Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Summer Fun 2014 - Odds and Ends



Thanks to all the fun Claire and her group have been having with a Leonardo Da Vinci study over at Angelic Scalliwags, we're now completely lost in a free standing bridge project.


While we tinker away with chopsticks and straws (sadly cookies aren't working), here are a few other fun projects, and games we've been playing with this summer, that just haven't been quite enough for a post on their own.  Like did you know you can spin homemade silly putty (two parts liquid starch to one part glue - Coffee Cups and Crayons, who inspired my 15 year to make a batch, used one part liquid starch to two parts glue) is a lot of fun to twirl up off the table with a chop stick? 


Or, that you can't really build an good Roman arch with Rice Krispie squares?


You can get it to stand for a while...


...especially if well braced...


...but in the end they are just too squishy while fresh, and too uneven when dry.


They do however work nicely for building more primitive projects, and when combined with the right book...


...can still be fun.


It is possible to balance a fork and spoon on a toothpick perched on the edge of a glass.


If you think that's amazing, check out the what Allison at All For The Boys managed to do with with two toothpicks, and an apple, instead of a glass.

Or, for a slightly less nerve fraying challenge, you might want to check out the "fine art" jigsaw puzzles, available for free online, at JigZone.  They've come in handy for us, over the past few weeks.

Click to Mix and Solve

As for me, well, I'd still like to build a Leonardo-type bridge out of sugar cookies...


...if only we didn't have another round of baker-banner heat forecast for today.  A little more tinkering, and a slightly crisper cookie, and it just might work.

It's great to be a homeschooler.

Linked with The Summer Linky Party: Week 6 at Apron Strings and Other Things.

9 comments:

Ai said...

You guys are just so creative! Love it! Those Rice Krispies treats would not last any type of construction at my house with my kids.

Dawn said...

What great things you are up too!
Blessings, Dawn

claireshomeeducation said...

You really are one creative mum! There is so much educational goodness in just that one post. I also enjoy just how much of your education seems to be edible!! My children would heartily approve!
Thanks for the mention!

Phyllis said...

You guys are delightfully fun.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure playing with toothpicks and rice crispies is going to prepare you kids well for a hard life of minimum-wage labor.

An Almost Unschooling Mom said...

Anonymous - Well, it's summer, so I'm not sure what you'd expect children to be doing...but thanks for your concern :)

Joyful Learner said...

This is brilliant! I love how you bring out science, art, and architecture in such creative ways!

Ticia said...

I had to laugh at Anonymous' comment, and your response. That was great.

I really need to retry our silly putty experiment. It was fun to try before but our measurements were off, and I haven't gone back to it yet.

Linda at Apron Strings & other things said...

Now, this is what I call summer school! Who says learning can't be fun? I'm going to have my guys try their hand at Leonardo's bridge this week :-)