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Friday, January 22, 2010

Goodness gracious, Goop is so weird and so much fun!

Still raining today... ho hum. So we're still making our way through your awesome rainy-day recommendations on the previous posts. Today's afternoon activity was Goop (recommended by AJ's Mama). Holy cow that stuff is WEIRD, in a really good way! Ro and Ree were completely enamored. We put some cornstarch in a bowl, mixed in a little bit of water at a time until it was about the consistency of pudding, and added food coloring. Voila, we had Goop. The girls wore their smocks, and we played with the Goop at our plastic-covered art table, so clean-up was as simple as a bath (for them) and a wet rag wipedown (for the table). (We bought a huge sheet of heavy clear plastic at JoAnn Fabrics a few years ago and staple-gunned it to our island, and that thing has served us so well over the years. It is impervious to anything the girls can dish out, and clean-up is always a breeze.) Whoa, mama, check this stuff out! (Note to self: if I'm going to take close-up shots of the girls' hands, then I need to trim and clean their nails, for pete's sake): DSC_0382LR Ewwww, can I really put my finger in it? (you'll note that this hesitancy completely disappeared later): DSC_0389LR Ree dumped in a TON of green food coloring when I was momentarily distracted by something Ro was doing. I'd recommend keeping a closer eye on the food coloring than I did: DSC_0392LR Here's the consistency that worked for us. The danged stuff was so weird (I know I keep saying that, but it WAS!). It was kind of hard while you were playing with it, but when you stopped moving it around it got all creepy and liquidy and would slowly drip through your fingers. So cool: DSC_0394LR Oh yeah!: DSC_0400LR DSC_0407LR Xena was a little annoyed by the Goop for some reason. Maybe she took issue with the color?: DSC_0409LR Notice that the momentary reticence about getting the hands dirty has fallen by the wayside: DSC_0418LR She had the nerve to laugh at her sister for having gloopy hands? Oh, and I just noticed the green blotch on the chair, which is probably still there because I don't think I saw it during cleanup: DSC_0420LR Crud, how did *I* get slimed?: DSC_0424LR Notice the phone on the table? I had just called TubaDad to inquire (oh so hopefully) if he was almost home and ready to administer baths. No dice, so Maggie and I gingerly wrapped the girls' hands in their smocks, ushered them over the light-colored carpet, and escorted them upstairs into a nice, sudsy, slime-dissolving bath: DSC_0427LR The girls LOVED this activity. The bath got them all shiny clean and we wiped down the art table easily and in about five minutes, so this rainy day activity gets an enthusiastic two thumbs up. Oh My Word, Catherine just sent over this must-see Goop video. Seriously, you have to watch it. And then, if anyone attempts something similar, you MUST let me know. Oh man, the wheels are turning in my head already -- how should the girls take their Goop play to the next level... PS: A few folks requested a sidebar link to all the rainy day activities that were suggested in the comments, so I'll type them all into one neat post and then add it and let you guys know when it's up. And if you have any other recommendations, please let me know and I'll add them to the list.

24 comments:

  1. Totally cool!!! CANNOT WAIT for Tate to be at that fun age for activities like this!

    Lisa

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  2. I'm so glad the girls liked the Goop! It sounded right up your ally! They had a HUGE tub of it at AJ's school yesterday too! AJ asked his teacher if it was liquid or cream cheese (no food coloring in that batch)!

    I LOVE the green hands! So much fun! And it really is the strangest stuff in the world! I can't keep my hands out of it either!

    -Jen-

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  3. Goop is AWESOME! We made this when Pi was a baby. She always hated getting her hands dirty - still does. I think I liked this project more than she did! We may have to make some again!

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  4. Thanks for adding the list. Also, yes, that goop looks goopy. Hm........I'm not sure I'm that adventurous, but maybe in the summer when they can be outside and I can hose them off. Wonder how goop does in grass?

    Glad the girls had fun.

    Molly

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  5. does the food coloring stain their hands?

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  6. Anonymous1/23/2010

    We love goop! If you use the recipe with glue and borax it won't be so messy. Turns out more like slimy play doh. There is a recipe on about . com. Borax can be found in the laundry soap aisle. Have fun!

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  7. Anonymous1/23/2010

    I made this one year in elementary for a science project, is it a liquid or a solid?! Back then it was called Ooblick though... lol Anyway, it will keep for quite a while in a bowl w/ a lid, so next time you decide to make it, you dont have to make a whole new batch! I always made it without food coloring too.

    Stephanie

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  8. Helpful HInt: Add the food coloring to the water, not the goop. Easy control the amount of die you'll be scrubbing off later... Looks fun!

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  9. Anonymous1/23/2010

    Easiest activity--and oddly intriguing for young kids. We started this when our little one was 18+ months. She's now 5 and still enjoys it. Put a colander upside down on the table or floor. Place a pile of uncooked spaghetti noodles on the table/floor next to it. Have fun putting noodles in the holes. For some reason they love to watch how the noodles can stick out in funny shapes, or disappear if they push them down. I can get whole meals cooked while they play...

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  10. To answer the question some one mentioned about "is it a liquid or a solid?" it's actually a Non-newtonian fluid. Other examples are ketchup, toothpaste, and paint. I only know this because my friend's husband taught that to their 4 year old daughter!

    And I have to say it's pretty pathetic but I feel like a celebrity because you mentioned me on your blog ;)

    Now we are off to make "Sweet Smelling Playdough" from a recipe we found in our Highlights magazine!

    -Jen-

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  11. We love GOOP in our house.
    Our kids give it a 4 thumbs up !!
    Thanks for posting it !
    Neat ......:)

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  12. Anonymous1/23/2010

    Ahh... they call it "flubber" at the girls' school. It's extra fun if you mix in a bunch of glitter.

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  13. Looks like fun:):)

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  14. Have you tried the one where you take Elmers white glue, stick it in a bowl, add the same amount of liquid laundry starch (maybe a cup of each is enough). Mix it with a spoon until it makes a weird slimey sort of putty. It will me white when you make it, but you and add a few drops of food coloring to it. It's SUPER cool stuff. Finding the liquid laundry starch can be a tricky thing, though.

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  15. oh yeah, we make goop all the time in our 2 year old classroom. they love it! some batches come out better than others. sometimes we cut it with play-doh scissors, which is fun.

    also, i guess i missed the rainy day activities post, so maybe someone mentioned this, but OH MAN, have you ever just put them at a table and sprayed a big pile of shaving cream in front of them? this keeps our kids busy for like an hour at a time. so simple! just a pile of shaving cream for them to squish around in, maybe some plastic animals to wash/walk around in it or some little cars or trucks to drive through. just add more when it starts to dry up or run out. so much fun!

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  16. Oh yeah! There was a huge vat of goop at preschool for Halloween. It was all I could do to restrain my girls from diving in head first!

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  17. How was mini hip hop??

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  18. Anonymous1/25/2010

    Goop started out as my 13 yr old sons go-to for the occasional, "Watch your sister while I..." after he got the recipe in Science class. They both love it. He even found a color chart on McCormicks website so they can make some really cool colors. Now he just whips some up when he's bored and they play together. Hours of fun!

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  19. Wow......what great messy fun! And the video (Ellen's show....unbelievable.)

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  20. You are kidding me! Wow. That looks gross.

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  21. I saw that experiment on Ellen when it aired and have never forgotten it. SO freaking amazing! Here's another cornstarch experiment you might enjoy watching: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scbPKjU8Ssg&feature=related

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  22. We LOVE goop around here! I haven't made it in a while.
    I need to make some soon!!
    thanks for the reminder!
    Krista

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  23. We went for the cleaner version yesterday and my 4yo loved it. I set her up in the tub, with a little water to keep her warm. Then put a stool in the tub so she'd have a play surface. Half a box of cornstarch in a plastic bowl, let her add water with a spoon = one magical hour! thanks for the idea!!

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