6/5/10 Water Lab
Originally at http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=32143
by Mike Shinn
Summer is here! For those of us with enough time and energy, that means heading out to the beach to enjoy one of Santa Barbara's best natural attractions. Still, there is a certain convenience to staying home and enjoying our great weather. For many of us, as kids, this meant turning on the sprinklers or sitting in a few inches of water in a wading pool. Occasionally, my brother and I could find someone in our neighborhood willing to share a slip-n-slide, that is until it would inevitably break and reveal itself to be a mere yellow tarp.
If you're familiar with this column, you will know that my daughter loves water link - rain or shine. A favorite toy of my daughter's is her water lab. When warm enough, she can spend all afternoon alternating between the lab and sandbox. All that's involved in this "lab" is a large tub full of water and various water-carrying utensils. We've seen her friends enjoy this as well - attracted to it more than to expensive toys or television. There's something about being able to measure, pour and splash around in water that brings kids back to the lab again and again.
We originally purchased the items for the lab last Spring on a trip to the thrift store. For under a $10 price tag I was able to find the tub, a set of measuring cups, sponge, cups, plastic squeeze containers and a jug. The entire lab is self-contained to one area of our back yard. We usually place it near our fruit tree so that at the end of the evening we can empty the contents without wasting the water.
Because of the water, it's important to keep safe and watch the kids playing at all times. That said, if your kids are anything like mine, you'll notice that they enjoy playing with this toy on their own without the regular interaction required from a board game. You can sit back and enjoy the weekend while your kids entertain themselves, all for under $10.
Note: If you look closely, you might catch one of Lisa Slavid's Peadoodles cartoon
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