| Craft: Colored Bubbles | | | | their nose. Either the first one back wins or set a |
| Activities: Flyswatter Bubbles, Cotton Ball Pickup, | | | | time limit and whoever gets the most cotton balls. |
| Balloon Water Fun | | | | You can also play with teams!ACTIVITY: Balloon |
| Snack: Chewy Popcorn Balls | | | | Water FunNeed: |
| Reading Selection: The Twenty-One Balloons by | | | | waterguns |
| William Pene du BoisCRAFT: Colored BubblesNeed: | | | | balloons |
| dishwashing detergent | | | | pennies or small objects |
| food coloring or washable paint | | | | string |
| a straw | | | | markers |
| paper | | | | clothes lineDirections: |
| shallow panDirections: | | | | Children will love these fun targets they can |
| Mix about 1/2 dishwashing detergent, and 1/3 of | | | | squirt with water guns. Insert a few pennies in a |
| water in a shallow pan(cold or hot)mix any kind of | | | | balloon. Blow it up and attach a string. Tie the |
| food coloring until you get the ideal color you | | | | string to a clothes line. To make it more fun, |
| want. If you use paint, make sure it is washable. | | | | faces or bulls eyes may be drawn on the balloon. |
| Go outside with the pan full of the colored bubble | | | | Hang many balloons of varying sizes and string |
| mixture. tip one end of the straw in the pan, lift it | | | | lengths to increase the challenge. Stand back and |
| up, and blow through the other side to create a | | | | take aim!SNACK: Chewy Popcorn BallsNeed: |
| bubble, then slowly pick up the paper and pop the | | | | 1/2 cup sugar |
| bubble on it. Keep doing this with different colors | | | | 1/2 cup light corn syrup |
| of paint and you will get a great colorful bubble | | | | 4 Tbs. margarine |
| print picture!You can also use the straw to blow a | | | | 1/2 tsp. salt |
| lot of bubbles in the pan and then place a piece of | | | | 8 cups popped popcornDirections: |
| paper over the top to 'absorb' the bubbles. It will | | | | Place the sugar, light corn syrup, margarine, and |
| leave a nice print!!ACTIVITY: Flyswatter | | | | salt in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-high |
| BubblesNeed: | | | | heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches |
| clean fly swatter | | | | a steady simmer. Add the popped popcorn to the |
| bubble solutionDirections: | | | | mixture, stirring until all the popcorn in entirely |
| Fill a shallow plastic bowl with bubble stuff and | | | | coated. Remove from the stove and let cool. Fill a |
| provide each child with a new clean flyswatter. | | | | medium-sized bowl with water. Dip your hands in |
| Have them dip the end in and then swish it | | | | the water and shape the popcorn into balls, about |
| through the air creating tons of | | | | the size of a tennis ball. Place the balls on a sheet |
| bubbles!ACTIVITY: Cotton Ball PickupNeed: | | | | of wax paper and after they are completely cool, |
| Cotton balls | | | | place each in a plastic bag or wrap in plastic |
| vaseline | | | | wrap.Reading Selection: The Twenty-One Balloons |
| string (or handkerchief)Directions: | | | | by William Pene du Bois This is a great children's |
| Spread out cotton balls in a designated area. Each | | | | story to go along with these ideas!Pam Lester is |
| player has their hands behind their backs, or hands | | | | the owner and creator of The site offers free |
| in their pockets and vaseline on their nose. When | | | | kids crafts, recipes, games and activities for |
| the game begins, the player walks to a cotton | | | | parents, teachers and caregivers. Please visit for |
| ball, bends down and picks up the cotton ball with | | | | more great ideas! |