Yes friends Snow!... Well, sort of... I mean it looks and feels like snow... ok, you got me... it's fake...
Recently at our local Children's Centre, they had some fake snow out on their sensory table - I had a look at the ingredients and when I saw polymer on the label, I figured that this fake snow was basically small versions of the water beads everyone is playing with around the blogosphere. Then I remembered when Vin was very little we had a visit from a cloth nappy advocate who ripped open a disposable nappy to show us what was inside of them. And that kind of got me thinking, but I wasn't ready to go tearing up my kiddo's pants in the name of science, until I saw this post from Teach Preschool that I decided to give it a go!
I actually had two nappies that had ripped at the seam as I was putting them on the kiddos (yes, I saved them, I don't know why) so I cut them open and scraped out the insides - it didn't look like much, but I wasn't planning on wasting any nappies so I figured we'd see how much we could have with just the bits I had collected. The kids poured in water and swirled it about with their hands, and the stuff actually grew and changed in texture as it absorbed the water (I have to say I was kind of planning on this being a playfail, but it really worked)
They kept addding more and more water till we had a tray full of fluffy soft snow...
After a while exploring I suggested they get some animals to play with thinking they would bring a polar bear or penguin... no we had a rubber duckie and a brass crocodile ornament!
We played with this in the morning, then again later that afternoon and again the following morning. Each time I added more water I was expecting to reach saturation point (as in when the nappy is so full it leaks all over your kiddo's pjs!) but it didn't seem to happen. I honestly could have kept my hands in the tray all day it felt so lovely!
p.s. if you don't have any real snow to play with either you should check out hands on : as we grow's 32 Snow Themed Activities (including our freezer 'snow' sensory tub)
What a smart idea! I had no idea you could play with that stuff! So cool!
ReplyDeleteWhat fab idea if you have nappies/diapers around!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! Much cheaper than the Insta-Snow powder!
ReplyDeleteThis is really neat!!! great idea!
ReplyDeleteNeat! I have bought the fake snow, but I bet it would be cheaper to just buy a pack of diapers.
ReplyDeleteThat's really neat! I'll have to remember to buy some diapers. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWow that is really resourceful.
ReplyDeleteFun! Makes me wish I had some diapers handy!
ReplyDeleteHow neat! Very resourceful! So how many did you have to open to get that much?
ReplyDelete-Veronica
This was just two nappies - I kept adding water which made them swell more and more
DeleteSo clever! I would have never known the inside of a diaper could be snow, how fun!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! I'm going to pin and share on FB! We actually have two clean nappies that I saved because their straps broke off and I was sure there was something to be done with them!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, I bought magic snow quite cheaply . Come to think of it at a recent visit to a swimming pool on holiday where I had forgotten to take swim nappies, on exiting the pool the babies ordinary nappy exuded something very similar. Good thinking batman.
ReplyDeleteWe will be trying this out, thanks for the idea
ReplyDelete! Your newest follower.
That is a great idea! I'm going to do this today with my girls. Thanks so much for linking to Fun Sparks
ReplyDeleteWe had a BLAST copying your idea! Here's my post http://blog.playdrhutch.com/2012/01/31/fakin-it-snow-that-is/
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing the brilliant idea!
so fun! I had no idea!!! pinned this & sharing on Facebook too!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing on the sunday showcase
what is a nappy? i'm a pre-k teacher but not a mom so there's some things i have no idea about!
ReplyDelete'Nappy' is what we call disposable diapers in the UK
DeleteHello. magnificent job. I did not expect this. This is a excellent story. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMotorcraft KM4978 Molded Hose
but... isn't it toxic, the inside a disposable nappy??
ReplyDeleteSince we did this activity I have heard some stories say yes and some say no. I couldn't find any conclusive argument either way. I use eco-friendly compostible nappies, so I imagine they are not toxic. The children also played under close supervision and we washed hands very thoroughly afterwards.
DeleteI have had diapers explode on me so many time you would think I would have thought of this...:) Love this idea, but What is that stuff made of?? Is it toxic in any way ??? I just not sure without knowning
ReplyDeleteThe stuff is polymer beads - I have done some research since doing this project and have recently spoken to a friend who is a research scientist who stated that old nappies would have been toxic, but modern versions would not be toxic unless ingested in large quantities.
DeleteI would suggest waiting till kiddos are past the 'mouthing everything' stage, supervise throughout the play and wash hands thoroughly afterwards.