Friday Fun

It's Friday and Friday's are for fun. Now that it's finally warm enough to enjoy the outdoors without jackets, what's more fun than playing in water?

Here are two easy activities that can stimulate your child's inner scientist.



Painting with Water

Kids love seeing how colors get darker when they paint over them with water. Take them outside with a paintbrush and a bucket of water, and let them paint the house. "Painting" over sidewalk chalk drawings makes the pictures shine and the colors deepen until dry. Do an experiment together by painting a spot in the shade and one in the sun. Ask your child, "Which dried first?" "Why?" Very young children will enjoy just pouring water from plastic bottles onto a sidewalk, deck, or patio.

Dropping Rocks into Water

Toddlers enjoy throwing stones into a creek or lake, so why not bring the fun to your own backyard? Fill a bucket with water and let them toss in rocks.

Encourage their inner scientist with questions. Ask "What happens to the size of the splash when you drop the rocks from high up rather than close to the bucket?" Try dropping in other objects like toys, leaves, sticks, or kitchen utensils. "Do they float or sink?"