Look to the skies above Owls Head for some exciting action in all sorts of shapes and sizes on Saturday. It's also going to be great day for wheels on the ground.
The Kites, Bikes & Trikes Family Festival at Owls Head Transportation Museum is sure to appeal to kite-flying enthusiasts. An old runway offers plenty of space to fly kites and to watch the Nor'easters Kite Club members fly their amazing models.
"The special part of the Nor'easters Kite Club is that they build their own kites and some are immense and impressive. In years past, there was an enormous kite and they had to tether it to a car because it was so large it would have lifted someone off the ground. They have to be seen to be believed," says Ethan Yankura, education director at the museum.
But this event is not just about watching kites, it's about making and flying your own as well. A basic kite-making workshop will be offered from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. to give people of all ages a chance to create flying art.
There are also several opportunities for kite building at the museum during this school vacation week. Kids can make kites at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Creativity abounds, with a special theme each day -- from diamonds to butterflies to snakes -- thanks to supplies donated by E.L. Spear hardware store.
Saturday is the day everyone will send their kites soaring.
"It is a culmination of all the kite building we've done all week," explains Yankura. But all kites, homemade or not, are welcome to share the skies at the festival.
Not all the action will be in the air. Yankura said there will be plenty of fun on the ground with your two wheels -- or three if that's you're style.
"We want to celebrate children's wheels," he says. "We focus on automobiles and airplanes all year and this is an opportunity to showcase a different set of wheels."
Visitors are encouraged to bring their bikes and trikes to ride on Runway 17 throughout the day. The no-longer-in-use runway is a safe, open space for family riding. A bicycle parade is planned for noon. Helmets are required for all riders.
Free bike safety checks will be offered as well.
The museum plans to break out antique bikes for a demonstration to showcase the sport's history.
The Kid's Corral, filled with pedal cars and planes, will be open for the youngest visitors to enjoy.
On the more whimsical end of the transportation theme, the Cardboard Contraption Contest is back for a second year at the festival. It involves making "some sort of vehicle" out of cardboard and a roll of tape. Those are the only materials allowed. Paints and markers to spice up your contraption are encouraged.
Teams of up to four people (any age) will have three hours to construct their contraption before the judging at 1 p.m.
Pre-registration for this contest is required, which means a simple phone call to the museum (594-4418) before the festival.
Yankura believes this event will be fun for everyone.
"The festival is an invitation to all to visit the museum and to take advantage of our safe, traffic-free facility to enjoy your bicycles."
KITES, BIKES & TRIKES FAMILY FESTIVAL
WHEN: Saturday, April 23
WHERE: Owls Head Transportation Museum
HOW MUCH: $10 adults, under 18 free
FOOD OPTIONS: Bring your own picnic lunch
PARKING: Museum parking lot
DON'T MISS: Nor'easters Kite Club's flying demonstrations from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
KID-FRIENDLY FACTOR: Great
BENEFITS: Proceeds benefit museum programs
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Kite flying is wind dependent but the event will only reschedule if there is rain. The rain date is April 24.
MORE INFO: www.ohtm.org
Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram April 17, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Kids' animal friends let us know it's spring
In the past couple of years our spring season is marked not by the weather, but by the welcoming of new animal babies.
First there were the calves that have been arriving since early March at the farm G. works at. G.'s cow Sparkles (the aptly named spirited cow who gave her a run for her money in the show ring a few years ago) gave birth to a calf this spring. G. is loving working with a small calf again and hopes to bring her to the fair this year.
In hopes of encouraging this calf to be less "Sparkle-y" and firecracker-ish, G. named the calf Serena. G. settled on this name because it means "serenity." She's hoping if the notion of names affecting behavior is true, this name has the right kind of influence.
The jury is still out on that however. G. is thinking Serena has a bit too much of her mother's sparkly nature to truly be influenced by her name choice. This questioning came after we confirmed - via this photo - that Serena was in fact sticking her tongue out at us while swatting her tail during a halter training session.
Just for the record, this is typical cow behavior but still, it seemed too coincidental at the time.
Every animal of every species has a few gems full of personality. G. has a knack for finding them.
A few weeks ago L. met her lambs for the first time. She chose a natural-colored lamb (black/brown coloring) and a white wool breed mix. She named them Onyx and Pearl, respectively.
They are oh so sweet.
L. did a bit of halter training at the farm before her new lambs came to our house. The white lamb's mom, a natural colored Romney mix, is just to the left of little Pearl.
The little lambs are at our house with the big girls (Minnie and Symphony) now. The big girls are a little unhappy with us at the moment because of the indignity we subject them to - shearing (their second of their lives).
SUNDAY, before shearing
IN PROCESS at a friend's farm
AFTER the shearing
Minnie and Symphony have been quite vocal since the shearing. It seems clear they are letting us know they miss their coats. L. has told them to get over it because she is very happy with the wool she now has to get prepared to spin (and a fleece to show at the fair).
Although Symphony will be leaving us soon, we seemed to have gained an extra animal in L.'s machinations for her 4-H sheep showing season. I am not quite sure what happened to the two sheep limit I set up last year. The issue is that when L. says she'll take care of the animals, she really does. Therefore, I seem unable to say no to this child when it comes to new acquisitions.
The piglets L. is in the process of purchasing will be arriving in early May. L. is pretty jazzed about that too. We also have a few new chicks coming in June per L.'s request to get some new breeds in our coop.
I continue to have random moments of worry when the full impact of our decision to take on new animals hits me. It's a lot of work and a lot of uncertainty with the issues that inevitably come up while raising animals.
But it is all about perspective.
We have friends who breed pigs. A couple of piglets from one of their litters were having trouble. We stopped by to visit and found an undersized piglet hanging out in their living room inside a laundry basket by the wood stove (she also had a heating blanket in the basket under her blankets too). She's gaining weight so they're optimistic about her survival now.
But that's when I knew that my crew can handle the plate/backyard we've filled this year.
Because at least I have not had a piglet living in a laundry basket in my living room.
But as L. reminded me, "Well, at least not yet mom."
First there were the calves that have been arriving since early March at the farm G. works at. G.'s cow Sparkles (the aptly named spirited cow who gave her a run for her money in the show ring a few years ago) gave birth to a calf this spring. G. is loving working with a small calf again and hopes to bring her to the fair this year.
In hopes of encouraging this calf to be less "Sparkle-y" and firecracker-ish, G. named the calf Serena. G. settled on this name because it means "serenity." She's hoping if the notion of names affecting behavior is true, this name has the right kind of influence.
The jury is still out on that however. G. is thinking Serena has a bit too much of her mother's sparkly nature to truly be influenced by her name choice. This questioning came after we confirmed - via this photo - that Serena was in fact sticking her tongue out at us while swatting her tail during a halter training session.
Just for the record, this is typical cow behavior but still, it seemed too coincidental at the time.
Every animal of every species has a few gems full of personality. G. has a knack for finding them.
A few weeks ago L. met her lambs for the first time. She chose a natural-colored lamb (black/brown coloring) and a white wool breed mix. She named them Onyx and Pearl, respectively.
They are oh so sweet.
The little lambs are at our house with the big girls (Minnie and Symphony) now. The big girls are a little unhappy with us at the moment because of the indignity we subject them to - shearing (their second of their lives).
SUNDAY, before shearing
IN PROCESS at a friend's farm
AFTER the shearing
Minnie and Symphony have been quite vocal since the shearing. It seems clear they are letting us know they miss their coats. L. has told them to get over it because she is very happy with the wool she now has to get prepared to spin (and a fleece to show at the fair).
Although Symphony will be leaving us soon, we seemed to have gained an extra animal in L.'s machinations for her 4-H sheep showing season. I am not quite sure what happened to the two sheep limit I set up last year. The issue is that when L. says she'll take care of the animals, she really does. Therefore, I seem unable to say no to this child when it comes to new acquisitions.
The piglets L. is in the process of purchasing will be arriving in early May. L. is pretty jazzed about that too. We also have a few new chicks coming in June per L.'s request to get some new breeds in our coop.
I continue to have random moments of worry when the full impact of our decision to take on new animals hits me. It's a lot of work and a lot of uncertainty with the issues that inevitably come up while raising animals.
But it is all about perspective.
We have friends who breed pigs. A couple of piglets from one of their litters were having trouble. We stopped by to visit and found an undersized piglet hanging out in their living room inside a laundry basket by the wood stove (she also had a heating blanket in the basket under her blankets too). She's gaining weight so they're optimistic about her survival now.
But that's when I knew that my crew can handle the plate/backyard we've filled this year.
Because at least I have not had a piglet living in a laundry basket in my living room.
But as L. reminded me, "Well, at least not yet mom."
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Spring hike at Grafton Notch, pack snow boots
It is always interesting to visit a hiking trail in different seasons. Grafton Notch State Park is a favorite mountain climb for my family. We have hiked at this park in the summer and early fall but never in the spring. We had put off our trek up to Grafton Notch for a couple of weeks because of the continued snow storms. But a few days ago we ventured northwest and found a winter wonderland with 50 degree temperatures.
It was awesome.
One of the things about spring hiking is the uncertainty of conditions. You don't know exactly what a trail system is going to look like before you get there. And generally speaking there is not an easy way to find out ahead of time. Spring hiking in Maine, particularly inland, is sort of a crapshoot so you need to be prepared for just about any sort of conditions.
The trail had well-packed snow - clearly others have been hiking this trail all winter - so as long as we stayed on the narrow walking path, we didn't need snowshoes.
But if we took a step off the pack in either direction, we sunk to our upper thighs.
All of us took a misstep at least a couple of times on the hike. But we were all happy to keep the snowshoes in the car. None of us are big fans of climbing mountains with that gear.
The girls and I talked about how different things felt with the snow versus our usual greener season visits to the park.
The large boulders climbing up the trail were actually much easier because the snow graded the climb to be a less steep slope.
The rails to climb up and down the final slope to get to Table Rock were not visible. It required we crouch and slide down the steep bit, which the girls and I thought was easier.
This part of the climb was a lot more fun sliding down in the snow.
The view early spring view from Table Rock was as wonderful as the other times we've visited. But I am nostalgic for how much my babies have grown after digging out our summer of 2007 photo from this spot.
The trail to Table Rock is about a 1,000-foot elevation gain and covers about 2 1/2 miles. Usually you can climb up the AT portion of the trail and go down the mountain on the Table Rock Trail (which passes by some interesting caves) so it's a loop. Our visit this time did not have a packed snow trail going down the by the caves so we back-tracked the way we climbed up.
I am not sure many are interested in seeing any more snow this season but if you have a chance to visit Grafton Notch in the next few weeks you won't be disappointed. And my kids would tell you they think hiking the trail in the snow was actually a bit easier.
It was awesome.
One of the things about spring hiking is the uncertainty of conditions. You don't know exactly what a trail system is going to look like before you get there. And generally speaking there is not an easy way to find out ahead of time. Spring hiking in Maine, particularly inland, is sort of a crapshoot so you need to be prepared for just about any sort of conditions.
The trail had well-packed snow - clearly others have been hiking this trail all winter - so as long as we stayed on the narrow walking path, we didn't need snowshoes.
All of us took a misstep at least a couple of times on the hike. But we were all happy to keep the snowshoes in the car. None of us are big fans of climbing mountains with that gear.
The girls and I talked about how different things felt with the snow versus our usual greener season visits to the park.
The large boulders climbing up the trail were actually much easier because the snow graded the climb to be a less steep slope.
The rails to climb up and down the final slope to get to Table Rock were not visible. It required we crouch and slide down the steep bit, which the girls and I thought was easier.
This part of the climb was a lot more fun sliding down in the snow.
The view early spring view from Table Rock was as wonderful as the other times we've visited. But I am nostalgic for how much my babies have grown after digging out our summer of 2007 photo from this spot.
The trail to Table Rock is about a 1,000-foot elevation gain and covers about 2 1/2 miles. Usually you can climb up the AT portion of the trail and go down the mountain on the Table Rock Trail (which passes by some interesting caves) so it's a loop. Our visit this time did not have a packed snow trail going down the by the caves so we back-tracked the way we climbed up.
I am not sure many are interested in seeing any more snow this season but if you have a chance to visit Grafton Notch in the next few weeks you won't be disappointed. And my kids would tell you they think hiking the trail in the snow was actually a bit easier.
Hiking to Table Rock at Grafton Notch
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Kid Tracks Column: Glow Bowling
Bowling is an enjoyable indoor activity for parents and children. Throw in some dance-type music with strobes and black lights and you’ve got the makings of a great night out with your teens.
I took a few teens to “Glow Bowl” at Vacationland Bowling in Saco. Bowling is not something I have done much with my kids but, as they reminded me, they certainly have had some experience bowling – on a friend’s Wii and our XBox Kinect.
However, video gaming and real life bowling are not quite the same experience. That became clear within minutes of starting our first game at the alley. But after our night of glow bowling, the kids were certain real life bowling was a whole lot more fun.
I called ahead to find out about the glow bowl waiting list before we left the house. The bowling alley does not take reservations but they will add you to a waiting list if you’re less than an hour away from your arrival time.
On the Friday night we visited, the glow bowling section of the alley was nearly full and I was glad I had the forethought to have called ahead. There were a couple of families with younger children but most of the bowlers were teens and young adults.
My crew immediately liked the black lights that reflected the white portions of our shirts and socks. The music, an eclectic mix of dance music from the ‘70s to today, set the dance club atmosphere while we were getting our rented bowling shoes on. I have to say that there is just something about the Kool and the Gang dance song “Celebration” that bridges the generations and sets the tone for a good time. There were also plenty of contemporary hits to keep my group of iPod listening teens happy about the music selection.
Vacationland Bowling is a fully automated candlepin alley. There is a TV-like scoreboard that displays each bowler’s name and keeps score for each player.
The pins in the lane also automatically reset themselves. You don’t need to do anything but throw the ball (and hope for the best).
Bowling has come a ways since my own teen days of pressing the reset button and keeping score with a hardcopy bowling chart and pencil. I’m not sure my grandfather, who watched candlepin bowling every Saturday morning on television when I was a kid (why is still a mystery to me), would have been keen on the automation. I was happy to be able to skip explaining to the girls how to score a strike or spare. It took me several visits to the bowling alley when I was younger to get that all figured out.
One of the things I’ve always enjoyed about bowling is watching bowlers just after they release the ball down the alley. The unconscious head and/or body tilt to encourage the rolling ball to hit precisely the pins you want is always amusing. I don’t think the technique works but I’ve always felt it never hurts to add a hopeful tilt just in case.
There were a lot of goofy hoorays when spares were hit. I may have even done a little dance when I knocked out a strike. I’m not sure the kids watched my dance, however, because they were busy watching the scoreboard, which offered some silly fun. My 12-year-old friend was a fan of the scoreboard.
“I liked the little videos when you got a strike. It had a little tank that pops up and shoots a little cannon that says ‘strike.’”
There were several different cartoons and “explosions” on the scoreboard and the girls kept watching to see what would appear next.
All the girls gave our bowling night an enthusiastic thumbs up, and all agreed the music and lights really made the atmosphere extra fun.
On our way out my 13-year-old noticed the “regular” bowling alley with its traditional lighting.
“Who wants to do that kind of bowling now? The glow bowl was way more fun.”
The affirming nods from the kids, and adults, in our group ensured a plan for another Friday night visit.
KIDS REVIEW
14-year-old: “I liked all the laser lights things and I liked how it’s dark with all lights going on.”
14-year-old friend: “I liked, definitely, the loud music and lights. Oh and where they say the scores when you got a spare or a strike. It would come up with a little picture. That’s what I liked.”
13-year-old: “I liked the lights and the little pictures that came up on the TV screen. And I liked the bowling itself.”
12-year-old friend: “I liked the little videos when you got a strike. It had a little tank that pops up and shoots a little cannon that says strike.”
IF YOU GO
Vacationland Glow Bowling
Where: U.S. Route 1 (812 Portland Road), Saco
Hours: 4 to 11 p.m. Friday; 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday; 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday
Cost: It is $3.50 per game/per person with a $2 per pair shoe rental.
More info: 284-7386, www.vacationlandbowling.com
Originally published in Raising Maine Magazine, April 2011
I took a few teens to “Glow Bowl” at Vacationland Bowling in Saco. Bowling is not something I have done much with my kids but, as they reminded me, they certainly have had some experience bowling – on a friend’s Wii and our XBox Kinect.
However, video gaming and real life bowling are not quite the same experience. That became clear within minutes of starting our first game at the alley. But after our night of glow bowling, the kids were certain real life bowling was a whole lot more fun.
I called ahead to find out about the glow bowl waiting list before we left the house. The bowling alley does not take reservations but they will add you to a waiting list if you’re less than an hour away from your arrival time.
On the Friday night we visited, the glow bowling section of the alley was nearly full and I was glad I had the forethought to have called ahead. There were a couple of families with younger children but most of the bowlers were teens and young adults.
My crew immediately liked the black lights that reflected the white portions of our shirts and socks. The music, an eclectic mix of dance music from the ‘70s to today, set the dance club atmosphere while we were getting our rented bowling shoes on. I have to say that there is just something about the Kool and the Gang dance song “Celebration” that bridges the generations and sets the tone for a good time. There were also plenty of contemporary hits to keep my group of iPod listening teens happy about the music selection.
Vacationland Bowling is a fully automated candlepin alley. There is a TV-like scoreboard that displays each bowler’s name and keeps score for each player.
The pins in the lane also automatically reset themselves. You don’t need to do anything but throw the ball (and hope for the best).
Bowling has come a ways since my own teen days of pressing the reset button and keeping score with a hardcopy bowling chart and pencil. I’m not sure my grandfather, who watched candlepin bowling every Saturday morning on television when I was a kid (why is still a mystery to me), would have been keen on the automation. I was happy to be able to skip explaining to the girls how to score a strike or spare. It took me several visits to the bowling alley when I was younger to get that all figured out.
One of the things I’ve always enjoyed about bowling is watching bowlers just after they release the ball down the alley. The unconscious head and/or body tilt to encourage the rolling ball to hit precisely the pins you want is always amusing. I don’t think the technique works but I’ve always felt it never hurts to add a hopeful tilt just in case.
There were a lot of goofy hoorays when spares were hit. I may have even done a little dance when I knocked out a strike. I’m not sure the kids watched my dance, however, because they were busy watching the scoreboard, which offered some silly fun. My 12-year-old friend was a fan of the scoreboard.
“I liked the little videos when you got a strike. It had a little tank that pops up and shoots a little cannon that says ‘strike.’”
There were several different cartoons and “explosions” on the scoreboard and the girls kept watching to see what would appear next.
All the girls gave our bowling night an enthusiastic thumbs up, and all agreed the music and lights really made the atmosphere extra fun.
On our way out my 13-year-old noticed the “regular” bowling alley with its traditional lighting.
“Who wants to do that kind of bowling now? The glow bowl was way more fun.”
The affirming nods from the kids, and adults, in our group ensured a plan for another Friday night visit.
KIDS REVIEW
14-year-old: “I liked all the laser lights things and I liked how it’s dark with all lights going on.”
14-year-old friend: “I liked, definitely, the loud music and lights. Oh and where they say the scores when you got a spare or a strike. It would come up with a little picture. That’s what I liked.”
13-year-old: “I liked the lights and the little pictures that came up on the TV screen. And I liked the bowling itself.”
12-year-old friend: “I liked the little videos when you got a strike. It had a little tank that pops up and shoots a little cannon that says strike.”
IF YOU GO
Vacationland Glow Bowling
Where: U.S. Route 1 (812 Portland Road), Saco
Hours: 4 to 11 p.m. Friday; 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday; 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday
Cost: It is $3.50 per game/per person with a $2 per pair shoe rental.
More info: 284-7386, www.vacationlandbowling.com
Originally published in Raising Maine Magazine, April 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
T-shirt making includes a chemistry lesson
A fellow 4-H leader and I compared notes on making t-shirts with our 4-H club this year. My friend found an interesting idea that involved the use of lots of colors with a minimum of mess. This was just the right combination for our club's wide age range (5 to 16 years old) and I really wanted to try it.
The "tie-dye" look utilizes Sharpie markers (permanent ink), rubbing alcohol and a cotton t-shirt. The t-shirt designers (i.e., kids) draw a small design with the markers and then drip rubbing alcohol on the ink. The alcohol makes the marker bleed to create a watercolor effect.
The kids experimented with different ink patterns - dots, thicker circles, lines and even letters. Then they dripped alcohol onto the ink and watched it spread to the final watercolor design.
I learned a bit about chemistry while researching this t-shirt decorating technique because I knew the kids would want to know why the markers were affected by the alcohol but not the water. It peaked my curiosity as well. After some time searching the web, I found a few complicated explanations about the chemistry behind the effect. I believe I grasped the basic idea. But, it turned out the trickiest part of presenting this project to the club yesterday was breaking down the chemistry explanation in a way that all the kids would understand.
Here's my oversimplified, non-chemist explanation of the basic science behind this t-shirt making technique.
It involved a simple chemistry concept of chemical compounds and their electrons.
There are some chemicals that dissolve in water but others do not.
Sharpie markers contain permanent ink. The chemical in the ink does not dissolve in water. When you wipe permanent ink with water, it does not remove it.
But if you wipe permanent ink with isopropyl "rubbing" alcohol, it breaks down the ink and it appears to dissolve in the alcohol.
The reason this happens is because of a chemical reaction between polar and non-polar electrons. When two non-polar elements get together, they try to wipe each other out.
In this experiment we used Sharpie markers, which are non-polar. Because water is polar, it doesn’t affect the marks made with a Sharpie marker (hence it being labeled "permanent"). But the rubbing alcohol is non-polar and can make the molecules of another non-polar compound move around. So when you drip some alcohol on the marker, you can see the color change and start to disappear.
Another example of a non-polar compound is oil. This is why water and oil do not mix. They stay separate because the polar affect of the water forces the non-polar oil to clump together. In other words, the (polar) water can not join or change the (non-polar) oil.
So when you see a product package that says “water insoluble,” it means the chemical compound in the package has non-polar molecules that can not be changed with water. But in some cases - when you know it is safe and won’t create a more scary chemical compound (like toxic fumes or an explosion!) - you can clean up or remove that chemical compound with alcohol.
Sharpie markers = non-polar
Rubbing alcohol = non-polar
"Washable" Crayola makers = polar
Water = polar
Polar dissolves polar
Non-polar dissolves non-polar
Don't you feel like a chemist now? I know the kids loved the results of their new scientific knowledge. They were all quite pleased with their creative - and colorful - results.
I should mention that rubbing alcohol has a strong odor so best to do this project in a well-ventilated area.
The "tie-dye" look utilizes Sharpie markers (permanent ink), rubbing alcohol and a cotton t-shirt. The t-shirt designers (i.e., kids) draw a small design with the markers and then drip rubbing alcohol on the ink. The alcohol makes the marker bleed to create a watercolor effect.
The kids experimented with different ink patterns - dots, thicker circles, lines and even letters. Then they dripped alcohol onto the ink and watched it spread to the final watercolor design.
I learned a bit about chemistry while researching this t-shirt decorating technique because I knew the kids would want to know why the markers were affected by the alcohol but not the water. It peaked my curiosity as well. After some time searching the web, I found a few complicated explanations about the chemistry behind the effect. I believe I grasped the basic idea. But, it turned out the trickiest part of presenting this project to the club yesterday was breaking down the chemistry explanation in a way that all the kids would understand.
Here's my oversimplified, non-chemist explanation of the basic science behind this t-shirt making technique.
It involved a simple chemistry concept of chemical compounds and their electrons.
There are some chemicals that dissolve in water but others do not.
Sharpie markers contain permanent ink. The chemical in the ink does not dissolve in water. When you wipe permanent ink with water, it does not remove it.
But if you wipe permanent ink with isopropyl "rubbing" alcohol, it breaks down the ink and it appears to dissolve in the alcohol.
The reason this happens is because of a chemical reaction between polar and non-polar electrons. When two non-polar elements get together, they try to wipe each other out.
In this experiment we used Sharpie markers, which are non-polar. Because water is polar, it doesn’t affect the marks made with a Sharpie marker (hence it being labeled "permanent"). But the rubbing alcohol is non-polar and can make the molecules of another non-polar compound move around. So when you drip some alcohol on the marker, you can see the color change and start to disappear.
Another example of a non-polar compound is oil. This is why water and oil do not mix. They stay separate because the polar affect of the water forces the non-polar oil to clump together. In other words, the (polar) water can not join or change the (non-polar) oil.
So when you see a product package that says “water insoluble,” it means the chemical compound in the package has non-polar molecules that can not be changed with water. But in some cases - when you know it is safe and won’t create a more scary chemical compound (like toxic fumes or an explosion!) - you can clean up or remove that chemical compound with alcohol.
Sharpie markers = non-polar
Rubbing alcohol = non-polar
"Washable" Crayola makers = polar
Water = polar
Polar dissolves polar
Non-polar dissolves non-polar
Don't you feel like a chemist now? I know the kids loved the results of their new scientific knowledge. They were all quite pleased with their creative - and colorful - results.
I should mention that rubbing alcohol has a strong odor so best to do this project in a well-ventilated area.
Kid Tracks Column: Beat the crowds to Ogunquit's Cliff Walk
At this time of year my family likes to explore the coast, because there isn't much snow there. After the past few weeks of spring we've had, we are tired of snow boots. Marginal Way's Cliff Walk in Ogunquit fit our requirements for wearing our warmer weather foot gear.
Plus, the big crowds have not yet arrived at this popular and picturesque destination, so it's a great one to explore with your family this spring.
The trail head for Marginal Way is at Perkins Cove. There is limited parking at the cove, so it's best to get an early start on your hike to ensure a spot for your car. Or be prepared to add a little hiking mileage by parking on Shore Road and walking to the cove.
The path along the cliffs is about 1 mile, one-way, and is doable for children even if you have to park away from the trail head parking lot.
Within minutes of parking the car, the kids and their friend were at the shore taking pictures. My older daughter is a photography enthusiast and really enjoyed capturing the scenery with her digital SLR, while my younger daughter was content to snap pictures with her cell phone.
We did not make a lot of mileage progress for the first 20 minutes of this hike, because we were all too busy taking pictures of the gorgeous coastline.
This trail is paved but narrow, so a family with a baby stroller would be challenged to maneuver around others on the trail. Even with our early start on a cool April morning, we saw quite a few other families and couples. But we never saw a stroller.
We climbed down to the rocks at several spots to explore the shoreline. There was not much tidal pool creature activity, but my 13-year-old really enjoyed climbing on and around the rocks. The sea was fairly calm the day we visited, but I would guess a stormy day would offer more impressive wave action along the trail.
At one point, my daughter climbed onto a large rock and found that she had underestimated the reach of spray from the crashing waves. She didn't get soaked but was wet enough to take a bit more caution about where she chose to perch next.
The ocean was not the only interesting sight along this trail. The homes along the walk offered some entertainment as well.
A mermaid weather vane atop a house was a topic of conversation for us, mostly in trying to determine if it was in fact a mermaid. There was also a tall pine tree leaning very close to a home perched on higher ground. Our group speculated what the chances were that the tree was going to fall on the house. I mused that if it became an issue, the owners likely had the resources to make the repairs.
We found a small geocache (a hidden box found by using GPS coordinates). It was hidden in a clever location and all the girls were pleased to find a less typical box type hidden in an unusual place.
There was one interpretative panel along the walk to explain the basic geology and birds that live in the area.
We had brought along binoculars to view the birds but discovered people surfing off Ogunquit Beach were just as much fun to watch through the lenses.
The path ended at Obed's Lane, where we turned around and headed back the way we came. We decided to pass our parked car and explore the shops in Perkins Cove and find the public bathrooms before we left the area.
Our GPS recorded a total mileage of 2.5 miles for our trip.
Although a very easy hike for my family, we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the cliffs and ocean views. Marginal Way is well worth a visit this time of year when the crowds are at a minimum. And after the winter we've had, the lack of snow on the southern coast was a nice reminder that spring really is on its way.
MARGINAL WAY'S CLIFF WALK, OGUNQUIT
LENGTH: about 2 miles round-trip
TERRAIN: narrow paved path
TRAIL USE: Walking
TRAIL HEAD: Perkins Cove, off Shore Road
BATHROOM: Yes, at Perkins Cove
DOG-FRIENDLINESS: No dogs permitted from April 1 to Sept. 30
OTHER: Scooters, bicycles, rollerblades and skateboards are not permitted on this trail.
13-YEAR-OLD'S REVIEW: "I liked looking at the water, rocks and the pretty scenery. I liked sitting on a rock and watching the waves crash. I just thought this was such a pretty place and it was an easy place to walk."
14-YEAR-OLD'S REVIEW: "I liked the view of the ocean. It was a nice walk and a great place to take pictures."
EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Maine
Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram April 10, 2011
Plus, the big crowds have not yet arrived at this popular and picturesque destination, so it's a great one to explore with your family this spring.
The trail head for Marginal Way is at Perkins Cove. There is limited parking at the cove, so it's best to get an early start on your hike to ensure a spot for your car. Or be prepared to add a little hiking mileage by parking on Shore Road and walking to the cove.
The path along the cliffs is about 1 mile, one-way, and is doable for children even if you have to park away from the trail head parking lot.
Within minutes of parking the car, the kids and their friend were at the shore taking pictures. My older daughter is a photography enthusiast and really enjoyed capturing the scenery with her digital SLR, while my younger daughter was content to snap pictures with her cell phone.
We did not make a lot of mileage progress for the first 20 minutes of this hike, because we were all too busy taking pictures of the gorgeous coastline.
This trail is paved but narrow, so a family with a baby stroller would be challenged to maneuver around others on the trail. Even with our early start on a cool April morning, we saw quite a few other families and couples. But we never saw a stroller.
We climbed down to the rocks at several spots to explore the shoreline. There was not much tidal pool creature activity, but my 13-year-old really enjoyed climbing on and around the rocks. The sea was fairly calm the day we visited, but I would guess a stormy day would offer more impressive wave action along the trail.
At one point, my daughter climbed onto a large rock and found that she had underestimated the reach of spray from the crashing waves. She didn't get soaked but was wet enough to take a bit more caution about where she chose to perch next.
The ocean was not the only interesting sight along this trail. The homes along the walk offered some entertainment as well.
A mermaid weather vane atop a house was a topic of conversation for us, mostly in trying to determine if it was in fact a mermaid. There was also a tall pine tree leaning very close to a home perched on higher ground. Our group speculated what the chances were that the tree was going to fall on the house. I mused that if it became an issue, the owners likely had the resources to make the repairs.
We found a small geocache (a hidden box found by using GPS coordinates). It was hidden in a clever location and all the girls were pleased to find a less typical box type hidden in an unusual place.
There was one interpretative panel along the walk to explain the basic geology and birds that live in the area.
We had brought along binoculars to view the birds but discovered people surfing off Ogunquit Beach were just as much fun to watch through the lenses.
The path ended at Obed's Lane, where we turned around and headed back the way we came. We decided to pass our parked car and explore the shops in Perkins Cove and find the public bathrooms before we left the area.
Our GPS recorded a total mileage of 2.5 miles for our trip.
Although a very easy hike for my family, we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the cliffs and ocean views. Marginal Way is well worth a visit this time of year when the crowds are at a minimum. And after the winter we've had, the lack of snow on the southern coast was a nice reminder that spring really is on its way.
MARGINAL WAY'S CLIFF WALK, OGUNQUIT
LENGTH: about 2 miles round-trip
TERRAIN: narrow paved path
TRAIL USE: Walking
TRAIL HEAD: Perkins Cove, off Shore Road
BATHROOM: Yes, at Perkins Cove
DOG-FRIENDLINESS: No dogs permitted from April 1 to Sept. 30
OTHER: Scooters, bicycles, rollerblades and skateboards are not permitted on this trail.
13-YEAR-OLD'S REVIEW: "I liked looking at the water, rocks and the pretty scenery. I liked sitting on a rock and watching the waves crash. I just thought this was such a pretty place and it was an easy place to walk."
14-YEAR-OLD'S REVIEW: "I liked the view of the ocean. It was a nice walk and a great place to take pictures."
Cliff Walk on Marginal Way
EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Maine
Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram April 10, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Hearty Maine kid hopeful for spring
We went hiking on the coast last weekend and although it wasn't very warm, it was sunny.
We walked the Cliff Walk on Marginal Way in Ogunquit and it really was the perfect spring hiking trip. Beautiful views, cliffs to explore (you can climb down to the shoreline) and plenty of rocks and shells to admire.
But best of all?
We did not see a speck of snow.
L. played a bit of "chicken" with the waves on Marginal Way and was not at all disappointed to get a little wet while admiring the ocean from a rock close to the waves.
(You can read my full trail review in the Outdoors section of the Telegram this Sunday.)
But this was just a warm-up for L. with our spring hiking adventures. I knew the request to take off her shoes would come shortly after we arrived Ferry Beach State Park even though the trail to the beach was snow-covered.
L. didn't make a move right away but I could almost hear those wheels turning in her head while she considered the idea.
She, as usual, had to push the envelope a bit and test the waters by getting her boots wet...
...before she decided a dip in the ocean up to her ankles was too compelling for her to resist.
I know her feet were cold but the calendar says it's April and that's spring in L.'s book. She is a hearty Maine kid after all.
Running in and out of the water, warming up her toes in the sand and collecting sea shells were all part of her day at the beach.
And in case you're wondering, no one else in our group followed her lead with shoe removals.
At this time of year Ferry Beach State Park in Saco is a great place to visit to let the kids run around and have some fun - with, or without, shoes. I'd say the shoe factor depends on how much you feel like arguing with your kids about being cold. I've long since given up trying to deter L. from a spring dip.
You can have the beach (almost) to yourself while celebrating warmer weather's return... even if that is more hopeful than actual reality this month.
We walked the Cliff Walk on Marginal Way in Ogunquit and it really was the perfect spring hiking trip. Beautiful views, cliffs to explore (you can climb down to the shoreline) and plenty of rocks and shells to admire.
But best of all?
We did not see a speck of snow.
Cliff Walk on Marginal Way
L. played a bit of "chicken" with the waves on Marginal Way and was not at all disappointed to get a little wet while admiring the ocean from a rock close to the waves.
(You can read my full trail review in the Outdoors section of the Telegram this Sunday.)
But this was just a warm-up for L. with our spring hiking adventures. I knew the request to take off her shoes would come shortly after we arrived Ferry Beach State Park even though the trail to the beach was snow-covered.
L. didn't make a move right away but I could almost hear those wheels turning in her head while she considered the idea.
She, as usual, had to push the envelope a bit and test the waters by getting her boots wet...
...before she decided a dip in the ocean up to her ankles was too compelling for her to resist.
I know her feet were cold but the calendar says it's April and that's spring in L.'s book. She is a hearty Maine kid after all.
Running in and out of the water, warming up her toes in the sand and collecting sea shells were all part of her day at the beach.
And in case you're wondering, no one else in our group followed her lead with shoe removals.
At this time of year Ferry Beach State Park in Saco is a great place to visit to let the kids run around and have some fun - with, or without, shoes. I'd say the shoe factor depends on how much you feel like arguing with your kids about being cold. I've long since given up trying to deter L. from a spring dip.
You can have the beach (almost) to yourself while celebrating warmer weather's return... even if that is more hopeful than actual reality this month.
Preview: LL Bean Spring Sports Weekend
It might not feel like spring outside just yet, but the L.L. Bean Spring Sports Weekend at the flagship store in Freeport is a sure sign that the new season is on its way.
Additional proof will come in the form of the "tent city" campsite, which will be set up in Discovery Park from Friday through Sunday.
"The tent city will be really neat because there will be an interactive display with all sorts of equipment specific to each kind of outdoor activity," said Mac McKeever, senior public relations representative at L.L. Bean. "For instance, we will have a family camping setup as well as canoe camping and another for backpacking. We'll also have an ultra-light camping site, which is a very minimalist site for someone who is doing a lot of hiking. There will also be biking and kayaking campsites."
All of the camping setups will be open for visitors to explore -- inside and out.
Packing up a campsite might not be a favorite activity, but you can put your skills to the test in the sleeping-bag stuff sack competition, held at 1 p.m. each day. Prizes will be awarded to the quickest stuffers.
Representatives from the Center for Wildlife from Cape Neddick will be on the Discovery Patio on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. Visitors can meet some of the center's animals and learn about their natural habitats. On Saturday, the workshop will focus on how animals, plants and people are connected. The owls will be on center stage on Sunday with tips offered on how to spot them in the wild.
The weekend will be a great time to introduce the family to geocaching, an outdoor game that uses a hand-held GPS unit and navigation coordinates to locate a hidden treasure. The newest gadgets, gear and experts will be on hand to teach you how to play. Geocaching activities will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on the Discovery Patio. And if you are a gadget fan, there is an adventure technology workshop at 2 p.m. both days that will feature more of the latest outdoor gadgets.
For those looking for a low-tech (and cheaper) option for navigating the outdoors, a workshop to learn how to use a map and compass will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Biking is a great way to get the family outdoors and learning the basic bike safety checks before each ride will ensure it will be a much more enjoyable experience. A bike check workshop with tips on changing a flat tire will be offered on both Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Bike, Boat & Ski Store. The workshop will include the "ABC Bike Check" and tips on how to remove a tire, take the tube out, diagnose causes and discuss options for how to fix a flat. A bike safety clinic with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine will also be held Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.
For anglers, Friday night will feature a fly-tying clinic at 7 p.m. Participants will learn how to tie the "Adams." Participants can bring their own tools and equipment but some will be available for all attendees to share as well.
Live catch-and-release demonstrations will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday at noon at the indoor trout pond in the flagship store.
McKeever hopes people will leave the store looking forward to warmer weather.
"This weekend is a celebration of spring and warm weather," he said. "We host this event in hopes that we can empower people to get outdoors and enjoy these activities."
L.L. BEAN SPRING SPORTS WEEKEND
WHEN: Friday to Sunday, April 8-10
WHERE: L.L. Bean flagship store, Freeport
HOW MUCH: Free
FOOD OPTIONS: There's plenty of variety in Freeport village
PARKING: Freeport's downtown parking lots, on the street and in the free garage
DON'T MISS: The tent city
KID-FRIENDLY FACTOR: Great
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Rain or shine event
MORE INFO: www.llbean.com
Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram April 3, 2011
Additional proof will come in the form of the "tent city" campsite, which will be set up in Discovery Park from Friday through Sunday.
"The tent city will be really neat because there will be an interactive display with all sorts of equipment specific to each kind of outdoor activity," said Mac McKeever, senior public relations representative at L.L. Bean. "For instance, we will have a family camping setup as well as canoe camping and another for backpacking. We'll also have an ultra-light camping site, which is a very minimalist site for someone who is doing a lot of hiking. There will also be biking and kayaking campsites."
All of the camping setups will be open for visitors to explore -- inside and out.
Packing up a campsite might not be a favorite activity, but you can put your skills to the test in the sleeping-bag stuff sack competition, held at 1 p.m. each day. Prizes will be awarded to the quickest stuffers.
Representatives from the Center for Wildlife from Cape Neddick will be on the Discovery Patio on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. Visitors can meet some of the center's animals and learn about their natural habitats. On Saturday, the workshop will focus on how animals, plants and people are connected. The owls will be on center stage on Sunday with tips offered on how to spot them in the wild.
The weekend will be a great time to introduce the family to geocaching, an outdoor game that uses a hand-held GPS unit and navigation coordinates to locate a hidden treasure. The newest gadgets, gear and experts will be on hand to teach you how to play. Geocaching activities will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on the Discovery Patio. And if you are a gadget fan, there is an adventure technology workshop at 2 p.m. both days that will feature more of the latest outdoor gadgets.
For those looking for a low-tech (and cheaper) option for navigating the outdoors, a workshop to learn how to use a map and compass will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Biking is a great way to get the family outdoors and learning the basic bike safety checks before each ride will ensure it will be a much more enjoyable experience. A bike check workshop with tips on changing a flat tire will be offered on both Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Bike, Boat & Ski Store. The workshop will include the "ABC Bike Check" and tips on how to remove a tire, take the tube out, diagnose causes and discuss options for how to fix a flat. A bike safety clinic with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine will also be held Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.
For anglers, Friday night will feature a fly-tying clinic at 7 p.m. Participants will learn how to tie the "Adams." Participants can bring their own tools and equipment but some will be available for all attendees to share as well.
Live catch-and-release demonstrations will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday at noon at the indoor trout pond in the flagship store.
McKeever hopes people will leave the store looking forward to warmer weather.
"This weekend is a celebration of spring and warm weather," he said. "We host this event in hopes that we can empower people to get outdoors and enjoy these activities."
L.L. BEAN SPRING SPORTS WEEKEND
WHEN: Friday to Sunday, April 8-10
WHERE: L.L. Bean flagship store, Freeport
HOW MUCH: Free
FOOD OPTIONS: There's plenty of variety in Freeport village
PARKING: Freeport's downtown parking lots, on the street and in the free garage
DON'T MISS: The tent city
KID-FRIENDLY FACTOR: Great
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Rain or shine event
MORE INFO: www.llbean.com
Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram April 3, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
A review of Easter egg decorating kits
Egg decorating kits are not all created equally.
By WENDY ALMEIDA, Staff Writer
Last year’s egg decorating experience was a disappointment. The colors were blah and the kids lost focus halfway through the instructions.
So which Easter egg kit should you buy this year?
A group of seven kids ranging in age from 2 to 16 years old gathered to test several kits on the market this year. They rated the kits based on the color quality, ease of use and ease of directions (which were read by the adults for the under 8 testers). An overall thumbs-up or down was given by the group for each kit.
The kids also assessed color quality on both white and pigmented eggs (we used local brown and green pigmented eggs). Overall we found the pigmented eggs offered some of the more vibrant colors with the majority of kits. So if you have brown eggs (or green from Araucana chickens) don’t hesitate to color them even though most kits suggests using only white.
THE UNDER 8 YEAR OLD TESTERS
Dudley “Roll It,” JoAnn Fabrics, $4.99, Thumbs Up
How it works: A mini sponge roller is used to apply color to the eggs. There are five colors in the kit and a separate roller for each color.
Ease of use: The rolling tray is an easy set up to pour the color packets. All the kids found the rollers very easy to use.
Kid’s thoughts: Little hands found it easy to make designs with a variety of colors without muddy results. Our 2-year-old tester didn’t want to stop rolling once she started.
Egg color: The colors were not as vibrant on the pigmented eggs but still offered good coverage.
Dudley “Cute Animal Wrappits,” Christmas Tree Shops, $1.29, Thumbs Up
How it works: There are a variety of animal images on small plastic sleeves. It’s a simple process of sliding the sleeve on the egg and dipping it in a pan of boiling water for a couple of seconds. The sleeve melts onto the egg and offers a quick and easy way to decorate without the fuss of colors, although there are also color tablets for coloring once the plastic sleeve is adhered.
Ease of use: Requires close adult supervision with boiling water but the sleeves were easy to put on the egg and dip in the water.
Kid’s thoughts: The kit was tested by our 5-year-old tester and he offered an enthusiastic thumbs up, declaring it was one of his favorite kits.
Egg color: Sleeve designs were easily seen on pigmented and white eggs.
Easter Unlimited’s “No Spill Egg Coloring Kit,” Rite-Aid, $4.99, Thumbs Up
How it works: Kit requires assembly to put the no-spill lids on top of the plastic cups. Adding the water and tablets proved that the kit lived up to it’s name. It was a no-spill experience for our 2-, 8- and 13-year-old testers.
Ease of use: The tops are a tight fit and it took an adult in our group a couple of minutes to get the cups assembled. The kids’ actual use of the cups was very simple.
Kid thoughts: They all thought it was easy to use once an adult put the no-spill lid on for them.
Egg color: The pigmented egg’s color was more vibrant than the white eggs and the kids preferred using pigmented eggs with this kit (the green pigmented eggs came out the best).
Dudley’s “Fun Foam,” Christmas Tree Shops, $1.29, Thumbs Down
How it works: Tablets are provided to color eggs. Once dry, foam face elements can be added to make animals. Other foam and paper stickers are also included.
Ease of use: The foam stickers were hard to peel for the 5-year-old tester (even his mom had trouble). The foam didn’t stick perfectly to the egg due to the round shape but it did stay on once it was firmly pressed.
Kid thoughts: Without parental assistance the 5-year-old would not have been able to peel the stickers or get them to stick on the egg where he wanted them. He really liked the end result of his egg animals.
Egg color: The color was OK on both white and pigmented eggs.
Dudley’s “Spin An Egg,” Rite-Aid, $5.99, Thumbs Down
How it works: An egg is placed in a plastic container with a few drops of color. The top is closed and the button on top of the container is depressed to spin the egg around.
Ease of Use: Our 8-year-old tester said her arms got tired pushing the button until the egg was coated in color. It takes a solid minute or two of pressing the spinner to fully cover the egg with color. There was also some work involved in cleaning the container between colors that the kids didn’t like.
Kid thoughts: The kids were concerned the boiled eggshell would crack because the spinning was clunky (and quite loud).
Egg color: The color was just OK, if spun long enough in the container. The brown eggs required more spinning time but covered about the same.
PAAS’ “Color Cups,” Hannaford, $1.99, Thumbs Down
How it works: Color tablets are added to cups (provided) and filled with water.
Ease of use: This kit is a basic egg coloring kit that was easy to use. The plastic cups provided in this kit make it worth the purchase to use with other color tablets.
Kid thoughts: The kids were disappointed with the muted colors. Vinegar was not added to the cups and our group believed it was definitely necessary to get a more vibrant color.
Egg color: The color was poor on both the white and pigmented eggs.
THE TWEEN/TEEN TESTERS
Easter Unlimited’s “24k Eggs Coloring Kit,” Hannaford, $3.99, Thumbs Up
How it works: There is a base gold glaze packet with tints to mix other metallic colors and the glazes are mixed and applied with small paintbrushes.
Ease of use: Applying color with paintbrushes was easy but there was some streaking of colors if the kids didn’t paint evenly across the whole egg.
Kid thoughts: The older teens (14 and 16 year olds) tested this kit and thought there were a lot of directions for a simple technique – brush the color on with a paint brush. But the overall result was great and one of their favorite coloring kits.
Egg color: The teens thought the color blended/adhered better on the brown eggs. They didn’t care for the streaking on the white eggs.
Easter Unlimited’s “Bright & Shiny,” Marden’s, $1.49, Thumbs Up
How it works: Color tablets are provided to color eggs. Once the color dries, a special glue is applied and then a “bright & shiny” thin piece of foil is wrapped around the egg. The foil is rubbed around the egg and then removed to reveal a speckled foil design on the egg.
Ease of use: The directions were easy to follow for the teen testers.
Kid thoughts: Our 16-year-old tester thought the foil was “really interesting, different and very nice!” All the older testers said this was a favorite kit.
Egg color: The color and foil worked well on brown and white eggs.
Easter Unlimited’s “5 in 1 Egg Decoration Kit,” Rite-Aid, $5.99, Thumbs Up
How it works: Clear wax crayons are used to make designs on the eggs before being dipped in color. Stickers are also included.
Ease of use: Crayon coloring was tricky for those younger than 5 but the older kids found drawing on the round shape easy to do when they kept their designs simple.
Kid thoughts: The teens felt the color tablets were not vibrant so they opted to use another set of tablets to color their wax-designed eggs. All the kids liked the idea of drawing on their eggs. Our 2-year-old tester was enamored with the little stickers and lost interest in coloring the eggs. She was all about the stickers.
Egg color: The color was poor on both white and pigmented eggs.
PAAS’ “Classic Easter Egg Decorating Kit,” Rite-Aid, $1.99, Thumbs Up
How it works: Color tablets are added to cups filled with water and vinegar.
Ease of use: This kit is a basic egg coloring kit that was easy to use.
Kid thoughts: The 11-year-old tester thought the colors were vibrant and very nice. The kit was very basic so some of the testers used stickers from other kits and/or dipped half the egg in one color and half in another for a striped look.
Egg color: The color was vibrant on both the white and pigmented eggs.
Easter Unlimited’s “Tie Dye Eggs,” Rite-Aid, $5.99, Thumbs Down
How it works: A few drops are added to an egg and rubbed around in a small plastic bag. A new bag is needed for each new color added to the egg.
Ease of use: The teens as well as the younger kids did not think this kit was easy to use to get the desired result.
Kid thoughts: The colors did not cover very well and then got muddy after adding the egg to a bag with a new color. In general the kids found it hard to make their eggs look like the ones on the cover of the kit.
Egg color: The multi-color effect was poor on both white and pigmented eggs.
When the group was asked to choose a top choice for kits, the younger kids all agreed “Roll it” was the easiest and most fun to use. The teens thought the metallic coloring of the “24k” and “Bright & Shiny” kits appealed to their sense of unique and stylish decorating techniques. Overall the kids liked having a variety of kits to work with and by the end of our testing there was a lot of mixing and matching kit supplies for new effects.
Originally published in Raising Maine Magazine, April 2011
By WENDY ALMEIDA, Staff Writer
Last year’s egg decorating experience was a disappointment. The colors were blah and the kids lost focus halfway through the instructions.
So which Easter egg kit should you buy this year?
A group of seven kids ranging in age from 2 to 16 years old gathered to test several kits on the market this year. They rated the kits based on the color quality, ease of use and ease of directions (which were read by the adults for the under 8 testers). An overall thumbs-up or down was given by the group for each kit.
The kids also assessed color quality on both white and pigmented eggs (we used local brown and green pigmented eggs). Overall we found the pigmented eggs offered some of the more vibrant colors with the majority of kits. So if you have brown eggs (or green from Araucana chickens) don’t hesitate to color them even though most kits suggests using only white.
THE UNDER 8 YEAR OLD TESTERS
Dudley “Roll It,” JoAnn Fabrics, $4.99, Thumbs Up
How it works: A mini sponge roller is used to apply color to the eggs. There are five colors in the kit and a separate roller for each color.
Ease of use: The rolling tray is an easy set up to pour the color packets. All the kids found the rollers very easy to use.
Kid’s thoughts: Little hands found it easy to make designs with a variety of colors without muddy results. Our 2-year-old tester didn’t want to stop rolling once she started.
Egg color: The colors were not as vibrant on the pigmented eggs but still offered good coverage.
Dudley “Cute Animal Wrappits,” Christmas Tree Shops, $1.29, Thumbs Up
How it works: There are a variety of animal images on small plastic sleeves. It’s a simple process of sliding the sleeve on the egg and dipping it in a pan of boiling water for a couple of seconds. The sleeve melts onto the egg and offers a quick and easy way to decorate without the fuss of colors, although there are also color tablets for coloring once the plastic sleeve is adhered.
Ease of use: Requires close adult supervision with boiling water but the sleeves were easy to put on the egg and dip in the water.
Kid’s thoughts: The kit was tested by our 5-year-old tester and he offered an enthusiastic thumbs up, declaring it was one of his favorite kits.
Egg color: Sleeve designs were easily seen on pigmented and white eggs.
Easter Unlimited’s “No Spill Egg Coloring Kit,” Rite-Aid, $4.99, Thumbs UpHow it works: Kit requires assembly to put the no-spill lids on top of the plastic cups. Adding the water and tablets proved that the kit lived up to it’s name. It was a no-spill experience for our 2-, 8- and 13-year-old testers.
Ease of use: The tops are a tight fit and it took an adult in our group a couple of minutes to get the cups assembled. The kids’ actual use of the cups was very simple.
Kid thoughts: They all thought it was easy to use once an adult put the no-spill lid on for them.
Egg color: The pigmented egg’s color was more vibrant than the white eggs and the kids preferred using pigmented eggs with this kit (the green pigmented eggs came out the best).
Dudley’s “Fun Foam,” Christmas Tree Shops, $1.29, Thumbs Down
How it works: Tablets are provided to color eggs. Once dry, foam face elements can be added to make animals. Other foam and paper stickers are also included.
Ease of use: The foam stickers were hard to peel for the 5-year-old tester (even his mom had trouble). The foam didn’t stick perfectly to the egg due to the round shape but it did stay on once it was firmly pressed.
Kid thoughts: Without parental assistance the 5-year-old would not have been able to peel the stickers or get them to stick on the egg where he wanted them. He really liked the end result of his egg animals.
Egg color: The color was OK on both white and pigmented eggs.
Dudley’s “Spin An Egg,” Rite-Aid, $5.99, Thumbs Down
How it works: An egg is placed in a plastic container with a few drops of color. The top is closed and the button on top of the container is depressed to spin the egg around.
Ease of Use: Our 8-year-old tester said her arms got tired pushing the button until the egg was coated in color. It takes a solid minute or two of pressing the spinner to fully cover the egg with color. There was also some work involved in cleaning the container between colors that the kids didn’t like.
Kid thoughts: The kids were concerned the boiled eggshell would crack because the spinning was clunky (and quite loud).
Egg color: The color was just OK, if spun long enough in the container. The brown eggs required more spinning time but covered about the same.
PAAS’ “Color Cups,” Hannaford, $1.99, Thumbs Down
How it works: Color tablets are added to cups (provided) and filled with water.
Ease of use: This kit is a basic egg coloring kit that was easy to use. The plastic cups provided in this kit make it worth the purchase to use with other color tablets.
Kid thoughts: The kids were disappointed with the muted colors. Vinegar was not added to the cups and our group believed it was definitely necessary to get a more vibrant color.
Egg color: The color was poor on both the white and pigmented eggs.
THE TWEEN/TEEN TESTERS
Easter Unlimited’s “24k Eggs Coloring Kit,” Hannaford, $3.99, Thumbs Up
How it works: There is a base gold glaze packet with tints to mix other metallic colors and the glazes are mixed and applied with small paintbrushes.
Ease of use: Applying color with paintbrushes was easy but there was some streaking of colors if the kids didn’t paint evenly across the whole egg.
Kid thoughts: The older teens (14 and 16 year olds) tested this kit and thought there were a lot of directions for a simple technique – brush the color on with a paint brush. But the overall result was great and one of their favorite coloring kits.
Egg color: The teens thought the color blended/adhered better on the brown eggs. They didn’t care for the streaking on the white eggs.
Easter Unlimited’s “Bright & Shiny,” Marden’s, $1.49, Thumbs Up
How it works: Color tablets are provided to color eggs. Once the color dries, a special glue is applied and then a “bright & shiny” thin piece of foil is wrapped around the egg. The foil is rubbed around the egg and then removed to reveal a speckled foil design on the egg.
Ease of use: The directions were easy to follow for the teen testers.
Kid thoughts: Our 16-year-old tester thought the foil was “really interesting, different and very nice!” All the older testers said this was a favorite kit.
Egg color: The color and foil worked well on brown and white eggs.
Easter Unlimited’s “5 in 1 Egg Decoration Kit,” Rite-Aid, $5.99, Thumbs Up
How it works: Clear wax crayons are used to make designs on the eggs before being dipped in color. Stickers are also included.
Ease of use: Crayon coloring was tricky for those younger than 5 but the older kids found drawing on the round shape easy to do when they kept their designs simple.
Kid thoughts: The teens felt the color tablets were not vibrant so they opted to use another set of tablets to color their wax-designed eggs. All the kids liked the idea of drawing on their eggs. Our 2-year-old tester was enamored with the little stickers and lost interest in coloring the eggs. She was all about the stickers.
Egg color: The color was poor on both white and pigmented eggs.
PAAS’ “Classic Easter Egg Decorating Kit,” Rite-Aid, $1.99, Thumbs Up
How it works: Color tablets are added to cups filled with water and vinegar.
Ease of use: This kit is a basic egg coloring kit that was easy to use.
Kid thoughts: The 11-year-old tester thought the colors were vibrant and very nice. The kit was very basic so some of the testers used stickers from other kits and/or dipped half the egg in one color and half in another for a striped look.
Egg color: The color was vibrant on both the white and pigmented eggs.
Easter Unlimited’s “Tie Dye Eggs,” Rite-Aid, $5.99, Thumbs Down
How it works: A few drops are added to an egg and rubbed around in a small plastic bag. A new bag is needed for each new color added to the egg.
Ease of use: The teens as well as the younger kids did not think this kit was easy to use to get the desired result.
Kid thoughts: The colors did not cover very well and then got muddy after adding the egg to a bag with a new color. In general the kids found it hard to make their eggs look like the ones on the cover of the kit.
Egg color: The multi-color effect was poor on both white and pigmented eggs.
When the group was asked to choose a top choice for kits, the younger kids all agreed “Roll it” was the easiest and most fun to use. The teens thought the metallic coloring of the “24k” and “Bright & Shiny” kits appealed to their sense of unique and stylish decorating techniques. Overall the kids liked having a variety of kits to work with and by the end of our testing there was a lot of mixing and matching kit supplies for new effects.
Originally published in Raising Maine Magazine, April 2011
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