Hugo has always loved playing with playdough. Usually he gets lots of animals, mostly dinosaurs, and they stomp through it and hide under it. But today he made some dogs. I was very excited. It's lovely to see him develop and grow up. It's the first time he's made something like this from his playdough. He spent ages doing it while I cooked a lasagne alongside him.
After he had finished he went to collect his art box and asked to do some gluing and drawing - again another first. Up until now he hasn't been that keen to do any drawing. He is also sporting his lovely new hair cut - very cute.
Daisy chose a science party (her invitations went out in a test tube). Nana took Hugo out for the day so we could set up and do experiements without any 'help' from a three year old. Before the party Daisy helped ice her cake and get everything ready. She invited six friends from school. After present opening and a quick play in the tree-house and on the trampoline we got down to the experiments. We had seven to get through and had no idea how long they would take. We were hoping they'd last close to an hour, but they ended up going for 1 1/2 hours. We only just had time for party tea!
Once the labcoats and goggles were on, we tackled red cabbage chemistry. Red cabbage contains a natural pH indicator. We added vinegar, sodium bicarbonate, fizzy drink, lemon juice etc to see what colour the liquid turned.
Very acidic solutions turn it red, neutral ones purple and basic ones greenish-yellow.
We made some instant worms from a kit, squirting one solution into another and watching a long blue worm form.
For colour changing milk we put drops of food colouring in a plate of milk, then touched the surface with washing up liquid on a cotton bud and watched the colours swirl around. Very impressive, it worked much better than I expected.
Then the slime. They all had great fun mixing and playing with their slime. I bought a kit for this one, to make sure it worked. We've got some left, so we're making some more with Hugo.
Gooey, slimey
Homemade ice cream got them outside for a dance around. We put milk, sugar and vanilla essence in a small zip lock bag, inside a large zip lock bag with ice and rock salt. Then we shook it around for 5 minutes and amazingly got ice cream. The rock salt causes the ice to melt at a lower temperature. The lower freezing point provides the temperature difference needed to freeze the ice cream. Rock salt doesn't lower the freezing point as much as table salt, so it gives you a smoother ice cream because it freezes more gradually.
Then the finale with the cola mentos fountain (a whole packet of mentos in one go into a bottle of coke), twice, while I hastily cleaned up and laid out the party tea.
Mini frankfurters were a big hit!
Happy birthday Daisy!
The other experiments were unmixable water - hot red water in one jar with a playing card on top, tipped on top of another jar with cold blue water, pull the card out and, hey presto, the colours don't mix.
Dancing raisins - raisins in lemonade. The bubbles cling to the raisins, they rise, the bubbles pop, they fall.... Tip - soak the raisins first.
Many thanks to Katz from Mumsnet for all her suggestions and the booklet, which I blatantly copied - removing and adding a couple of experiments - and gave to all the party goers.
They also all took home their goggles and lab coats, and some expanding beads (one pack generously managed 7 children), which have been a big hit at school today.
This is the first year Daisy and Hugo have had separate birthday parties. We decided to have them on the same weekend - hectic but great fun. After presents and webcam chats with Grandma, Grand and Granny in the UK, we got ready for the first party - Hugo's
Hugo chose a superheroes party. We made superhero eye masks, then played pass the parcel. Daisy did a great job of doing the music and making sure all the kids got a turn with the parcel.
Here with cousin Claire.
Then party tea. There was a brief period of quiet while all 12 of them sat and ate.
Hugo liked the cakes best - note the still full plate of fruit.
It was a hot day, so the polyester costumes didn't last long. Hugo, Pascal and Rex enjoy a bit of time in the sandpit before coming back in for birthday cake.
Happy birthday Hugo. A big three-year old boy.
A few friends stayed after the party for some drinks and takeaway pizza. Super parents Richard and Claerwen came and stayed with party goers Winter and Baxter and gorgeous two-week old Flint.
Calm in the kitchen while the children have a present fest in the lounge.
