Date : June 25, 2022
Keep the kids busy with these ten minute school holiday activities for home
Are you looking for some fun, educational activities to keep your child busy this school holidays? May Gibbs has come to the rescue! Check out these crafty, science-y, food-y activities that are sure to keep your child enthralled.
Craft
3 Ingredient Playdough
This activity is very easy and is ready in just 10 minutes.
You will need:
- ½ cup cornflour
- 1 cup baking soda
- ¾ cup water
- Optional – 2 to 3 drops of essential oils and 4-5 drops of food colouring.
In a saucepan, add cornflour, baking soda and water. Stir.
Add the saucepan to medium heat and continue to stir constantly. The mixture will start to bubble slightly. You will notice that the mixture will quickly start to turn solid. Once a ball has formed (this should take 4 to 5 minutes), take the pan off the heat.
Place dough on a piece of baking paper or a silicone mat. Be very careful, the mixture will be quite hot. Once it’s cool, you can add your scent and colour of choice if you wish. That’s it! Get out the cookie cutters and make your very own gumnut baby!
Science
Apple Volcano
Watch as your apple turns into an erupting volcano! You will need:
- Apples
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- A container to catch the volcano fizz
- A knife to carve out a hole – adults should do this!
Put your apple onto the container to catch the fizzy apple lava. Ask an adult to cut a hole into the top of the apple, about halfway down. Put a couple of spoonfuls of baking soda into the hole. Pour vinegar into the apple volcano’s hole and watch as it fizzes and erupts!
Fireworks in a Jar
Less noisy but probably messier, this experiment creates colourful fireworks in water. You will need:
- Light coloured oil – olive oil or any other kind of cooking oil
- Liquid food colouring with droppers
- Glass containers – jam jars will do
- Small cups
- Warm water
- Fork
Fill a glass container with water, leaving a decent gap at the top to pour oil into later.
Add a small amount of oil to one of the small cups – we did 2 or 3 tablespoons. Add 2 drops of one colour to the oil, and two drops of another colour to the same oil. Use the fork to stir the colour and oil together. They won’t totally mix but stirring helps to break the colour up into smaller droplets. Don’t over-stir or the fireworks won’t be as colourful.
Add the oil slowly and gently to the top of the water in the glass container so that it forms a separate layer. Watch your fireworks ‘explode’!
Food
Brownie in a mug
For this quick and easy brownie, you will need:
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup plain flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons water
- Anything you want to add to the brownie – chocolate chips, nuts, whatever you like.
Combine flour, sugar, and cocoa powder in a coffee mug. Stir in the water and olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Microwave the mix on high for 1 minute and 40 seconds. Serve the brownie with ice cream and strawberries.
For more interesting ideas to keep your child entertained this winter school holidays, visit May Gibbs!
Librarian Bec
Right now, Librarian Bec’s hard at work at your local library, sharing a passion for reading with little people and big. Bec writes about inspiring little readers and embracing lovely literature.
