A Science Playdate

Sometimes when six AM rolls around on Wednesday mornings, I wonder why I ever thought Playdates were a good idea. It seems especially so after a big bridal tea on the Sunday before, hospital sitting, and teaching my college class while wrangling some nasty something or other that invaded my sinus cavity, ticking off said sinuses, resulting in them joining together in an effort to push out my eyeballs and shove my nose right off my face. Blek.

There's much to be done behind the scene for Playdate. Let's see. Check the porch basket and make sure there are clean towels, wash cloths, swim clothes, mosquito repellent and treatment, clean baby undies, diapers, swimmies, wipes, and sunscreen. Fill up the snack basket with juice boxes, fruit chews and whatever snack is available. Clean out the water and tea table, wash all the toys and fill the table with water. Set out lunch plates on the bar with utensils. Make Bean's tea. Start lunch for the Gramerlings and Ol' Mother Hubbard's kids. Be sure drinks for the grown-ups are handy. Mix the borax and the colored water for Gak. Get cups, stirrers, glue, mixtures and all things needed for science day in a basket, including a tiny journal and pencil per kiddo. Get the clean blankets off the backporch and spread on the ground for snack and stories. Oh yeah, find those two stories you want to read and put with the snack basket. Don't forget, there are no rugs down in the bathroom, so retrieve them from the dryer. Seriously, the dog has got to be bathed before anyone can stand to be in the room with her. Sweep the floor, unload and reload the dishwasher, put the chicken in the oven, make the noodles, get the little yogurts and slice the cucumbers for lunch. All righty, all systems go.

We did have some rain, so we were able to go to the creek for nature's best science exploration. Creekers were catching beasties left and right. The creek never fails to fascinate. Each return trip from the creek requires a rub down with Dial soap and a dunk in the outside tub or a spray with the hose. Then time for snack and story and then science.

Once Playdate gets rolling, I know why I do it.

The youngest was 19 months and the oldest nine, but every child loves everything and is completely involved if it's creek, story, printing or making Gak.

Handy Man got a cast iron pump for his oak water barrel. It was wrapped in all this great paper. God love the man, he's learning and saved me the stuffing paper. We rolled it out on the sidewalk. Then each kid chose a way overgrown garden vegetable to use as stamp. Good times.

Lots of missing teeth this summer.
Next we put glue in a cup, then colored water. We added a wonderful chemical that made the liquid become a solid. A squishy fun solid.

The grand finale was Ms. Glitzy putting on a show with Mentos and soda. She was more entertaining then the fountain spewing all over the yard.

I wish you could see all those little faces and the excitement.

Ah yes, this is why I do Playdate.