Fine Motor Fun: Grades 2 and 3

Oobleck sometimes feels like a liquid and sometimes feels like a solid.  It's easy to make and easy to clean up.  

Materials and Directions:

1 1/2 to 2 cups of cornstarch

1 cup of water

food coloring (optional)

Measure 1 1/2 cups of cornstarch and empty into a bowl or baking pan.  Slowly add the water, mixing as you go.  It should feel like a solid when you touch or poke it in the pan but it will run like a liquid out of your hand if you try to pick it up.  Add more cornstarch as needed to get the right consistency.  Add food coloring a drop at a time if you want to make it colorful.  

Basic No-Cook Playdough Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup of flour
• ¼ cup of salt
• 1 Tablespoon cream of tartar
• ½ cup of warm water
• 5 drops of food coloring

Instructions

1. Mix together the flour, salt, and cream of tartar.
2. Mix together ½ cup of warm water with a few drops of food coloring.
3. Slowly pour the water into the flour mixture, stirring as you pour. Stir until combined, then knead with your hands until the flour is completely absorbed. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour until it doesn’t stick at all.
4. Repeat process for whichever colors you want to make.

Notes

Mixing the food coloring with the water before combining with the dry ingredients allows you to blend them by stirring, without staining your hands.

From: https://www.diynatural.com/homemade-playdough-recipe/

Print the scavenger hunts and see how many things you can find.

In the picture of my messy desk, can you find:

5 orange eggs, 3 yellow eggs, 4 pink eggs, 3 blue eggs, 2 purple eggs, 1 basketball egg and 1 football egg

Can you find:

4 purple crayons                   the letter X

The number 7                       one red crayon

3 kinds of markers                 the letter S

2 things that stick               

1 crayon that makes a rainbow

Hidden Money!

Can you find:

A square coin

4 coins that have 2 colors

A coin with a pineapple

A coin with 7 sides

A coin that is smaller than a penny

Five US Dollars

Can you find:

a shovel, R2D2, a ladder,

a pirate, Ron Weasley, a window,

a crocodile, a smiling face, a Jedi,

Hermione Granger, a spider, a door,

Indiana Jones, the number 4,

a storm trooper, Harry Potter, 6 wheels, 

Snack mix recipe

This is a great way to practice pouring and dumping. Ask your parents for permission before you start.  

Materials:

3 or more of your favorite small crunchy snack foods such as goldfish crackers, mini pretzels, animal crackers, cheerios, cheese crackers, mini graham crackers, or peanuts. You can also choose a sweet ingredient like raisins or craisins.  

1/4 or 1/3 c. measuring cup

Large bowl

Mixing spoon

Snack cup or bowl

Directions:

1. Pour the snack food from the package into a small measuring cup and then into the bowl. 
2. Mix the ingredients together with a large spoon.
3. Use the spoon to scoop the snack into a cup or bowl for snacking.
4. Stores in a re-sealable bag for several days.