Quicksand!
Let's be real, here. It was MESSY.
 |
| It doesn't get more real than a photo of our house... |
My kids asked me about quicksand and animals dying in quicksand. I'm pretty sure this is related to their obsession with dinosaurs, since at the time they were smashing tiny dinos into play dough.
First, we read How Quicksand Works together. I found it perfect for their age.
This Myth Busters video is also neat although it has a little language.
Next, we had fun with two cornstarch recipes. First, if you add just enough cornstarch (1/2c to 1c water), you make oobleck, a non-neutonian liquid. This link explains more what that means, but basically, it acts like a liquid and like a solid. If you punch it, it acts like a solid, but it will also ooze off of your hands like a liquid.
Add a little more water and you make a kind of quicksand. A total of 3/4c cornstarch to 1c water will do the trick. (So, if you started with 1/2c cornstarch, add 1/4c more). Now is the time to drown your tiny animals. Ours come from the science museum, birthday parties, and other random places. Actual rocks work even better because they are heavier.
Finally, to satisfy their dinosaur fixation, I read and told them about Utah's Dinosaur Deathtrap.
Bye, bye, tiny dinos!
