In an effort to breath new life into our post-school afternoons, I started something new for Eddie. Now when he gets home from school the first thing he does is check out what’s in the “surprise bag”. At some point that morning (hey, it’s even been in just the few minutes before he comes in the front door) I put something in the bag. One of his toys, maybe a LEGO set he hasn’t done for awhile, supplies for an activity. Nothing fancy, just something. I’ve said it before, I don’t know about anyone else’s kids, but mine doesn’t like to take my suggestions of something to do, but I can trick him into it with a gimmick like the surprise bag.

Yesterday, it held the contents pictured above. An almost empty bottle of oil, an empty water pitcher, food coloring.

He was thrilled. We’re back at it, guys! After giving myself a break to concentrate on growing, birthing, and caring for a tiny new one, we are back at our STEM fun! Hooray!

The boys took turns adding lots of colored droplets of food coloring to the oil, which is water soluble so it just forms bubbles and doesn’t dissolve.

Even when you shake it. (Lid on, obviously.)

Into the water it goes…

Where it sits on top and we watch. This is my favorite part of these experiments: watching them observe. Kids’ observations are the best, hands down. They see so much.

“It’s like little explosions of color under water!”

See? The best observations.

Pure wonder.

This is so much more than science. Yes, it’s valuable learning. Educational, but in so many different ways. And first and foremost, for me. I’m learning so much when I study my kids as they study the world and the way it works. I learn to ask questions, to offer my guess without inhibitions, to really observe with an open mind.

Seeing the world through their eyes is like explosions of color underwater.