Trail to Creativity and Valentines for Veterans

Last night was a fun filled meeting with sensory art. We started with a pre-meeting activity of play dough. We had the kids describe how it felt and moved and how it even smelled. (We put peppermint oil in some and packets of invisible cool aid mix in others for scents, some we left plain for that scent too)

Play Dough Recipe
1 c. flour
1/2 c. salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 c. water
2 tbsp. oil solid (like Crisco)
1 tsp. food coloring any color you want

Combine all dry ingredients in a saucepan.
Gradually stir in 1 cup water and oil.
Add food coloring.
Cook over medium/high heat.
Stir constantly until ball forms.
Remove from heat.
Place dough on table and knead until smooth.

Then Edna led the group in the special Valentines for Veterans activity. The kids discussed what veterans are and learned that they are not people who take care of animals when they are sick. After discussing what the kids could do to say thank you to veterans they decided that making valentines would be appropriate. They took pre cut hearts and stickers and crayons and made valentines and we mailed them to the main office in Spokane after the meeting.

I talked with the kids about solids and liquids and gasses. We played a game where the kids took pictures of solids and liquids and separated them into the correct groups. We then made and played with GOOP! or Slime or Oobleck or whatever you want to call it. A concoction made up of cornstarch and water that can be both a solid or a liquid. The kids again were asked to describe the characteristics of the substance and to just have lots of fun with the activity.

Slime Recipe
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups cornstarch

mix untill well blended
add food coloring if you want