
Fun & Fast Grandkid Activities
GREAT THINGS CAN HAPPEN
IN FIVE MINUTES
by Deborah Shelton
CD Sun Catchers
Materials:
2 compact discs
glue
fishing line
stickers (optional)
glitter (optional)
glue (optional)
Directions:
First, glue the 2 CDs together, with the shiny sides
facing outward. Use the free Internet CDs you get in the mail—not your
grandparents’ favorite music CDs! Thread the fishing line through the
hole and tie off for hanging. You can decorate your sun catcher with
shiny stickers, or squeeze glue onto the sun catcher and sprinkle
glitter onto the glue. Shake off excess glitter for an eye-catching
surprise.
Fun & Fast Fact
Audio CDs (compact discs) were
introduced in Japan and Europe in 1982, and in the United States in 1983.
Water Orchestra
Materials:
4 or more empty glasses
water
spoon
food coloring (optional)
Directions:
Line the glasses in a row on the kitchen table. Next,
pour water into each glass; the first glass will have only an inch of
water, then vary the amounts for the remaining glasses until the last
glass is almost completely full. Add a drop or two of food coloring into
each glass. Now gently tap each glass with the spoon. Each makes a
different sound!
Fun & Fast Fact
The largest bottle orchestra was made and played by
Patricia Rentner and Roselyn Smith in October 2000. The orchestra
consisted of 470 bottles!
Rainbow Fish
Materials:
paper plate
scissors
glue
sheets of different colored tissue
paper
Directions:
Cut a pie-shaped wedge out of the paper plate. (This will
be the fish's tail.) Glue the pointed tip of the tail to the opposite,
uncut end of the paper plate. Tear off pieces of colored tissue paper
and glue them to the body and tail. For a more textured look, crumple
the pieces of tissue paper before gluing them onto the plate. Have you
ever seen such a beautiful fish?
Fun & Fast Fact
Fish eggs are one of the most expensive foods in the
world. Not just any fish eggs, though. Caviar is made from sturgeon
eggs.
Bread Art
Materials:
white bread
food colorings
small drinking cups
milk
new paintbrush
toaster
Directions:
You will need a drinking cup for each color you wish to
use. Pour a small amount of milk into each drinking cup. Add a few drops
of food coloring to each cup (a different color for each). Using the
paintbrush, paint designs or pictures onto the bread. Don't soak the
bread—use just enough paint for the picture to show up. Now toast the
bread for edible art!
Fun & Fast Thought
What was the best thing before sliced bread?
Coffee Can Stilts
Materials:
2, 1-pound coffee cans
screwdriver
rope
Directions:
Turn each coffee can upside down, so the plastic lid is
on the bottom. Poke two holes, one on each side of the can, near the top
(a grownup's job). Next, thread the rope through the holes in the can
and tie off inside the can. The tied rope should be just long enough to
be held waist-high when standing on the cans. Does the world look
different from up there?
Fun & Fast Fact
The first coffee to be sold in sealed
tin cans in the U.S. was Chase & Sanborn in 1878.
From The Five Minute Parent.
Copyright © 2002 by Deborah Shelton. Excerpted by arrangement with Bayou
Publishing. $12.95. Available in local bookstores or call 800-340-2034 or
click here.

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