Sunday, September 12, 2010

Hiking Kanarra Creek

Okay, My kids went and did this hike without telling me. They said it was wonderful, Can't believe they went without me, but they said they would do it again. If your going to do this one you'll need to do it soon or the water will be getting too cold soon. All the information is on the blog just look for Hiking Kanarra Creek.

Glitter Pit Time

Okay, I believe we told you about the Glitter pits. The weather has gotten nice and now is a great time to plan a trip to check it out. Pack a pick nick grab the family and take a nice drive.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Apple Dip

1/2 Cup Creamy P Butter
1 8oz. Vanilla Yogurt
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup Thawed Frozen Whipped Topping

Apples or Pears for dipping

*Blend all with whisk but fold in the whipped topping, you really cant make it incorrectly.


I doubled everything but the yogurt and added way more cinnamon so whatever.

Last night was awesome!!! Thank you so much!

tiffany

Monday, June 7, 2010

Glowing Jell-O Recipe


How to Make Glowing Jell-O

By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., About.com Guide


It's incredibly easy to make Jell-O™ or other gelatin glow under a black light. Here's what you do.
Glowing Jell-O Materials
  • package of Jell-O or other gelatin
  • tonic water
  • black light

Make the Jell-O
  1. Basically you just follow the directions on the package, except use tonic water instead of water.
  2. For a small package, the usual directions would be to heat 1 cup of tonic water to boiling.
  3. Mix the boiling tonic water and Jell-O until the powder is completely dissolved.
  4. Stir in another cup of tonic water.
  5. Pour the liquid into a pan or bowl.
  6. Refrigerate the Jell-O until is has set.
  7. You can use cookie cutters to make shapes out of the gelatin, if desired.
  8. Shine a black light on the Jell-O to make it glow.
No matter what flavor/color of Jell-O you use, it will glow bright blue under the black light. This is the fluorescence of the quinine in the tonic water. Quinine also gives tonic water a distinctive bitter flavor which you will also taste in the gelatin. If you don't like the taste you can lessen it by using half tonic water and half tap water in the recipe. Either sugar-free or regular tonic water works fine for this recipe.

Fry an Egg

Explain to the children how some things attract more heat than others. To demonstrate get two eggs. Break one in a bowl in the shade and another directly on the side walk. the one on the side walk will fry, while the other will not.

Great way to teach the kids to wear their shoes and sun screen.

Paintsicles

Put Tempera Paint in Popsicle containers and freeze. Remove once frozen, and paint, Muffin tins can also be used - just stick a Popsicle stick or toothpick into the paint.

Spray Bottle Painting

Put water and food dye in spray bottles. Hang up paper in the backyard and spray. Try using red, blue and Yellow and having the children experiment with secondary colors.

Virgin River

Right Here in our own back yard we have the Virgin River. You can find many fun safe spots to let the kids play in the Water.
Just make sure they wear old clothes, because most of the time the water can be muddy.
As far as ages for this, just be smart about how fast the water is running.
But you can find some great beach on the side and you can play all kinds of game.

Make your own Commercial

My Kids Loved to Do This
I would have treats around the
house and I wouldn't just let them
have them. So my Daughter came
up with an Idea." Hey if I tell my mom
we want to make a commercial maybe
she will let us eat these Candy bars."
She was right.

It was hilarious. Two girls named Jessica
talking about their Baby Ruth's. 

They spent time on coming up with the
commercial and they of course had more 
than one take on shooting the commercial.

She was here this weekend and we brought this
up. To this day she still remembers the commercial
I need to  find that recording.

Money Game

When the 
Kids are driving you crazy 
 and need a break take 
49 pennies 
and throw them in the grass 
in the back yard and tell them
not to come back
  in until they  
find all 50 of them.

Make your own fish and fishing pole

Help your child decorate a cardboard box up like the ocean our what ever you like.  Color it all up on the outside.  This is your fishing pond.  Make your own fishing poles with a stick, dowel, pencil or ruler, tie a string on it with a magnet on the end.  Cut out different fish with different colored paper.  Attach a paper clip so the magnet can connect to it.  Put your fish in your pond(box)and fish away.  Kids can do this alone or put different points on the fish to have a contest with each other, see who gets the most points.

Freeze treasure Fun

Fill up tupperwear or other dishes with water, have your kids find little toys or treasure to put in the water.  Let freeze overnight.  Dump your block of ice out on the sidewalk let the kids use spray bottles to melt the ice and find the treasures in the ice.

Fast Clap

We often clap our hands together to express our approval- to say we loved a musical show, to praise our favorite sports player.  But how fast can you clap your hands?  And how do those numbers change with the position of your arms?  Write down your number to find out.  Clap your hands in the usual position, right in front of your body, for 30 seconds.  How many claps did you manage to make?  Now do the same with your hands over your head.  Now do the same with your hands behind your back.  What muscles did you use when you did that?  Do it on your own or beat someone elses score.

Squirt Bottle Tag

Use clean, empty dishwashing liquid bottles or squirting water bottles.  Use masking tape to tape an ordinary tissue to each player's back.  The object of the game is to flood your fellow players' tissues with enough water to cause them to tear from the masking tape and fall to the ground.  The last player with a tissue still in place wins the game.

Jumping Jack Flash

Start your exercise routine with 10 jumping jacks on your first fitness day.  Make a fitness chart to mark your progress on everyday.  Add 5 more the second day, keep adding some until you get to 25 and then also add a 2nd exercise.  Before you know it you'll be as buff as can be. =) 

How far can you jump?

Ever wondered if the sport shoe commercials are true? Can different footwear help you jump farther? Better? Higher?  This experiment can help you find out.  Mark a starting point with tape or chalk outside.  Wearing your favorite sneakers, jump as far as you can from your starting point.  Mark where you landed, and label it "sneakers." Now repeat the action in dress shoes, in socks, and in bare feet.  How do your marks compare?

Make & design Clay Dough

Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup salt, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Stir together flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a saucepan.  Then add the water and cooking oil.  Put the pan over medium heat, and cook for 3-5 minutes.  Stir the mixture constantly until it looks like mashed potatoes.  Dump the clay out on a sheet of waxed paper, but wait until the clay is cool enough to touch.  Roll out the play clay to a layer about 1/4 inch thick.  Use cookie cutters to make assorted shapes.  Use a straw or pencil to put a hole in the top to make an ornament or make a star award to tie with ribbon to give to the "star" of the day at your house!  Let the cutouts air dry for 24 hours on a wire wrack.  Paint with poster and write names on with glitter markers.  Tie a ribbon through the hole.  Use your imagination to make all sorts of fun things with this dough!  So fun to then paint them and design them the way you like.  Make a star award for each kid.  Make fun name stars to hang with ribbon to decorate their room, put one letter on each star or design and hang them with ribbon in their room.  Such a cute, cheap decoration!

Making Paper/Fabric Beads

You can make your own beads with paper, fabric, newspapers, magazines. It's fun to see how your beads turnout and then make a cute necklace or bracelet with them. Such a one of a kind design that your kids will love!

What you'll need: Gift Wrap, Scrapbook paper, magazines, fabric...etc., Ruler, Pencil, blunt scissors, Elmers glue, stetchy string, narrow drinking straws/coffee stirrers, small margarine tub.

Use whatever decorative paper you choose.  On the backside of the paper, use the ruler and pencil to draw triangles that are 1 inch across the bottom and 7 inches tall.  Make as many triangles as you want beads, then cut out the triangles.  Eventually you can experiment with different sizes and lengths, you can also do rectangles instead of triangles for different shaped beads.  Mix half water and half Elmers glue in your margarine tub, dip your paper or fabric strip in the glue mixture, let excess dump off.  Start at the straight edge end of your triangle and start wrapping tightly around your small straw stirrer with pattern side up, until you have a rolled up bead.  Let dry overnight, cut off extra string from fabric beads.  You can then finish them off with a coat of Glossy Mod Podge for a nice finish.  String your beads.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Leeds Creek

Fishing St George-Area Small Streams
By Dave Webb
March, 2008
Fishing Leeds Creek Link

In southern Utah on business, I found I had a couple hours to kill so I decided to check out one of the small trout streams in the St George area. I keep fishing gear in my truck so I can take advantage of such occasions. This time it proved enjoyable, and frustrating, as I played with small cutts.

It was quite a comedy of errors, actually, on a beautiful, warm afternoon on March 1. It was my first stream fishing attempt of the year and it felt good breaking out the fly rod. Trouble is, I couldn't find my fly box. Sometime over the winter, one of my kids must have walked away with it. I dug to the bottom of my gear and found two nymphs, both well chewed. One was a haresear and one was a bead-head pheasant tail. Not much to go with.

I was in Cedar City at the moment and noticed a Wal-Mart nearby. I marched in, hoping they would have a few flies. They had just one - a Royal Coachman. That's a beautiful pattern, proficient at catching fishermen, but I didn't think it would be much use catching fish in a desert stream in late winter.

The nymphs proved to be all I needed. I tried the haresear first and it elicited a few hits. The bead caused the pheasant tail to run a little deeper and the little cutts hit it on virtually every cast. But I'm getting ahead of my story...

I chose to fish Leeds Creek, a small stream that flows south from Pine Valley Mountain just above the towns of Leeds and Silver Reef. The other option in the area is the Santa Clara River, which flows off the west side of the mountains past the town of Veyo and down to Gunlock Reservoir. The Santa Clara is bigger and has a few nice browns, or so I hear, but Leeds Creek was closer and so I drove up that canyon.

There was no snow or ice in the area. The stream flows through a steep, V-shaped canyon, over boulders and through dense brush. I choose to fish the area where it cuts through the red Navajo sandstone that flanks the mountain. I love playing on the red rock and though it would be fun to fish the same formation.

I had my dog with me, a border collie, thinking it would be a nice buddy experience. Wrong! Laddie is a bit exuberant and wanted to charge ahead, wading into the pools before I had a chance to fish them. I spent all of my time trying to restrain him. It's hard to sneak up on wary trout in a small, clear stream when you're forever calling out to your dog, telling him to stay back.

Finally I gave up on the dog and took him back to the truck. But climbing out of the steep canyon took valuable time and it almost dusk before I got back to the stream.

I approached holes quietly, staying back away from the bank, and pushed my rod through the brush. I would flip my nymph up to the top of the hole - no room to cast - and let it drift down along the edge of the current. Oh, I didn't have any strike indicators - those had disappeared with my fly box. So I reached out with all of my senses, trying to feel the soft takes. But when I got a strike I couldn't set the hook because I couldn't raise my rod. The brush was so thick, there was no room to sweep the rod upward without getting tangled up.

Pulling my line tight, I felt several fish thrash momentarily before they flipped off.

Thinking the pheasant tail might have a sharper point, I tied it on and started getting more strikes - a strike on virtually every cast when the nymph got down near the bottom. By now the light was starting to fade and it was hard seeing my line. And I still couldn't move my rod tip more than a couple inches because of the thick brush.

I did get clear views of several fish. They were small native cutthroat, about 7-10 inches long. Beautiful fish.

It was a fun outing, even if I didn't touch a fish.

The weather was an extremely nice 75 F that afternoon, but it changed quickly as I drove I-15 north toward Salt Lake. It was snowing in Beaver, and that turned into a blizzard as I drove toward Fillmore. It was almost a whiteout on top the mountain, heavy snow falling horizontally, pushed by a strong wind. Plows had not yet hit the road and so it was slick. I drove that stretch in 4-wheel-drive, at 25 miles per hour.

Still, I enjoyed that business trip.

Egg Dye



What You Need:

    * 1/4 teaspoon food coloring
    * 3/4-cup hot water
    * One-tablespoon vinegar

What You Do:

·      Measure liquids into a bowl. Separate into small bowls. Add food coloring to each mixture. Soak hard-boiled eggs in dye.

Pasta Dye

Pasta Dye
What You Need:

* 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
* Food coloring

What You Do:

* Mix alcohol and food coloring in bowl. Add small amounts of any type of pasta to liquid and gently stir. Dry on newspapers covered with wax paper.

****This recipe is for Art Only Do not allow children to eat pasta or drink alcohol**

Pasta Dye


Pasta Dye
Submitted By Cindy
What You Need:

    * 1/4 Cup Rubbing Alcohol
    * 1 tablespoon food coloring
    * 2 Cups Pasta
    * 1 quart ziplock freezer bag

What You Do:

   1. Pour alcohol and food coloring in bag and mix together
   2. Add pasta to bag mix all together.
   3. Let set for an hour, then turn over and let set for 30 minutes more.
   4. Pour out onto news paper to dry.
   5. If not dark enough, repeat process.

Slimy Things

Gunk
What You Need:
• One Part Cornstarch
• One Part Water
What You Do:
• Mix and color with food color or Tempera paint.

Blubber
What You Need:
• One-cup water
• ½ cup glue
• Two Cups Borax
What You Do
• Mix ½ -cup water with ½ cup glue In a separate container, mix ½ cup water with the Borax (in the laundry detergent aisle). Now, stir the Borax mixture while slowly adding the glue mixture. It should immediately come together to make blubber If it isn't quite right try adding more of the Borax and water.

Flubber
What You Need:
• Two cups Glue
• Food Coloring
• Four tablespoons Borax
• Warm water
What You Do
• In one bowl mix in 1 1/2 cups of warm water, Glue, and food coloring. In a separate bowl mix in Borax with 1 1/3 cup of warm water. Pour the glue mixture into the borax mixture. Do not mix or stir it will form on its own. Store in plastic Baggies.

Blubberish Goop
What You Need:
• Two cups water
• 1/2-cup cornstarch
• Food coloring
What You Do:
• Boil water in saucepan add cornstarch stirring until smooth. Add food coloring and stir. Remove from heat and cool. Make sure your children play with this on a flat plastic like surface (table, linoleum floor, etc).

Goop
What You Need:
• One part Liquid starch
• Two parts white glue
• Food coloring
What You Do:
• Add starch to glue until mixture becomes a workable ball. Store in refrigerator in a covered container.

Slime
What You Need:
• One box Ivory Soap flakes
• Gallon Water
What You Do:
• Beat together with a mixer. Makes about 5 gallons

Color Sand


How to Color Sand
From your Florida for Visitors Guide

So you've brought home a bucket of sand from the beach. What do you do now? Color it and use it in a fun craft project!

Difficulty Level: Easy    Time Required: 30 Minutes +

Here's How:

   1. Fill paper cups half full of sand.
   2. Add water to cups to completely cover sand.
   3. Add food coloring to get the desired color.
   4. Stir with plastic spoon.
   5. Let set for 15 minutes.
   6. Pour off water.
   7. Spoon sand onto paper towels.
   8. Spread out and allow to dry.


Tips:

1.     Drying times vary. If you are using glue with your craft, you will want to allow the sand to dry completely.

Colored Sugar

How To Make Colored Sugar

Colored sugars are great for decorating cookies, cakes and other baked goods, but they cost way more than they should. Learn how to color your own sugars, and cut your baking costs considerably.
Difficulty: Easy
Time required: 5 minutes
Here's How:
1. Place sugar on a piece of waxed paper.
2. Add a drop of food coloring and mix until the color is evenly distributed throughout the sugar.
3. Continue to add food coloring one drop at a time until you are satisfied with the color.
4. Use immediately, or allow the sugar to dry and store in an air-tight container.
Tips:
1. If your sugar comes out darker than you'd like it to be, simply add more sugar to the mix.
2. You can also use this technique to color coconut.
What You Need:
• Granulated sugar

Popular Birding Places

Popular Birding Places
Washington County


Ash Creek Reservoir
Directions: Take exit 36 of I-15 about 30 miles north of St. George or about 24 miles south of Cedar City. The Reservoir is right next to the freeway.

Beaver Dam Wash
Directions: (See the instructions for Lytle Ranch) Lytle Ranch is the main access to Beaver Dam Wash.

Coalpits Wash, Zion National Park
Directions: Go on UT 9 about 7.4 miles east of Virgin. Just before the bridge, take the dirt road to the parking area by the road. This is the trailhead for Coalpits Wash.

Emerald Pools Trail, Zion National Park
Directions: The trailhead is across from the Zion Lodge in Zion National Park

Enterprise Reservoirs
Directions: Go west of Enterprise on Main Street about 6 miles and bear left on the road that follows Little Pine Creek (FR 006). Go 5 miles to the reservoir.

Grafton
Directions: Go south from Rockville on Bridge Road about 3.8 miles. [Grafton is located about 3 miles west of Rockville just south of the Virgin River]. Cross the bridge over the Virgin River and go right on Grafton Road. Bear right at the next two junctions and proceed to the ghost town of Grafton. (The riparian habit on the flood plane of the river is a good birding place).

Gunlock Reservoir
Directions: Go west on UT 8 (Sunset Boulevard) from St. George through Santa Clara to Shivwits. Take the road going right and go about 5 miles to the reservoir.

Harrisburg Ghost Town
Directions: Approaching from the South: Take exit 16 of I-15 going east towards Harrisburg Junction and Zion Nat. Park. Go about a mile and a half and turn left (north, going towards Leeds) on UT 212 (becomes Red Cliff Road). Go about 4 miles and just past the road going to the north end of Quail Creek Reservoir.

Hurricane Fields
Directions: From SR 9 in Hurricane, go south on 700 West for about 2 miles, and turn right on 2060 South, follow this road past where it jogs left for about 1.6 miles, and turn right for another 1.2 miles. The paved road continues west around to Sand Hollow State Park.

Jacob Hamblin Home ~ submitted by Marilyn Davis
Directions: From St. George take Hwy 91 west to Santa Clara. Take main road through Santa Clara and just before the road curves right look for the historical Jacob Hamblin Home sign, and turn right to parking area by home

Kolob Reservoir
Directions: Go east of La Verkin on UT 9 about 5 miles to Kolob Reservoir Road (in Virgin) and turn left. Go 23.5 miles to Kolob Reservoir.

Kolob Reservoir Road
Directions: Go east of La Verkin on UT 9 about 5 miles to Kolob Reservoir Road (in Virgin) and turn left. The 23.5 mile route to Kolob Reservoir is good for birding.


LaVerkin Creek/Virgin River Confluence
See: Virgin River/LaVerkin Creek Confluence

Leeds Creek
Directions: Take Exit 23 of I-15 about 15 miles north of St. George (just north of Leeds). Go west toward Silver Reef and enter the Dixie National Forest. This road follow Leeds Creek for about 8 miles to Oak Grove Campground.

Lytle Ranch Preserve (the main access to Beaver Dam Wash)
Description: Lytle Ranch (see Lytle Ranch Area Map) is located in a section of the Mojave Desert that projects into Southwest Utah. This island of trees and water in the middle of a very dry desert lies along a migratory corridor, and creates an excellent stopping place for a great variety birds, many of which, not usually found in other parts of Utah.

Mathis Park
Directions: Take the Bluff Street Exit (6) coming from SLC. When you get off I-15 turn right and then left at the immediate stop light. This takes you to Hilton Dr. Go past hotel (used to be a Hilton Hotel) and several car dealerships and then follow the curvy road past Maverick Service Station over the bridge in the center of the South Gate Golf Course. Keep curving around past the driving range.....staying close to the Santa Clara River. You will take Dixie Drive.... past Tonaquint Nature Center and continue on that road until it goes past Sun Brook Golf Course. Immediately past the road to the left that takes you to Sun Brook...... there is a road to the right. It has white fence around it. Take that road. If you miss it you will go over the Santa Clara River.... and that is too far. You may feel you are going into a housing area, and it is, but there is a gate that opens and goes to Mathis Park. ~ Marilyn Davis

Description: It's a little park but it's always full of birds, the best (in my opinion) being the Summer Tananager. I've seen owls, flycatchers, towhees, tanagers, grosbeaks, various sparrows and warblers, catbirds, a nighthawk, etc. ~ Carol Davis

Oak Grove Campground
Directions: Take Exit 23 of I-15 about 15 miles north of St. George (just north of Leeds). Go west toward Silver Reef and enter the Dixie National Forest. Go 8 miles to Oak Grove Campground.

Pa'rus Trail, Zion National Park
Directions: Go through the South Entrance of Zion NP less than 0.2 miles and turn right toward the Watchman Campground. Park before you cross the bridge at the trailhead.

Pine Valley Campgrounds
Directions: Turn east from UT 18 about 23 miles north of St. George. Go about 10 miles through Central and Pine Valley to the campgrounds.

Pinto Creek
Directions: Go south of New Castle on Main Street about 0.3 miles. and turn left on 200 South. In about a mile the road come to New Castle Reservoir -- in about 4 more miles the road comes to Pinto Creek and continues about 6 miles along the creek to Pinto.

Quail Creek Reservoir
Directions: Utah State Parks & Recreation

Red Cliffs Campground
Directions: Approaching from the South: Take exit 16 of I-15 going east towards Harrisburg Junction and Zion Nat. Park. Go about a mile and a half and turn left (north, going towards Leeds) on UT 212 (becomes Red Cliff Road). Go about 4 miles and just past the road going to the north end of Quail Creek Reservoir, turn left and go through a very narrow underpass of I-15 going east. Continue on that road less then 2 miles to the campground.

Red Hills Golf Course
Directions: Take UT 18 north, to the outskirts of St. George. The golf course is on the right
Details


Sand Hollow Reservoir (State Park)
Directions: While on I-15, take exit 16, towards Hurricane. Travel for four miles and turn right at the light onto Turf Sod Road and follow the road south until it curves to the east and the entrance to Sand Hollow State Park. Follow the paved road to reach a parking area, or turn right onto a dirt road just past the entrance station that circles the south and east sides.
Details

Snow Canyon State Park
Directions: Take UT 18 north of St. George a few miles to the state park.


Springdale Pond
Directions: From Zion Park Boulevard in Springdale (UT 9), turn southeast on the road just north of the Zion Park Inn. Go down the hill to the pond.

Springs Pond (Seegmiller Pond)
Directions: Go east on St. George Boulevard in St. George going under I-15. Turn right on River Road and turn left on 1450 South ("Stake Farm Road") immediately after you cross the Virgin River. Go about a mile and turn left toward Spring Estates. Springs Pond is located in a St. George City Park, adjacent to the Virgin River and Seegmiller Marsh.

Tonaquint Park
Directions: Go south on Bluff Street (UT 18) in St. George and turn right on Hilton Drive just before you get to I-15. After you pass the golf course bear right on Dixie Drive. Go a few hundred yards to the park entrance.

Upper Sand Cove Reservoir
Directions: Upper Sand Cove Reservoir is northwest of St. George, near the town of Veyo, a mile or two west of SR-18. Heading north on SR-18 from St. George, the dirt road turnoff to Upper Sand Cove Reservoir is on the left (west) after
passing the Dameron Valley community and before reaching the Veyo Cinder Cone (large basalt cinder hill on the west side of SR-18). If you reach the small town of Veyo you've gone too far. ~ Rick Fridell

Utah Hill
Directions: This is a place you'd usually drop by on the way to Lytle Ranch.

Virgin River/LaVerkin Creek Confluence
Directions: From St. George: Go north on I-15 to SR-9. Follow SR-9 through Hurricane and LaVerkin. After the light in LaVerkin proceed straight down the hill as if going towards Toquerville. Just before the LaVerkin Creek bridge at the bottom of the hill, turn left on an unmarked, dirt road. This road is a county road and open to the public. Drive about 300 yards, parked in some shade and slowly walk south.
Description: The primary habitat is riparian with some agricultural and scrub around the edges. Birds are plentiful!

Virgin River Parkway
Directions: 1. North end: Take Exit 6 (I-15) in St. George going south (Riverside Drive/ Bluff Street). Go right on Main Street and go to the end of the road to the trailhead.
2. South end: Take Exit 4 (I-15) in Bloomington and go south on Pioneer Road. Go west on Man O'War Drive crossing the Virgin River to the parking area and trailhead on the other side.

Washington Fields
Directions: Go east on St. George Boulevard in St. George going under I-15. Turn right on River Road and turn left on 1450 South ("Stake Farm Road") immediately after you cross the Virgin River. Go about 2 miles and turn left on 3000 East and Washington Fields.

Welcome Spring
Directions: This is a place you'd usually drop by on the way to Lytle Ranch.

West Canyon (Part of Snow Canyon)
Directions: On Snow Canyon Road north of Santa Clara, turn just south of the Snow Canyon Campground to Three Ponds at the head of West Canyon.


Zion National Park
Directions: Just north of Springdale on UT 9.

Hiking Kanarra Creek


Hiking Kanarra Creek

Kanarra Creek is a fun hike in an easy slot canyon; the hike is only moderately difficult. The canyon has plenty of appeal for adults and is easy enough for adventurous kids of about age 12 and older. Younger kids will need help to get through.
The canyon offers several narrow sections that are beautiful and photogenic. A small stream flows between the towering walls and you've got to wade multiple times as you make your way up the canyon. Most pools are not deep - normal sized adults don't need to swim and only a few pools come up to your waist.
Three features add excitement to the hike: two waterfalls that you have to climb up and one small waterfall that you can slide down. A log leans against the first waterfall and makes it fairly easy to ascend. The second fall is a little higher and more challenging, but still not bad. A wooden ladder puts you halfway up. Then you grasp ropes and pull yourself up another log.
You can hike the canyon for many miles but the slots stretch for only about 2 miles. Beyond that the canyon and creek are beautiful but not particularly unusual for the Zion area.
The canyon is located east of Kanarravlle, just south of Cedar City, just outside the Kolob Canyons area of Zion National Park. You access it by following 100 North Street to the east edge of town. 100 North becomes a dirt road that winds past water tanks and into the canyon. Unfortunately, you have to park in town and hike the dirt road into the canyon. That adds about 2 miles round trip to the hike.
You follow the dirt road until it drops down to the creek, then you just follow the creek up the canyon. You are in and out of the water, wading about 1/3 of the time. There is no way to hike the canyon without getting wet. For this reason, it is best hiked during the warm months - May through September.
Most people will turn around after about three miles - so total hiking distance is about 6 miles.
This is a great introduction to easy, non-technical canyoneering. To appreciate other canyoneering adventures, just picture how it would be to do Kanarra Creek without the logs and ladders to help you up and down the waterfalls.
It's a fun canyon.
Copyright Dave Webb, 2005

Train Ride

We have driven "the back way" out to Boulder City through Overton since the ride is gorgeous. It's fun to go and ride the train in Boulder City and stop and look through the "museum" of trains. It does cost to ride the train, but I think you can look at the museum free of charge. It's open on Saturdays and it's a short ride, but fun way to let your kids feel what old time travel was like. Boulder City has a couple of other interesting museums on the Hoover Dam and such. We take our time on the back way stopping at Roger's Springs along the way to look at the little minnows. We also stop in Overton for ice cream on the way back to Mesquite.

http://www.nevadasouthern.com/NSR2010/Train_Ride_Info.html (Train rides)
http://www.visitbouldercity.com/ (Boulder City Travel)

DJW

Sunset Movies

Sunset Movies every other Friday in Saint George. Pull up a blanket and take the family to a (I believe free) movie every other Friday through summer at the Town Square Park in Saint George. They will be selling pizza, snow cones and popcorn as well.

http://www.sgcity.org/news/sunsetonthesquare.php

DJW

Looking Up!

Looking Up!

We enjoy watching the stars and satellites and even the space shuttle this past week in the night sky. To keep us aware of upcoming sky events we check in with spaceweather.com
http://spaceweather.com/ This fun site is educational and gives us great ideas for sky viewing and when and where the events are best. Many space viewings are "naked eye" and do not need any special scope, but it would be fun with this equipment as well.

DJW

Kingman 3 Day Route 66 Trip:

Kingman 3 Day Route 66 Trip:

Day one--take the back way from Mesquite through Overton for beautiful sightseeing and then over the Hoover Dam on the 93 to Kingman. Visit the Route 66 Museum for a very good learning experience about the old "mother road". http://www.kingmantourism.org/Kingman_Tourism_Content/Kingman_Museums/Historic_Route_66_Museum/ Have a meal at Mr. D'z Route 66 Diner and sample their wonderful sweet potato fries and homemade root beer. Yum! Enjoy a little rest in Locomotive Park before retiring for the night.
Next day: Head due east on the the old Route 66 (I-40) towards Flagstaff and stop at a most interesting spot in little over an hour--Grand Canyon Caverns. This place has the most unusual cave to visit. It is 200 hundred feet down and super dry. I don't want to spoil the surprises, but it was really interesting and our family really enjoyed it. Afterward the gift shop and café brought a welcome treats and barbecued burgers. We drove back to Kingman via Peach Springs (makes us wonder if the Disney Movie "Cars" uses some of these places in their cute movie). We then headed out after a brief rest at the hotel to Oatman, http://oatmangoldroad.org/index.html a little mining town preserved in its glory with live burro roaming freely through town. It's reached by following Route 66 West. The road moves and curves the landscape and is really a treat in and of itself. The mining town is really cute and the kids enjoy buying a bag of carrots and feeding the wild burro (except you are never allowed to feed baby burros). The burros are super people friendly. You can eat here and shop here and then head back to Kingman for the night. Notice all of the old mines along the way.
Day 3 we went to Lake Havasu and went on their Dixie Bell paddle boat tour of the lake. http://www.go-arizona.com/Lake-Havasu-Dixie-Bell/ Then we walked the promenade past the London Bridge. We had a lunch in Lake Havasu and headed back to Kingman to enjoy a few more local museums in town. Our kids wanted a second trip to Mr. D'z Diner for homemade root beet. It's a fun trip to learn about the neon past in Kingman, see the pretty waters of Lake Havasu, go down deep into the Grand Canyon Caverns and feed wild burro in Oatman. We paid very little for 3 night's lodging. It's only 3 hours from here and you see a whole lot for not much money. Our kids still talk about this quirky adventure and look forward to doing it again some time. I recommend watching the Disney movie "Cars" before traveling--it makes it more fun for the kids and the adults in reference to the "mother road" of Route 66. We also bought the sound track and listened to it and it matched our adventure real well! It was fun!

DJW

Native American Day--Ideas for fun

Plan a half day excursion to Overton to visit the Lost City Museum--a great educational experience about the local Native Americans. See: http://www.sunsetcities.com/lost-city-museum.html
We added the following enrichments to our day: We had a "Hunter Gatherer" or "Anasazi" picnic. We went to the grocery store and bought "roots" (carrots, radishes, etc.), nuts, seeds (sunflower), berries, fry bread, corn, beans, etc.. Pack up the "gathered" feast and plan to enjoy it in the open air somewhere possibly where you might get another enrichment of seeing some petroglyphs (see the website for locations--some easy access ones are found at the Valley of Fire). After visiting the museum, have your kids take notice of local yucca plants on the drive home. Have them get out and feel how rough and spiky they are. Remind them of how the local tribes used to make clothes and and shoes from the yucca plants. Have them take notice of lovely pottery and jewelry at the museum while there. Plan an after museum bead and clay experience at home. Let the kids make bead jewelry from craft beads and sculpt craft clay objects, especially little pots and bowls. For added fun, let them build their own "wickiups" inside the home or in the backyard either out of traditional branches and leaves or out of pretend hard structures like a card table and blankets see: http://www.texasindians.com/wickiup.htm. My son spent hours in his wickiup with his tinker toy tools and weapons and even wanted to spend the night in his structure, which was a lot of fun for him. Our kids enjoyed the experience and remember it to this day.

DJW

Pioneer Day in Saint George

Plan a full day to see some of the great pioneer homes in Saint George. Start your adventure at the McQuarrie Memorial Pioneer Museum (open M-S 10-5) at 145 North 100 East, Saint George (just off of the main boulevard). This museum is great and full of amazing old photos and artifacts from the early times of Saint George. They sell homemade honey taffy for $1 a bag and I always bribe my kids if they are patient and learn they can have a bag to share. Then we go on to the Brigham Young Winter home, which sits at the northwest corner of Ancestor Square (67 west 200 North open 9AM-7PM). The missionaries will guide your experience. Point out the small hallways and stairways and wonderful gardens outside. Then make your way on Sunset (west off of Bluff Street into Santa Clara). This old road has many old homes and if it is still in business in this location, many people love to stop at Grandma Tobler's Kitchen and Bakery at 2862 Santa Clara Drive (old pink house) for a good old fashioned freshly baked pecan roll. Further down Santa Clara Drive is the Jacob Hamblin home, a notable early pioneer of the area. Again missionaries will guide your experience. Follow this road (the former old highway) back through Arizona and see some old stone houses along the way. The road will bring you back through Beaver Dam. If you are not familiar with this route, please consult a good map. If everyone is of good energy, visit our local pioneer museum on Mesquite Blvd. For after trip enrichments at home: make homemade salt water taffy to pull, make pie dough cookies with sugar, play pioneer games such as: drop the handkerchief see: http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210182/games.html, or make homemade butter with heavy cream shaken in its container (takes a while).

DJW

Travel to a foreign country....

When strapped for funds one year (or many) we decided to take a trip to a foreign country. We gave the kids choice from among 7 or so countries: India, Japan, China, Germany, Italy, Greece, England. Our family voted on China. I told the kids to get ready for our amazing adventure. We made airline tickets and and passports and stamped them with the date of our trip. Our "in flight movie" on our couch was a wonderful video on China from our local library. When we "arrived" we went to a super authentic Chinese restaurant and sampled the good foods. We learned some Chinese words and Chinese art (watercolor) at home and we tried very hard to find a Chinese missionary to help us with slides and mission tales, but we couldn't find one. We liked our foreign travel so well, that we did it again. Consider planning several weeks ahead to get someone who has lived in the country or traveled there for mission or schooling to come and share slides, movies or other tales with the family. Order in to our local library: books and videos on your country of choice. Type up cute passports of learning and airline tickets and serve snacks and drinks on your flight. It's fun and a good way to see some amazing things while on a tight budget. If you cannot find a restaurant serving the authentic cuisine of an area, consider learning some dishes yourselves from sites like cooks.com. Fun!

NIGHT VISION

On a drive one time to Yuma in the evening, we couldn't help but realize that the desert comes absolutely alive at night. It seems all those "heat of day" dormant animals are nowhere to be found until the mysterious hours of the night. We consider it a special and rare treat to see a coyote or fox or even a family of skunks up around our neighborhood. We decided to aid our summer's fun this year to purchase two items: night vision binoculars and black light flashlights. While we might appear to be a strange commando group going out on night patrol, we find the cooler air and deep blue skies to be among the treasures of summer to watch these amazing animals. With night vision (a bigger spend, but something maybe hubbies would love for Father's Day) you can see the animals in the pitch blackness and make sightings less rare. With the black light flashlights, you can see scorpions. While I would never recommend a close encounter, it would be super fun to be able to sight them out. The scorpions glow under black light here and so it makes it really an interesting learning experience. Now, I know this makes some people squeamish--I am one of those people, but I have all boys and had all brothers and learned really fast if you can't beat them, join them!

DJW

Hopscotch

Hopscotch


Hopscotch dates back to the Roman occupation of Britain. The first thing to be done is to draw a course. Several common court styles are seen below:

hopscotch Each player then chooses a marker, usually a stone. Play begins with the first player tossing his stone into the first space. If the stone lands completely within the designated square, the player proceeds to hop through the course. A player can only have one foot in any given square, so single squares must be balanced and double squares (side by side) are straddled.While hopping, the player should alternate the foot he lands on for each square. Any space not marked with a number, ie London, Home, etc., are considered rest squares and can be landed in in any fashion.

When the player reaches the top of the court, he then turns around and comebacks, collecting his marker along the way. Play then continues with the player tossing his marker into the second square and so on.

If a player fails to toss his marker into the correct square or if it touches a line the players turn ends. The same is true if the player stepson a line, misses a square, or loses his balance and falls.

The first player to complete the course for each numbered square wins.

7-11 Candy bar Game

A fun party game that allows you to win candy. The game is simple. There is enough candy for everyone participating to have at least 2 in the center of the gaming area. A die is rolled to determine the starting player. A timer is set for 10-15 minutes. Each person rolls 2 dice. With the roll of 7, 11 or doubles the roller chooses a candy either from the center untaken candies or from a person who has taken one. If that person does not have that specific candy that the roller asked then no candy changes hands. When the timer goes off the game is over and the candy you have is yours.

Post timer trading is always an option.

Spoon Card Game

Spoons Card Game

Few cards serve up the kind of excitement that are part of every game of Spoons.

What You Need

* Deck of cards
* Spoons (one less than # of players)

Instructions

1. The object is to collect four cards of one kind (four twos, four kings and so on) and not to be the person left without a spoon. To begin, place the spoons (one fewer than the number of players) in the center of the table within grabbing reach of all players. Each player is dealt four cards. The dealer keeps the deck.

2. The dealer picks a card from the deck and then discards one card from his hand, sliding it facedown to the player to his left. That player takes it, then picks one card from his hand and passes it to his left.

3. Each player in turn does the same, as quickly as possible. Each person should have four cards in his hand at all times. The player to the right of the dealer places discarded cards in a pile to his left to be used by the dealer when the original deck is used up.

4. Play continues until one player has four of a kind, at which time he takes a spoon from the pile. He may steal the spoon surreptitiously, continuing to pass cards until someone else notices. Or he may grab his spoon, creating a mad rush for spoons at the table.

5. The player left without a spoon has lost the round. If you like to keep score, that player is given an S. As players spell S-P-O-O-N-S, they are out. The player left at the end is the winner.

Sock Wars

SOCK WARS

This is a wild and goofy game but great fun. Each teen should bring three pairs of socks WITH THEIR NAMES CLEARLY ATTACHED TO THEM. Using a rope and a tarp, divide the room in half, as high up as you can go. Put half the teens on each side of the divider with their socks rolled up, like baseballs. On the word GO the teens throw the socks over the divider as fast as they can. This round is only 45 seconds, so they must move fast. While they are throwing, toss in two beach balls, and tell them they are worth double points. Give them a ten second warning and then say "stop". Count the socks on each side of the divider. The team with the least number of socks - and beach balls - wins. Second round is 1 minute, third round is 90 seconds.

Card Games


Child Card Games
Snap, Go Fish, Concentration and More...
Child card games have been popular since Victorian times when parlour games were played by the whole family as a means of entertainment. These days they are a great way to spend time indoors particularly for rainy days or on holidays where there is no tv! The kids card games here are suitable for children aged four and up. It is best to start with the simpler games and gradually teach skills so that they can learn the more complex ones.

Children can start by playing with picture cards, often with popular cartoon or television characters. They can soon move to a real deck of cards and grasp the values of the jack, queen and king. Playing card games give good practice with basic mathematical principles and also the value of gamesmanship which is a valuable lesson for children. These games focus on fun, some of them can become quite frantic as it is often speed that becomes the winning factor.

Cheat (I Doubt It)
Players- three or more
Duration- 5-10 minutes per round
Shuffle the cards and deal out the entire deck to the players. Players guard their hands closely, some players may have one card more which does not matter.
The first player places a card from his hand face down in the middle and annouces its rank. He may or may not be telling the truth! Following players do the same, claiming a higher rank than the previous card.
At any time a player may call out 'Cheat!' or 'I doubt it!' as a challenge. The card just layed down is turned up and if it was truthfully laid then the challenger picks up the centre pile. If a falsehood is revealed then the offending player must pick up the pile.
The pressure increases as the card's rank climbs towards ace high as the players are more likely to have to allege fraud.
The opening player can choose a middle or low ranking card to start the game. Similar to poker in the deceptions and ability to maintain a 'poker face'.
Concentration (Pelmanism)
Players- two or more
Duration- 5-10 minutes per round
After the cards have been shuffled they are all laid out randomly. Each player has a go to turn over two cards. If they are a match, the player keeps them and has another turn. If they are not a match then they are turned facedown in their original positions.
A game often better for children as they often have better memory than adults. This can also be played with picture cards especially for children. The winner has the highest number of pairs.
Go Boom
Players- two or more
Duration- 10-15 minutes per round
Each player is dealt seven cards with the remainder going facedown into the middle as the stockpile. The first player places a card in the middle faceup. Each player to follow must place another card on top that matches the previous either in rank or suit. Any player who cannot lay down a card must begin drawing from the stock, continuing to add cards to their hand until they draw a playable card. If the stock has all been used then the player must pass.
The first with an empty hand shouts 'Boom!' and is the winner. If the play reaches a stage where all players must pass then the winner is the player with the fewest number of cards.
Go Fish
Players- two to five
Duration- 5-10 minutes per round
For two or three players, seven cards are each dealt out; with four or five players, five cards each. The remainder of the deck is placed facedown in the middle becoming the 'fishpond'. Each player is attempting to collect a set of four cards, this may change as the game progresses and new cards fall into their hands.
The first player turns to his right and requests a card, say a king. If that player holds any kings they must be handed over. If not he announces 'Go fish,' and the original player selects a card from the fishpond. If the card matches the original request (in this case a king) then the player says, 'I fished upon my wish' and can now make another demand of the player on his right.
As each set of four is completed they are laid down. The player to completely empty their hand by converting it into sets of fours is the winner, or the one with the most sets when the fishpond dries up.
Old Maid
Players- three to five
Duration- about 10 minutes per round
Three queens are removed from the deck leaving the queen of clubs as the Old Maid. The deck is shuffled and all cards are dealt. From their hand each player matches up pairs that are the same rank and colour and they are discarded.
The first player now draws a card from the player on his right and the game continues until all of the pairs have been matched up and removed from players hands and only the Old Maid remains. The player holding the Old Maid loses the game.
Slapjack
Players- two or more
Duration- about 15 minutes per round
All of the cards are dealt out, it does not matter if some hands have an extra card. Each player recieves a pile of facedown cards which they place in front of them, unseen. The first player turns her top card and places it into the middle. This continues around players until a jack is turned. The first player the slap a hand over the pile wins it. The game ends when one player has won all of the cards. If any players run out of cards they remain in the game as they cab begin playing again if they can win a pile.
Snap
Players- two or more
Duration- about 15 minutes per round (two decks will be required for four or more players)
Probably the easiest of all child card games.
All of the cards are dealt out, it does not matter if some hands have an extra card. The cards are stacked facedown in front of each player.
Starting to the left of the dealer each player deals one card face up in the centre of the table, making a pile of cards.This continues until one player deals one card on top of another player's card, which is of the same value, suits do not matter. When this happens the first player to call out "Snap" and slap the deck wins the pile.
The game continues until one player holds all of the cards.
Spit (Speed)
Players- two
Duration- about 10 minutes per round
The deck is shuffled and dealt out with each player receiving half of the deck. Each player lays out their cards the same way beginning from the left.
A stack of five cards with top card turned over, then a stack of four, three, two and one. The remainder of each of their hands goes into the middle  to form two stockpiles, each having the first card turned up beside it, starting the 'spit pile'.
Once the cards have been laid out the players call, 'One, two, three, spit!' and the game begins. Each player using only one hand plays cards from their upturned piles onto their respective spit piles. The cards must correspond in rank either up or down- so a jack can be covered by a queen or a ten. Kings are high and can only be covered by queens, and similarly for aces, they are low and can only be covered by a two.
As a player removes a card from the layout pile the next card is turned over. Players can place upturned cards within their own layouts, thus keeping the game progressing as new cards are exposed.
If the game reaches a point where neither player can lay down a card then a fresh card is overturned from each players stockpile and the game continues. The round concludes when both players stockpiles have been exhausted. The ultimate winner of the game is the first player to get rid of all of their cards from both their layout and stockpile, having cards only on the spit pile.

Memory Games

Child Memory Games

Improve Concentration and Memory

Child memory games give children the opportunity to exercise their brains and help to improve their language and concentration skills as well as their memory. Surrounding children with books, puzzles and generally providing an enriching environment has been shown to stimulate their developmental growth and capacity for learning. So what sorts of child memory games are appropriate and how technical is all this? Not complex at all, read on...
Child memory games help to improve concentration as well as 
memory. Simple memory games to play with younger children can involve asking which sound matches which animal, or what colours certain household objects are; 'What colour is a banana, what colour are your socks?'
Once your children reach four or five years of age they will enjoy looking at books that challenge them to spot the difference or find hidden items on a page.

Use playing cards to play Concentration or other similar games of finding pairs. Once they begin to recognize the alphabet you can challenge them in letter recognition and sounds. Other specific memory games can be played easily at home with individual children or in a group.

Make Your Own
I've even made my own memory game using pictures of people in our family.
 

How to make: wood: about 40 - 1/8 - 2x2's or 3x3's or so....  
I do have some of this wood on hand if you don't want to cut your own. Just contact me at kimberly@lastingimpressionbykim.com
Pictures: 2 each of 20 different pictures
Paint all the wood squares and let them dry.

Modge Podge pictures on one side of flat wood squares.
and if you want you can also modge podge a decorative paper on the other side also.
When they are dry play it forever.

Building Blocks

Building block are another fun thing to do. It would also be fun to make your own and let the kids paint them.


Just use some
2x4's - 2x2's - 1x1's 
Large Dowel Sticks
and Wooden curtain rods
or Wooden closet rods.

Coolest Bubble Recipes for HUGE Soap Bubbles

Have fun making your own bubble solution with these fun-to-experiment-with bubble recipes. Commercial solutions may be fine for general use, but a bunch of bubble-crazed kids trying to blow really big bubbles requires lots of solution which can get quite expensive.
Joy and Dawn (made in the USA) are considered the best detergents to use in the bubble solution. Ivory and Palmolive are also OK.
But climatic conditions vary and take a big effect, so you'll need to do a bit of experimenting with your bubble recipe a few days prior to the party.
The secret ingredient for sturdy, colorful bubbles is Glycerine (available at most pharmacies). Glycerine is a bit expensive, so you can try also experimenting with Karo Syrup (available at the grocery store).
Soft water is good for bubbles. Any water containing high levels of iron is bad for bubbles. To get the best mixture, try using distilled water. But first try it with the tap water at your house (and you may be one of those lucky people who have a built in bubble water faucet…)
Monster Bubble
Maya (my daughter) just about to pop a
Monster Bubble made with a clothes-hanger wand!
Gently stir the ingredients together (avoid making a lot of foam) and store in a sealed container overnight (the solution seems to get better with age).



Here are a few bubble solution recipes to get you started:

Recipe 1
Dawn Ultra or Joy Ultra - 1 part
Distilled Water - 15 parts
Glycerine or White Karo Syrup - 1/4 part

Recipe 2
Joy - 2/3 cup
Water - one gallon
Glycerine - three tablespoons

Recipe 3
Regular Dawn or Joy - 1 part
Distilled Water - 10 parts
Glycerine or White Karo Syrup - 1/4 parts

Link http://www.coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com/bubble-recipes.html

Play Dough

Kids can play with play dough for a very long time. I have tones of cookie cutters play dishes that I would pour out on the table and they would play for hours.

This was my favorite with my kids.

Cooked Play Dough
3 cups flour
1 cup salt
6 teaspoons cream of tartar
3 cups water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Food coloring
Mix flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a large saucepan. Blend water and oil together in a bowl. Add to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. Add several drops of food coloring until you get the right color. Cook for about five minutes. Take the play dough out of the saucepan and put it on a cutting board or counter and knead for a few minutes. Add flour if it's too sticky.
This play dough should last around three months if you keep it sealed in an airtight container or plastic ziplock bag. It's so smooth and fun to play with when it's still warm.


No Fuss Play Dough
1 cup cold water
1 cup salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Food coloring
In a large bowl, mix together water, salt, oil and a few drops of food coloring. Mix flour and cornstarch and add 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly (you may need a little more or a little less than 2 cups flour so make sure you stir in until it is the right consistency). Knead for a few minutes with flour on your hands.



Oatmeal Play Dough
1 cup flour
1 cup water
2 cups oatmeal
Mix everything together in a large bowl. Then knead for a few minutes. This play dough has a nice lumpy texture.


Smelly Tip: For nice smelling play dough, add a few drops of vanilla extract, almond extract, or peppermint extract to any of these play dough recipes.
Also according to Courtnee "a package of flavored Kool-Aid will add smell to the playdough, then you are working with manipulation, touch and smell senses" for a multi-sensory play experience.



Homemade Clay Recipes

Baked Craft Clay
4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Food coloring
1 egg, beaten

Mix together and knead until smooth. Separate into parts and add a few drops of different colors of food coloring. Make shapes and brush egg over the top. Put shapes on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 300F degrees for about one hour until the clay is golden. Seal with shellac to make shiny. Paint them for fun.

No Bake Craft Clay
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup water
Food coloring
Mix together and add food coloring. Refrigerate for a few hours. Store in airtight container or plastic ziplock bag.



Homemade Clay
2 cups salt
3/4 cup water
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water

Mix salt and 3/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add cornstarch and 1/2 cup water. Stir and heat again on medium heat until smooth and thick. Refrigerate for a few hours. Store in airtight plastic ziplock bag.


Cinnamon Apple Clay

1 cup applesauce
1 cup flour
1 cup cinnamon
1/2 cup white school glue
Food coloring

Mix together in a bowl and add food coloring. Refrigerate for a few hours until the clay is firm.


Gelatin Plastic


It's called Gelatin Plastic I have tried another recipe but this is the one I got to work for me.

I put just over 1/2 cup of water in a measureing cup and put into the microwave till it boiled.

Then added food coloring and mixed in 5tsp of gelatin

I lined a paper plate with plastic wrap and poured the mixture on it.

I let it set for about 5 hours before cutting mine with cookie cutters and I used a straw to make a small hole for hanging it.
Pretty Plastic Light Catchers

by Leslie Garisto Pfaff From FamilyFun Magazine
Pretty Plastic Light Catchers
Total Time Needed:
Weekend Project
By adding a very small amount of water to gelatin, kids can create a simple plastic that hardens into colorful window decorations. Gelatin is formed from collagen, a protein made of tiny fibers that's essential for keeping cells stuck together. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind a product that is lightweight and strong but without any of the oil-based chemicals used in many factory-made plastics. The bonus: It glimmers and shimmers in the sun.
Materials
  • Small saucepan
  • 3/4 cup water
  • Small spouted measuring cup
  • 4 envelopes unflavored gelatin
  • Food coloring
  • 4 disposable plastic plates (we used 9-inch)
  • Glitter (optional)
  • Scissors
  • Hole punch
  • Parchment paper
  • Heavy books for weighting
  • Markers (optional)
  • String, ribbon, or fishing line

Instructions
  1. Boil 3 tablespoons of the water and pour it into the measuring cup. Add 1 envelope of gelatin and a few drops of food coloring. Stir the mixture slowly until it's combined. Let it sit for about a minute, then stir it again to minimize air bubbles.
  2. Pour the mixture onto a plastic plate. If you like, sprinkle glitter on top of the gelatin, or add one or two drops of different-colored food coloring and swirl with a toothpick to make a marbled pattern.
  3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the remaining envelopes of gelatin, varying the shades of food coloring each time.
  4. Let the gelatins dry until hardened, at least overnight. Peel them off the plates, then cut them into shapes with scissors. Using a hole punch, make holes at the top of them.
  5. If your light catchers start to curl, wrap them in a sheet of parchment paper, then place them between two heavy books. When they're flat, use markers to draw on them, if you like.
  6. Suspend each from a string, ribbon, or fishing line and hang in a sunny window.