The girls are really into hands-on science experiments and when one of the preschool teachers told me about making "melting" snowmen, I was sure it would be a winner.
The snowmen are made from a baking soda and dish soap mixture (the soap creates a longer lasting foam than baking soda alone). The girls each got a pile of "snow" and smushed and squeezed and rolled until they were satisfied. I tried to be patient while they made their creations, but it was SO HARD because I knew the fun that was just around the corner. Then Madeline asked if she could decorate her snowman... hmm, hadn't thought of that, but sure, why not? I pulled out the food coloring markers and the girls added a few details (Julia required supervision here). After they were done beautifying, the I gave the girls squeeze bottles filled with a vinegar-peppermint oil mix. The "melting" process did not disappoint! We briefly talked about chemical reactions and then played in the colorful foam that resulted. The foam was as much fun to play with as the snowmen! A bonus experiment occurred when the food coloring that dissipated into the foam started mixing together and combining into new colors. Yay for science!
