So my family has started referring to my and Annabelle’s 30 days of you and me as Jess’s summer camp. One of my cousins even asked whether she might come and stay at our house to join in on the fun. I guess I hadn’t thought of these 30 days as something like a camp; honestly, I just wanted for Annabelle and me to share the last month and a half before her brother arrives (a bittersweet time) learning, having fun, and staying busy (my mind is otherwise all wrapped up with wonder on when this baby is going to come).
Anyway, during this past month, Annabelle and I have spent several days just exploring the different properties of water. We’ve observed that it evaporates (see water painting), that it takes the shape of its container and that it sticks to things (see magic of water), and that when water gets really cold it turns into ice (and when it’s warm, it becomes water again) (see ice).
To continue with our water observations, this week Annabelle and I made boats and took them for a spin in a large dishpan on our deck. We played with various weights (toys, shells, and rocks) to see how much our boats could hold before they’d sink . . . and we also noticed that water, when mixed with certain boat building materials, like air drying clay, will absorb and mix with other substances (this was not intentional).
So ahoy mates . . . our boat building and sinking adventures . . .
First, we got out the clay. I found this air drying clay through an educational art supply store. My retro (Goodwill) water observation guide from Columbia University recommended working with an oil based clay, but air dry is what I had in stock so air dry is what we used.
We played with, punched, poked, and patted our clay. It was much like spending an afternoon with playdoh. I showed Annabelle how to flatten the clay and mold it into a bowl; she understood the flattening part but not that she could shape the clay . . . in these moments (especially when working with art materials), I find it best to emphasize process over product. Besides, what are mommies for but to make a few boat-like boats?
Altogether, we crafted several fine clay boats and lumps. We set them aside to dry for a bit and then started working on our boats’ sails.
I also thought’d be neat to see how different shaped “boats” made of different materials (plastic and tin) would fare on the wide open seas of our dishpan.
Annabelle helped tape on our wax paper sails to plastic straws,
and then added each sail to a boat,
We then set our boats asail in the dishpan,
and began adding passengers (miniature Sesame Street figurines, plastic easter eggs, rubber balls, shells, and rocks).
We observed that our boats floated magnificently with Oscar the Grouch and Elmo, but when we added heavier items like rocks, well, “Man overboard!”
And after playing with our passengers, weights, and boats, when I told Annabelle it was time to clean up, she said, “No Mamma, I’m busy.” I can’t believe my 2 year old has the word “busy” in her vocabulary, but oh my, she does. So anyway, she told me that she was “busy” pouring water into and out of her boats.
Oh and you might have noticed that our clay boats dissolved in the water, so if you try this at home, you might want to heed the advice I ignored and work with oil based clay. On the other hand, it was sort of neat watching our pan of water turn blue, :-)
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My brothers and I always carved overgrown zucchini into zucchini boats and floated them around in old wash tubs at my grandmother’s house. The best part was finding those overgrown squash, invariably missed in the garden a few days before, hauling out the old wash tub, and using the old hand pump to fill it. What fun that was! When we were done, we’d feed the boats to the cows.
Amber, I know. Hearing “I’m busy” was a wake up call to me and my husband; we didn’t realize that we’d say this phrase to her and it sort of made me sad to hear it said back to me.
Spiritual Martini, go for it! These 30 days have really kept our family engaged with another and continuously finding new ways to see the world around us (and each other too). With just a week left to go, I know I’m going to miss this (of course, just further reason to keep going, :-) ).
Thanks milkmama!
MamaTea, just checked out your afternoon of boating. Awesome!
Just think of the lovely colored water you would have missed if you did it by the book! Blue water just added to the fun!
Must have been the day for boats…we were building and floating as well.
What fun! I just love your activities – and your pictures to document. :)
It has been a while since I checked in here, but I am so glad that I did. Your “30 days” idea is terrific and so sweet. I remember feeling the same way before my second child arrived – that last “alone” time with the first child is a bittersweet time. My second son just turned 2 – and my first son is going to be 5 in the fall. All summer, in the near back of my mind, I have been thinking about how fast these sweet, young years are going. How soon sports games and bicycling to the pool with friends are going to intrude upon our “just us” family or mommy and me days. My oldest son just finished his last day of summer camp , our family summer vacation has passed – and we now have just over 30 days until my oldest goes back to preschool. I am inspired by your blog to do a “30 days” of our own – and can’t wait to enjoy the unfolding. It is obvious it takes some intention, thinking and a bit of planning – but is soooo worth the effort. Thank you for the inspiration!
I remember the first time my daughter told me she was ‘too busy’ to do something. It was sort of shocking, but not really surprising on closer inspection because I talk about being ‘busy’ all the time. Oh, the words she’s picked up from me.
And that looks like tons of fun, blue water and all. :)
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