Mad Science Camp: Polymers

Update: Squishy Baff looks promising.  Here is an experiment from Steve Spangler with sodium polyacrylate, the polymer in Instant Snow.  I went through my supplies and have both Magic Sand and Kinetic Sand. (The article in the link explains the difference between Magic Sand and Kinetic Sand.)  Here is a Magic Sand lab.  Here a lab with Kinetic Sand and a diy recipe to make your own kinetic sand.   Here is another, similar lab, featuring Kinetic Sand.  I have a box.  Evidently, the kids can mold it.  Now I need sand to make our own DIY version for camp.

 My husband, Rob, and I are drilling down our plans for Mad Science Camp.  My emphasis is on Chemistry and his is on Physics.  The girls coming to camp are excited  by polymers.  The boys?  Not so much.  I’m planning to do a few labs everyone will enjoy before we diverge into two groups.  First is Jiggle Gels from ACS.  (There is a kit, too.). Try a variety of experiments with polymers.  Instant Snow is always a hit.  Here, and here are instructions.  Sodium polyacrylate is the material in disposable diapers which absorbs urine.  Here are instructions.  How about water gel crystals? (Home Science Tools sells polyacrylamide crystals, too.). Sometimes, you can find these crystals at plant nurseries.  Use these gel crystals to make Ghost Crystals or these fun ideas. We like Gro-beasts, growing spheres, and super slime.  Here are home-made Polymer and Slime ideas from HST.  The boys are likely to lose interest; we are capping off polymers with Benzoic Acid Blizzard in a Bottle.  I can’t wait!