Play Sand vs Kinetic Sand

I wasn't going pay a king's ransom for sand, I swear.

It's peer pressure.

Sigh...I bought 5kg for rm 200 

When hubs asked about the price, I pretended I was taking a very important call.

Smart diversion is the key to marital bliss, trust me.

Otherwise slash the price of everything by at least 50%.

When they find out..."Oh..tsk tsk tsk...luckily I bought before the price went up"

If that fails, offer some bed yoga.

Tiger is a huge fan of sand play.

 So, I know my purchases will not go to waste.

I was hoping that the Kinetic sand will add another dimension of exploration and 

creativity to his play.

The important question here is...

.Is it worth the money?

Tiger's demo on cutting sand.

Halfway, he asked, "Are you sure this is sand?"

Haha...yup, it's that cool.

It's has the consistency of soft gooey dough without the wetness and stickiness of wet sand.

Like any other messy play, it stimulates the senses and I always feel very relaxed

when I am manipulating it in my hands.

Just don't think about the clean-up process while you are at it.

My little nerd boy used it for spelling words.

Here's a list of ideas for playing with Kinetic Sand

There are tons of ideas on pinterest as well

I would love to have a sand pit but they neighbours' cats will think I was being charitable

by providing free toilets.

So, our play sand is kept in a little container and they can take it out whenever they fancy some play.

I can watch them play all day long but Dragon girl doesn't like sand on her feet :)

Just like how Tiger was at her age but she's a slightly less OCD version.

After 10 minutes, she like, "Okay, all done"

Tiger on the other hand can do this for hours.

The boy who used to hate getting sand or dirt on his feet and clothes can 

now grin happily as he gets messy.

Making mama a pot of soup!

 

So, the 3 major differences are

1. Pricing (obviously)

rm200 for 5 kg of Kinetic Sand  vs rm30 for 10 kg of ELC play sand

(I was told to scoop from nature on our next beach holiday :p)

2. Mess level

On a scale of 1 to 10, Kinetic Sand is probably a 3

Play sand is a 9

Which is why sand is never allowed indoors

3. Creativity 

For us, they are both a valuable part of our messy play.

Kinetic Sand has an edge here because you can just create anytime

without having to add water and they are less likely to crumble.

Is it worth it?

In my honest opinion, yes.

I cannot wait for our next beach getaway :)

Science: Elephant Toothpaste

 I planned to do this experiment a year ago.

Bought the Hydrogen peroxide 6% from Guardian half a year ago

Then I found out my yeast wasn't working one month ago

Finally bought new yeast 2 weekends ago and

REALLY, FINALLY DID the experiment last weekend.

Homeschooling requires A LOT of stamina.

Felt like I just ran a marathon. I used to run, you know.

Before kids, boyfriends and a huge ass.

During the first trial (which failed because of my wet yeast), 

I made the kids put on goggles la, apron la etc.

Round two, "I said...kids, just watch."

You can get some cheap safety goggles for rm 1.50 from Mr DIY.

Basic ingredients

Yeast (one teaspoon)

Hydrogen peroxide 6% (one cup)-Available at major pharmacies

Food coloring (a few drops) or paint

Warm water (half a cup)

Dishwasher soap (just a few squirt)

Basic tools

A pan (to catch the toothpaste)

A bottle with narrow neck

Safety goggles

Apron 

Funnel

This is all over the internet, so I am not going to blah blah on.

If you need instructions, go HERE

To failure-proof ze experimento:

1. Make sure your yeast is not wet. Stupid me, I know  =.="

2. Don't use a big bottle, like this:

 Instead, try a cute little one like this.

 

 See my kakak's happy face? 

I swear, even when Dragon girl farts, she laughs.

 Sigh....my chubby, bubbly baby girl is going to be 2 soon.

Just don't lose those cheeks, ya?

I just love kissing them...so much so, it's an addiction.

New additions to our outdoor classroom

An outdoor self-service station which is an upcycled old wine rack I was going to toss out.

The back is perfect as a blackboard.

Kakak nearly had a heart attack when I placed the art box within Dragon's reach.

A new hanging plant

 

Our Sunday breakfast table.

Have a wonderful week!

Messy Play: Sand

I am not sure if it is very obvious but if you have been following my homeschooling from when Tiger was a wee tiny tot, you would notice that our pace has slowed down considerably.

I am no longer the stressed out mama preparing materials at a break neck speed, asking my child to read, count; or shouting, what is this, what is that....

I know Tiger is capable of doing a lot more but I don't see the necessity now. I'd rather spend my time disturbing my kids when they are at work, arguing with Tiger, laughing at him together when he pronounces 'yellow' as 'lellow' or upstairs as up-pairs. He is able to read quite fluently now and I am still questioning myself if early reading was a wise move. Sometimes, I just throw my hands in the air and say whateves laaaa.....although, I must say that he seems to enjoy the fact that I cannot cheat him by saying stuff like the shop is closed when it clearly states OPEN.

Little Dragon.... One day, I caught her trying to count as she was playing quietly in a corner. When I tried to 'teach' her, she got mad and left me dumbfounded. Okay, okay, I got the message *sulks*

They are both sensitive to dirt and stuff stuck to their feet. Wished for similarities to prove that they are siblings and I got this. Haha, one of life's cruel little jokes  =.="

After weeks of being stuck indoors, I was literally begging for outdoor play.

Yes, me. Not The kids. Me.

Being confined indoors drove them bonkers.

They were shouty, fighty, nutty.

Both needed a good dose of messy play.

Since we are stuck in the water rationing zone, my neighbours would

most likely curse or spit if I blew up the huge inflatable pool.

So, sand it was.

All I said was, "Who wants to play sand?"

And zoooooom

.

.

.

.

.

The lil girl with heightened response to keys and handbags

Always the first one at the door.

Dragon girl was asking kakak to clean the sand from her feet.

'Err-ty, yiiiii....."

Her princess, haha, not mine.

 Any bratty behavior from this girl

is a result of kakak's devotion and love for her.

I take no credit.

Got Tiger some alphabet moulds from ELC.

His uncomfortable position in the sand pit betrayed him.

Playing in a pool of sand is still overwhelming for him

but I know he is trying to model a good sport for Lil Dragon.

He kept saying "See, mei-mei, I can make this."

We spelled his name and some sight words.

 Must revise a bit laaa. More productive use of our time ma. 

Yalar, yalar, very kiasu, I know :)

Dragon was more interested in throwing sand at everyone.

It was so blardy hot that day that I ran indoors after 20 minutes.

I hid behind the slightly ajar door, exposing only the tip of my nose, 

you know, just to show that I care.

Messy Play: Kool-Aid Play Dough Apples

My sister, Winnie gave me some Kool Aid that her friend bought back from the states.

Rumour has it that Village Grocer in Bangsar is now selling these.

I'll have to check it out.

 It may take some time because of the petrol hike, I'll have to cycle there now.

 Before I start condemning our leaders, let's get back to the important things,

like this project here:

You may think, HAH??? This is important?

Not worldly matters? Politics?

Err, nope. Not in my opinion.

 Here's why:

Tiger rode his tricycle as I walked beside him quietly.

Once we reached the deserted park, we sat on a swing each.

As he struggled to kick off and set the swing in motion, he refused my help.

After a few minutes of focused effort, he did it.

As we swung in synchrony,  he looked at me with a huge beaming smile.

No words were spoken

At that moment, I felt it.

True love.
My child, his smile, his presence.

(PS: I love my girl too but at that moment it was just Tiger and I)

 After 15 minutes, our date was interrupted when he was bitten by a mosquito.

So, we went home and he raided the messy play drawer.

Since we were doing Apples, we made some red dough with Kool Aid.

I used the recipe from DLTK:

You will need:
 • 1 1/4 cup flour
 • 1/4 cup salt
 • 1 packet unsweetened Kool-aid
 • 1 cup boiling water
 • 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:
 1.  In a bowl, mix flour, salt and kool-aid.
 2.  Stir in water and oil
 3.  Knead with hands
 4.  Store in ziploc bag for up to 2 months.

<<<>>>

The cherry scent was so yummilicious guys.

I wish I can share the smell too.

We added lots of glitter, as usual.

He thought we were making pizza :)

Ours we quite wet, so we added more flour when this conversation took place.

Tiger: Please pass me the power.
Mama: Power? Powder?
T: Haha...ya, powder.
M: Actually, we call this powder; flour.
T: Far? What far? No it's near.
M: /Fl/ 'our' (flower)
T: This not flower la mama...are you crazy?
M: =.="

Striking a pose for mama

The kneaded dough

We created apples by adding some small twigs from my bonsai tree.

Apples!

Messy Play: Moon Sand

Tiger prefers sand to water

Given the choice, he would pick sand play, hands down.

We always use sand from ELC.

Why not sand from the beach?

God knows who has peed or spat in that particular batch...

Construction site sand is even worse...dogs and cats love doing their business there,

have you not notice?

Moon sand is more moldable compared to regular play sand

We took the DIY recipe from Imagination Tree, a wonderful play blog

The recipe called for:

• 4 cups play sand
• 2 cups corn flour
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp coloured powder paint

White container: Antonius from IKEA

Giant shovel: Melissa and Doug (ELC)

Sand: ELC (rm 29.90 for 10 kg. Buy during sales la)

 We didn't have powder paint on hand.

The sibuk went and took food coloring himself and made the whole thing blue.

A reminder that I have to adjust the height limit again and 

move the forbidden drawer higher.

Oh well, since we are messy already anyways...

ADD GLITTER!

Lots and lots of it.

Glitter from Fun and Cheer: Less than RM 5 for 4 bottles

I shared this picture on our FB page last week.

Seemed like such a waste to play alone.

We invited Lil Jay to join us and they turned blue from the coloring.

In order to get him to shower, I have to exchange sand for paint 

=.="

He also like to ask, "Red mix with yellow become what colour?"

He will help himself to the paint while I do a facial mask or wash my hair

and end up with something like this.

Drip art?

He prefers syringes to water gun :)

Sometimes, it can get really, really messy....

Reminds me of a CSI scene.

Luckily bathroom art = easy clean-up

Oh we got rid of the blue coloring in a jiffy, in case you were wondering.

I gave him a Scotch Brite scour pad and made him wash the bathroom.

He used his shower gel laaa, not toilet cleaner.

As a result,

I get a relatively clean bathroom and he gets clean hands.

Win-win.

^.^

Messy Play: Coloured Cloud Dough

 I absolutely love it when I am free on Saturday mornings.

Both of us will be outdoors the moment we are half awake...

I will have my Nescafe Gusto and he will be in jammies...

Clean teeth and hair not required  :)

I prepared the materials on Friday night and stupidly wanted to try it out immediately.

Luckily, Lil Dragon joined us and I evaded a major catastrophe.

NOT FOR INDOORS, my friends...

Ingredients

Multipurpose Flour ---> 8 CUPS

Baby oil --->  1 CUP

He is a big boy now, so he got measure out 8 cups by himself.

Baby oil has a ton of usage besides making cloud dough.

I wanted to keep some for Hub's golf clubs but the munchkin used the whole bottle!

I was weeding (OCD)

For 45 uses of baby oil, read here

See the face and pose?

Cannot tahan him....

I suggested, "Try with one finger?"

Dirrrrrty and oily it seems.....

Pffttt

Had to let him stir with a bubble wand first

After a while.....

Guess who decided to join us?

And ended up in a urine specimen bottle (clean one la)?

After one minute, we let it go.

When Tiger couldn't find it anymore,

 he declared the grasshopper dead because mama stepped on it.

 

I love our outdoor classes...always something extra will turn up....

Like self service in the art drawer :)

We ended up with coloured dough and

 played Cupcake Shop

Cupcakes, anyone?

He insisted on bathing outdoors.

This is his version of swimming where the water does not come into contact with his face.

I usually do some gardening while he plays unless

he calls for me to join him.

Otherwise, I find myself annoyingly interruptive.

Everything was oily after play.

Some amount of cleaning up and washing is required

I stored the container for play in the evening but ours became too mushy

(because of all the paint he added)

Cost of flour and baby oil is much cheaper than buying PlayDoh :)

 But keep it outdoor, ya?