Fizzy sherbet in a paper bag with a strawberry lollipop was probably my favorite treat as a child, but I never knew what was in the sherbet and why it sparkled and tingled on my tongue! Try making some with your kids and enjoy a mini science lesson in the process.
The basis of the sherbet is icing sugar (confectioners' sugar). 50g will make enough for about 6 children. For that amount you will also need a scant teaspoon each of bicarbonate of soda and citric acid. You can buy the latter, in the form of a white powder, very cheaply in small quantities from your chemist or pharmacy. Children will also enjoy having a lollipop or liquorice stick to dip into the sherbet.
Simply mix all the powders together thoroughly, divide into separate containers, and provide something to dip with. Fingers will do at a pinch, but there will be a lot of stickiness involved! Let the kids try dipping into some plain icing sugar as well as the sherbet mixture, to compare the two. They will be amazed at the difference.
So where does the fizz come from? It is a reaction between the citric acid (the same acid as in lemons) and the bicarbonate of soda, which is an alkali. In this case the chemical reaction happens on your tongue, as the two dry ingredients mix with water (saliva) and create a gas in the form of lots of tiny little bubbles. The bubbles provide the tingle in your mouth.
You are creating the same chemical reaction when you drop a bath bomb into your bath water. The active dry ingredients ? which again include bicarbonate of soda and citric acid ? react when they meet the water of the bath. And you get the same fizzing reaction if you add vinegar, another acid, to bicarbonate of soda. In this case, however, the reaction happens immediately because the vinegar is liquid. Combining vinegar and bicarbonate of soda is actually an old-fashioned cleaning recipe, used to help remove stubborn stains in the kitchen. Perhaps your kids could try scrubbing the sink with the mixture and a kitchen sponge to see how well it works!
Now, back to your fizzy sherbet. Remember, to keep your sherbet for any length of time, you will have to keep it dry. Store it in little re-sealable plastic bags ready to dip, or in a plastic food container. Make sure the kids don't eat too much in one go, because it can make your mouth (and stomach) a little sore in very large quantities! If you package little bags of sherbet and lollipops together (perhaps adding a bright ribbon and label) you can make a super addition for a party bag or even an unusual and popular treat to sell at a school fete or other fundraising occasion.
Lindsay Small is the creator and editor of Activity Village.co.uk - providing the ultimate one-stop resource for parents and teachers looking to educate and entertain their kids. Visit the website at http://www.activityvillage.co.uk or subscribe to the free newsletter at http://www.activityvillage.co.uk
Mercedes Benz s500 rentals Salem ..Q. What's the right age to start giving a Bible... Read More
How well do you really know your child?There is so... Read More
What you say and do about money has a profound... Read More
For over fifty years, public-school officials and politicians have tried... Read More
How excited do kids get with the start of school... Read More
In school, kids are encouraged to create, draw, color, paint... Read More
At the ADHD Information Library we are big believers that... Read More
How are parents to know they are doing the right... Read More
The biggest trick some child predators' are using these days... Read More
"I WON'T DO IT!" "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"Whether parent or... Read More
Your child's teacher says that you need to find out... Read More
If your parenting methods include abuse of any kind; physical,... Read More
I have always been aware of my number one weakness:... Read More
Parents want their children to succeed in school. However, sometimes... Read More
Why are more people, especially parents not outraged?I call it... Read More
Sitting by her Pinocchio lamp, she smiled at me as... Read More
Q. With another school year starting, we are not sure... Read More
You know that children can get into trouble. The older... Read More
They Spur Members To Grow EmotionallyTatiana Tannenbaum grappled with a... Read More
It's been raining for a week and the kids and... Read More
"Becoming a parent can make you a better worker," New... Read More
To the untrained eye, it might look like a piece... Read More
Do you want to create a deeper, more loving relationship... Read More
Young people generally want to fit in to their various... Read More
Q. Things have been relatively calm and OK with our... Read More
Dowagiac cheap limo service ..The following spelling games can be used by parents to... Read More
In our last issue we posted some of our suggested... Read More
Predicament:My son is 4 1/2 years old. His younger brother... Read More
Do you feel like someone has abducted your sweet, innocent... Read More
Ah, there is nothing like being an expectant mom. Along... Read More
The great thing about children is they absorb knowledge like... Read More
The internet is a dangerous place for your children. Don't... Read More
Recently I took my two children to a popular new... Read More
Imagine having no television for an entire season. Such was... Read More
Is it possible to be using our children addictively?Anything that... Read More
While youth gangs are nothing new -- they've been traced... Read More
The Greatest Gifts in Life, which are always created for... Read More
Few things are more completely enjoyable than becoming a grandparent.... Read More
Bi-Polar Disorder, or Manic Depression, is characterized by mood swings,... Read More
``Mom, can I go to the mall with my friend... Read More
It's the third time this week that Sam has complained... Read More
What's in a name? Er?well, everything, really! Of course your... Read More
Everyone in a private practice setting who works with children... Read More
Picture this. Your child comes home with a special assignment... Read More
So you have just returned home from your third meeting... Read More
Q: Whenever we tell my daughter "no," she just bugs... Read More
Dear Vijay,I worry about not being a good parent. My... Read More
Who Can Register A Birth? The child's mother... Read More
Many research studies have shown the overall effectiveness of stimulant... Read More
Home schooling. What is it? What does it mean to... Read More
Parenting |