Summertime Science Experiments

Summer is a great time for bringing out science projects. Here are a few that will energize your budding scientist! Enjoy!

Bubbles

1. Mix 8 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid in 1 quart of water in a shallow pan.
2. Blow through a straw as you move it slowly across the top of the liquid.
3. When you've made a bubble, touch it gently with a wet finger. What happens? Touch another bubble with a dry finger. What happens?
4. Look at the bubbles. How many colors do you see? What do the colors remind you of?


Creepy Crawlies!

1. Search for bugs: in sidewalk cracks, on lights, on animals, or on plants.
2. Tell your child the names of the bugs you found. Did you find: ants, spiders, fleas, moths, flies, ladybugs?
3. Ask your child how the bugs are alike or different. Explain the difference between an insect and a spider (insects have six legs, spiders have eight), for example.
4. Watch ants in an anthill or around some spilled food. Explain that when an ant finds food, it runs back to the hill to "tell" the others. As it runs, it leaves a trail that other ants in the hill can smell. The ants find the food by smelling their way along the trail.

Make Your Own Cloud

Rather than tell your children how clouds are formed when warm and cold air meet, show them. Here's a way for children to see it all up close! This is an adult child activity. There's a match involved, so a grownup is imperative.
What You Need:
• glass jar
• piece of black paper but to fit halfway up around the jar
• tape
• hot tap water
• match
• ice cubes in a plastic bag
What You Do:
Tape the piece of black paper around the bottom half of the jar. Fill the jar to the top with hot water. Leave it for about a minute. Then pour out all but an inch of the water.
Have an adult light the match and hold it over the jar opening for a few seconds. Drop the match in the water. Then quickly put the plastic bag of ice cubes over the top of the jar.
Questions to ask your child:
What happened to the air in the jar?
What did the ice cubes do?
What else did you notice?
So what happened? The warm water and the match heated the air inside the jar. The warm, wet air rose up to the top of the jar and ran into the cold air just below the ice cubes. When the warm, wet air met the cold wet air, they created a cloud of water droplets. Instant cloud!

My First Rocket

What You Need to Know
Rocket-like devices were demonstrated about 360 B.C. By the Greek mathematician and scientist Archytas. So while some form of a rocket has been in existence for many years, the science of how a rocket works was first described by the British scientist Sir Isaac Newton in 1687. Newton stated three important scientific principles that govern the motion of all objects, whether on Earth or in space.
What You Need:
• 6 feet (1.8 m) of string
• 4-inch (10 cm) piece of drinking straw
• 2 chairs
• 9-inch (23 cm) round balloon
• spring clothespin
• transparent tape
What You Do
1. Thread the string through the straw
2. Tie the ends of the string to the backs of the chairs
3. Position the chairs so that the string between them is as tight as possible
4. Inflate the balloon. Twist the open end of the balloon and secure it with the clothespin
5. Move the straw to one end of the string
6. Tape the inflated balloon to the straw
7. Remove the clothespin from the balloon
What Happened
The straw with the attached balloon quickly moves across the string. The movement stops at the end of the string or when the forces acting on the balloon are balanced.
Why?
When the inflated balloon is closed, the air inside pushes equally in all directions. The balloon doesn't move because all the forces are balanced. When the balloon is open, the action-reaction pair of forces opposite the balloon's opening is unbalanced. One force is the walls of the balloon pushing on the gas inside the balloon. This force pushes the gas out of the balloon's opening. The other force is the gas pushing on the balloon's wall opposite the opening. This force pushes the balloon in the direction opposite the opening.

Keeping the Balance with Summertime Schedules

Summer schedules are usually full of fun exciting outings, activities and events. I confess I love the variety that comes with the spring/summer season, but I also believe that keeping an eye on balance is a good idea. Just like the school year it can be easy to overload the schedule and overwhelm the children . . . not to mention overloading yourself. So when making plans remember that downtime to just hang out and really play is important. Spending time outdoors in the early morning before the heat and humidity hit is a great way to start the day. Depending on the age, stage and temperament of the children you'll want to consider how often you plan an outing or special event away from home. In my experience it's fun to have several at home activities that are special events unto themselves, sprinkle in some playdates with school friends to add variety, a fun outing and you have a balanced approach to the summer schedule.

Here's a sample of what I mean:

Nanny Salary and Benefits Survey Results

The International Nanny Association has released the results of their 2014 Salary and Benefits Survey. Nannies and families alike can benefit from understanding and discussing these industry standards. Visit their website to read the full report.

Why use a full-service nanny agency?

Over the years we’ve heard so many stories of families trying to screen and hire on their own or with an online service. They cite all the hours of work to prescreen candidates, call references, interview, do criminal background and driving checks in order to feel “ok” hiring a nanny who might not be a good fit or even worse, a negative experience for the family.

Families said the number one advantage of looking on their own came down to the expense. However, many concluded that the time and energy they expended in the process, with often less than desirable results, were really costing them in the long run. While online services usually have some type of membership fees with the option of a la carte ordering for reference, background, or driving record checks, families still put in hours of work – and ordering add-on services doesn’t come cheaply.

When these same families finally experience working with a full-service agency that is knowledgeable and equipped to work on their behalf, these families are amazed at the difference. A professional, experienced agency is going to customize the search for each family based on their unique needs and expectations. They see the investment as one that really makes sense in the long term.

Nannies also tell us that using online services or working with families on their own is a challenging and sometimes a nerve-wracking experience. There is vulnerability for all parties, but it is especially felt by nanny candidates. While families should be understandably concerned with inviting a stranger into their home for an interview, nannies are equally concerned for their safety when meeting a family that is unknown to them. Using an agency brings the valuable sense of security to both parties throughout the process. Veteran agencies will be able to help nannies find the best positions because they are dedicated to finding the best match to the nanny’s skills and experience.

Working Together Through Divorce

Divorce is stressful, sad and confusing for everyone. No matter what age the child, they will feel uncertain about what is happening and may feel angry. Mom, Dad and Nanny can work together to ease fears and provide the stability children are seeking.

What to tell the children and when to tell them is often the first concern of parents. Your nanny can be helpful in supporting this process. Planning what you say and timing it makes this difficult time a little easier. Give an honest, child appropriate, explanation. Be truthful in answering “why” and keep it simple. Children don’t want or need long explanations. Emphasize your continued care and love. They may worry that this will change everything in their lives, including the care and love from their nanny. Assure them that their daily lives will stay consistent as much as possible.

Obviously, there will be changes in the family’s life and routine. Clarify those changes simply and to the point – they want to know how this decision will affect them. When Mom and Dad

Rainbow Veggie Ribbons

Here's another great way to make vegetables fun and appealing--and to get children involved in the kitchen. Check out the full recipe at Super Healthy Kids.

Vegetable Dip Taste Testing

If you're looking for a fresh new way to get children excited about eating vegetables, try this brilliant "taste test" idea from Foodlets! Just line up a few different dips, add some veggies, and let kids have fun with flavors and combinations.