This post is sponsored by Galileo Camps but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. DIY Mood Jar Tutorial & up to $140 Off Summer Camp
Did I ever tell you that the triplets are obsessed with garbage? My house is like a STEM Camp, every day. They are all about recycling things to make projects. They also love to take things they already made and turn them into something new. In their worlds, mistakes are the best, because there aren’t any mistakes. It’s part of their creative natures to experiment and explore, everything. Last time I wrote about Galileo Camps, the triplets experimented with mass and density, using water and a variety of add-ins. We turned that into a social hypothesis and it was brilliant. Check it out, HERE!
This time, we started with the same base ingredients, and added a few more to create the most awesome and easy-to-make Mood Jars! Then the kids wanted to see if they could make their mood jar glow in the dark. So, we experimented. Here’s how to make the first two mood jars, pictured above.
What You’ll Need
- Clear Jar/Container WITH lid
- Glitter Glue (I got my three pack for $1.00)
- Water
- Oil
- Party Confetti
- Food Coloring
- Cement Glue
- Glow Sticks
How to Make the Mood Jars
- Add water and/or oil to a jar (In the glow-in-the-dark jar, we included oil. It gives an interesting layered affect when settled, with three layers of colors, as the oil, water, and glue separate when settled. In the small jar, we did not use any oil.)
- Add food coloring, as much or as little as you prefer.
- Add glitter glue
- Add party confetti
- Add food coloring
- Use cement glue on the inside of the lid
- Close the lid. Allow about 30 minutes to dry.
- Shake.
In order to get the glow-in-the-dark effect, we experimented first by opening a glow-stick and pouring the contents into the jar. That did NOT create a glow-in-the-dark effect. Then we placed two whole glow-sticks into the contents of the jar before sealing. That created a gorgeous effect in the mood jar and was the perfect night light for bedtime!
MISTAKES are Beautiful and UPCYCLING a project to make something new is always a wonderful learning experience for kids!
That’s why, just like Galileo Camps, I believe Mistakes are Marvelous:
Galileo embraces mistakes as we teach campers to create without the fear of making them. We earnestly believe that mistake-making leads to magical learning opportunities and children shouldn’t spend their time in fear of making them. (Grown-ups either for that matter). Craft your story around how you and your child approached a project or obstacle together excited to make a mistake and without the fear of failure and the difference you saw in your child throughout the process.
Making and creating with your kids builds their confidence especially when you approach projects using the GIA ® (Galileo Innovation Approach). It’s important me that Summer Camp includes a STEAM (STEM + Art) approach.
