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SALT LAKE CITY — It seems like most “cool” toys these days are technology-based. Parents may think anything with a touch screen and a microprocessor would easily beat out a homemade toy.
Being a single parent almost forces you to be creative and one step ahead of the late summer boredom that almost assuredly sets in before school starts.
In a recent study from Brigham Young University, researchers found that “regular experiences in family leisure” between kids and their fathers teaches them how to adapt and cope with whatever life throws their way.
In other words, forget the tablet and MP3 player. What kids really want and need is an opportunity to create a homemade toy with their own hands, and a chance to do it with their family.
This do-it-yourself project is not as hard as you think it might be, and you’ll likely find the ingredients around your home.
It’s also the perfect indoor craft, so you can stay out of the summer heat and have fun around the kitchen table making a homemade bouncy ball with your kids.
Ingredients:
- 2 plastic cups
- 2 tbsp. warm water
- Food coloring
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 Popsicle sticks
- ½ tsp. borax
- 1 tbsp. white school glue
- Plastic zip-lock sandwich baggies
- Timer
Directions:
- Start by pouring the glue into one of the plastic cups. Add some of the food coloring into the glue until you reach the desired color, and mix together with one of the Popsicle sticks.
- In another plastic cup, add the borax and water, and dissolve completely with the other Popsicle stick.
- Add the cornstarch to the glue, and also add ½ tsp. of the borax solution. Let stand for about 15 seconds.
- Stir well until mixed.
- Scoop out the mixture and knead it into a ball. The mixture is sticky, but as you roll and knead it, the ball will harden. The ball can be stored in an airtight container or one of the sandwich bags when it’s not being played with.Let the kids develop hypotheses with the ball, like changing the ratios of borax and glue, and let them see if they were correct.
Creating a homemade bouncy ball is a great way to teach kids about science, and it allows them to think creatively and independently.
It also is a chance for them to create lasting memories, and as the BYU researchers found in their study, better for children than an expensive family trip.
We would love to hear your feedback on this do-it-yourself craft. Did your kids enjoy making their own homemade bouncy balls? Leave your comments on the KSL.com Happy Living Facebook page.
Andrew Johnson is a writer, journalist, entrepreneur and single father. He runs NewsUtah.org and a "Daddy blog" at DaddyPlus.com.
