teaching, I learned about an awesome tip that really helps with letter reversals.  The best part?  Your child won't need anything fancier than their own two hands (and a little bit of imagination).

Check it out . . .(thanks to the awesome hand modeling of my 6-year old!)

Isn't that cool?  The shape of your hands resembles the lower-case b and d!  Teach your child this little visual trick, then remind them to "Make their bed" whenever they have to read or spell a word with the letters b and d.  By thinking about the letters and sounds in the word bed, then looking at their fisted hands with their thumbs extended, it's much easier to know the correct letter formation and the correct letter sound!

The coolness continues...

It's the same concept, but now, just think about the word pig for help remembering the letters p and g.

There you have it!  A super simple trick that has helped many of my students over the years and is helping my own children now. 

Sharing our pigs and beds solution at:

Smilemonsters
Sun Scholars 
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The Girl Creative

Word Family Spinners (from Paper Plates)

The other day I shared the flashcard game BANG! as a fun way for your beginning reader to practice sight words ~ those high frequency words that are essential for fluent readers to know at a glance.  Today's game addresses the phonics aspect of early reading and helps kids focus on the letter sounds within a word.  By changing the beginning sound in the word, but keeping the ending the same, children are able to practice "sounding out" groups of rhyming words (often called word families).

These little spinners are super easy to put together and they're great phonics practice for home or the classroom!

These spinners have the word families -an, -at, -am, and -ap

Here's what you'll need:

* two sets of paper plates (one small and one larger)

* brass fasteners (brads)

* scissors or an exacto knife

* Sharpie

Here's what you'll need to do:

1.  Poke a hole in the center of each plate ( I found it helpful to stack the smaller plate on the larger one and then poke the hole so everything lines up)

2.  Cut a small window to the right of the hole on the smaller plate using an exacto knife or scissors.

3.  Write the word family ending next to the window.  Here I used  -ap

4.  Next, stack your plates together and fasten using your brad.  Then, write the first beginning sound on the bottom plate through the window.

5.  Slowly rotate the top plate to expose an empty window, and continue writing new beginning sounds.  For the -ap word family, I wrote the letters c, l, m, n, s, t, fl, cl, and sn. 

Now it's ready to go.  First, have your child read the ending on the top plate.  Work together to add the beginning sound in the window and read the first word.  Then simply rotate the top plate to read other words with the same ending.  In the example I've shown, you'll be able to read cap, lap, map, nap, sap, tap, flap, clap and snap!  It's great phonics practice and a great confidence booster to be able to read one word, then sound out eight more.  Make a bunch of spinners for all the different word families and your child will be amazed at how many new words they can read.

** NOTE **

* I found some great lists of word families (and additional resources) HERE!

* You may want to start with single sounds in the window, then move on to blends like fl, sn, etc.