Christmas and Science go together!

Bathroom Snowman

This craft came from a Challenge. Which came from an accident. Let me start at the beginning.

We all know that Ivory Soap expands in the microwave.

But my hubby kind of got onto me for all the wasted soap. So I added a half cup of water and (tada music here) made a soapy snowball.

Well, my boys thought that was pretty cool, and decided to challenge Steve Spangler to make it bigger.

“I’ll bet he could a snowman out of this.”

“Or a whole castle…”

My 3-year-old had the best idea yet: “I challenge Steve to a snowball fight.”

Well, throwing these little babies at people may not be the best idea. But the snowman had merit.

I found these candles at Biglots.

Add bath fizzies for buttons (they came from Walmart). The fizzies disintegrated, leaving colored impressions.

And a washcloth for a scarf.

I put this in a small bucket full of bath salts, next to a bath puff.

WAY CUTE!

But my son was not happy that we were building snowmen instead of a snowball fight.

So I let him throw a couple at the hill.

Secret Message Ornament

I sent this to the Scientific Mom. (Check her blog out! It’s awesome.)

The idea came from a combination of two ideas.

An episode of The Spangler Effect. (Can you tell I’m a fan?) Steve Spangler was showing off his jelly marbles. He made a "secret message appear" with them.

And an ornament sold at Walmart. I can’t find a picture, but the ornament was clear with a scene glued on the back. The back was covered in glitter paint.

Here’s how I made them:

I started with a clear plastic (um I mean… shatterproof) ornament sold at Walmart for less than a dollar.

I took a Christmas card and cut a circle around the scene. This one was a new card, but go ahead and save your used cards. No one will know.

I found the jelly marbles at my local Dollar Tree. They are actually found in two places

Here:

http://www.dollartree.com/household/cleaning/air-fresheners/The-Home-Store-Crystal-Beads-Air-Fresheners/500c501c507p317622/index.pro
and Here:
http://www.dollartree.com/household/home-decor/vases-bowls-containers/Cylinder-Folding-Plastic-Vases-with-Designer-Hydrating-Beads-10-frac12-/500c542c543p339539/index.pro

I think the clear ones work best, but try colored ones!

Instead of glitter, I glued on a snowflake that I bought at the same Dollar Tree.

Now, put water in it to make the scene appear.

To empty the water, stick your finger in the top to keep the marbles in and let the water out.

Recap: You’ll need (ahem) shatterproof clear ornaments, jelly marbles, a snowflake, a Christmas card (used is okay), glue, and scissors.

Throw Lights

Here’s a craft I DIDN’T make. I have little ones at home, and I don’t want a trip to the hospital. Button batteries are really dangerous when swallowed. But for OLDER kids, this would be really fun.

We replaced our Christmas lights this year. Don’t tell my hubby, but I kept a strand. Or two.

Take one bulb out of its socket. Press one wire on each side of a button battery. It will light up. If not, the bulb is either dead or you have it backwards.

Electrical tape secures the bulb to the battery well.

Attach Velcro, magnets or a corner of a kitchen scrubber.

Now you need a target. Make one out of felt, metal, or paper. If you’ve used Velcro or scrubber, your lights will attach to a felt or fleece blanket.

They also attach to my felt spinner.

And my Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Coconut Tree.

Otherwise, you can attach a paper target to the fridge, if your lights are magnets.

Toss away!

The idea came from a Steve Spangler episode of The Spangler Effect. Watch their version here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLqmE2EBZnk

Remember, don’t do this if you have kiddies under 5. I don’t want any swallowed button batteries! 
(Note, I tested these when the kids were asleep and quickly locked up the results. That's why there aren't any pics.)