messy science?

I'd planned on making these awesome-sounding exploding paint bags for messy art this week. It was a weak tie-in to the Fourth of July (exploding, like fireworks). Unfortunately, this wasn't a project for little, slow-moving, not-so-coordinated hands. I exploded a bag with my lightning-fast reflexes and years of fine motor skill training, but poor Lucy couldn't even figure out how to zip up her baggie.

So, a new plan: 4 gallons of vinegar, 6 pounds of baking soda, and a bunch of powdered tempera paint.

(The kids liked it; the lawn, not so much. Bonus: Lucy stopped drinking the vinegar/baking soda concoction when Miss Carol asked her to.)