My kids enjoy nothing more than making a mess, it seems. The state of my house after an hour or two of unsupervised play would attest to that fact. Even a simple activity like coloring turns into a mess when they dump out the crayon box to find the right color, peel off crayon wrappings, crumple up mistakes, and leave completed artwork laying around the house. Let's not mention anything involving scissors, glue, or paint.
When our Yuck! samples from Buckets-O-Fun arrived, my mess-loving kids were thrilled. Mess-fighting Mom was not as excited, though I was very curious. I did decide this experiment was only going to happen under parental supervision.
(Some of the other Crew members had the helpful suggestion of using ice cream buckets, or other disposable containers for the experiments. I'm thankful they suggested that before we tried the Sticky package.)
We received four packages with different sized white granules in them. Water is added to these granules to make Chunky Yuck, Saucy Yuck, Snowy Yuck, and Sticky Yuck. The Chunky experiment takes about 24 hours to complete, but the other fun messes take much less time.
Chunky Yuck Sticky Yuck
These are very fun to play with, and you can use them to germinate seeds or for a variety of group activities. Buckets-O-Fun included a list of ideas for games you can play with these polymers, as well as a science experiment instruction sheet to guide you through some simple scientific observations.
Although these polymers are non-toxic, they are not entirely harmless substances. They ship with the warning to not flush them or put them down your sink drains, as they will absorb the water, and can plug up your pipes. There would be a similar concern if the dry granules were ingested by a pet or small child. We chose to follow the Buckets-O-Fun suggestion to dispose of the hydrated Yuck by pouring it out at the base of some bushes, where it will work like a mulch until it slowly dissolves over time. You can read their safety guidelines HERE.
My kids had a blast with the Yuck! I'm hoping to repeat the experiments with our homeschool group sometime. I know they will be a hit there, as well. How many experiments do you get to play with after your observation period?
Besides individual homeschools and homeschool groups, these would be excellent for use in Vacation Bible School or Church Camp activities. They do require some planning as well as proper supervision. They come with clear instructions, although I missed the part about Chunky Yuck taking 24 hours. I expected it to be a quick experiment and it ended up being a 2 day project.
These are messy, especially the Sticky Yuck, but using disposable containers helps. It also helps to use them outside, or on a plastic shower curtain. Vinegar can help cut through the Sticky Yuck before you wash your hands, making clean-up easier.
Though we received small samples, the Yuck is usually sold by the pound.
- Chunky Yuck sells for $16/lb. and will make 35-60 gallons of Yuck!
- Saucy Yuck sells for $18/lb. and also hydrates to make 35-60 gallons of Yuck!
- Snowy Yuck sells for $20/lb. and hydrates to make 25-50 gallons of Yuck!
- Sticky Yuck sells for $20/lb. and makes 5-10 gallons of Yuck!
You can request a sample of the Yuck, to test before deciding to buy a whole pound of it. Instructions to request a sample are at the bottom of the Yuck sale page .
This item was provided free for our review as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. We received no other compensation, and this review is our honest opinion. Visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog to read more reviews on this product by other Homeschool Crew members.
Trusting In Him,
April
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