The periodic table, also known as the periodic table of elements and the periodic table of chemical elements, is a clever visual representation of all the known chemical elements. The periodic table stands as one of the most iconic and indispensable tools in the realm of chemistry, it’s organised arrangement of elements provides scientists with invaluable insights into the properties and behaviours of the different elements.
In 1869, a Russian chemist named Dmitri Mendeleev, conducted an extensive range of experiments using the known elements and achieved the monumental feat of organising these known elements into a systematic framework. His creation, known as the periodic table, revolutionized the study of chemistry and laid the groundwork for our modern understanding of the elements.
Mendeleev's original periodic table comprised 63 elements, arranged by increasing atomic mass. This table served as a blueprint for understanding the relationships between different elements and predicting the properties of undiscovered elements. Some of the elements detailed in Mendeleev's table include hydrogen, oxygen, iron, and gold, among others.
Structure of the Periodic Table
The periodic table is structured into rows and columns, each serving a distinct purpose in organising the elements. Rows, known as periods, indicate the number of electron shells present in the atoms of the elements. Columns, known as groups or families, denote elements with similar chemical properties and shared characteristics.
Key Groups in the Periodic Table
Atoms are the individual building blocks of all elements, an element is composed of atoms. An atom consists of a nucleus composed of protons and neutrons, surrounded by a cloud of electrons which move in orbitals. Protons carry a positive charge, neutrons are electrically neutral, and electrons bear a negative charge. The number of protons in an atom determines its atomic number, which uniquely identifies the element.
What is Atomic Mass?
The Atomic mass (ma) is simply the average mass of an atom and is expressed in units of kilograms (Kg) or Daltons (Da). Atomic mass is expressed as a multiple of one-twelfth the mass of the carbon-12 atom, 1.992646547 × 10−23 gram, which is assigned an atomic mass of 12 units
What are Isotopes?
Isotopes are variants of an element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This results in isotopes having slightly different atomic masses. For instance, carbon-12 and carbon-14 are isotopes of carbon, with atomic masses of approximately 12 and 14 atomic mass units, respectively.
The periodic table is such an important means of cataloguing and illustrating the elements and offers a structured framework for understanding the elements and their properties. From Mendeleev's ground breaking design to its evolution into the comprehensive tool we use today, the periodic table continues to inspire curiosity and exploration in the fascinating world of chemistry.
Why Are Science Experiments Important?
As with all fields of science, experimentation is the way we learn best, whether that experimentation takes place in sophisticated modern laboratories equipped with the latest state of the art scientific equipment, or via science enthusiasts conducting simple experiments with common elements, we can unlock the wonders of chemistry and deepen our appreciation for the intricate beauty of the natural world. So next time you encounter the periodic table, remember the centuries of discovery and innovation that have shaped our understanding of the elements within, and in the meantime here are some experiments you can do at home with some common elements from the periodic table.
Please remember to take all necessary safety precautions, these experiments are unsuitable for unsupervised children.
Buy the CuriousMinds.co.uk Periodic Table Wall Chart here.
]]>If you're interested in science, then perhaps you've been left wondering, what exactly is Quantum Computing? For the past century the field of quantum mechanics has enjoyed a notorious reputation in pop culture for being impossible to understand. Terms like quantum entanglement, quantum teleportation and Schrödinger's Cat are some of Hollywood's favourite terms to throw into the mix anytime weird sci-fi concepts need explaining. Thankfully, quantum mechanics - and by extension, quantum computing - are not in fact impossible for the average person to understand. While this blog post won't have you manically writing equations on a blackboard with frazzled grey hair, by the end of this article you should have a clearer picture about the emerging technologies of quantum computing, and what the future might hold for such an exciting industry. We also hope that this blog shows people that science doesn't have to be intimidating, in fact even the most complex of topics can be explained in a simpler way!
This article will be broken down into a few sections, starting with the history of quantum mechanics. Then we move on to the basics of some quantum phenomena that you need to feel familiar with, to understand why quantum computers have an inherent advantage over normal computers. Then quantum computers will be explained, and some of the possible uses are discussed. Finally, we wrap up by asking the question: "Will quantum computing take over the world?".
Here is an outline of the following sections of the article:
Quantum mechanics had its inception in the late 19th century, while German physicist Max Planck was investigating a phenomenon known as black-body radiation. A black-body is an object that absorbs all the light that enters it, the most famous example of a black-body is of course a black hole. Planck introduced a mathematical theory to explain this black-body radiation which stated that energy emitted from a black-body could only be emitted in a quantised form [1]. Quantised is the key word here, and you might notice that it sounds a lot like quantum. If something is quantised it's not continuous, before quantum mechanics scientists believed that sub-atomic particles known as electrons orbited the nucleus of atoms everywhere. But this was shown not to be the case, in 1913 Niels Bohr developed the first model of a quantised Hydrogen atom [2], where electrons can only orbit the nucleus at certain energy levels. See the image below, the electrons are moving around the nucleus in different rings.
Now that we understand what it actually means to be quantum, we travel to the early 1900s, where you will meet some familiar household names!
It was not long after the work of Max Planck that everybody's favourite mad scientist produced the work that won him a Nobel prize! In 1905 Albert Einstein continued Planck's work [3] by explaining a phenomenon known as the photoelectric effect. All materials are made of atoms, and light is made of particles even smaller than atoms known as photons. When light hits a material, the photons penetrate the surface of the material and knock small particles off the atom, these small particles are known as electrons. If light is made up of particles called photons, then it might become clear to you that light is in fact quantised, because it's made up of lots of small building blocks (photons). The photoelectric effect is another example of the appearance of quantum mechanics when we look at very tiny particles.
It was in the 1920s that things really started heating up for quantum mechanics! French physicist Louis de Broglie released his work on wave-particle duality, stating that quantum particles behave both like quantised particles, and like waves [4]. Around the same time, another household name, Erwin Schrödinger, developed the famous Schrödinger wave equation, which explains the mathematics of how quantum particles behave like waves. At this point you're probably wondering how on earth something can be both a particle and a wave? We will explain this in the next section... stay tuned!
To understand wave-particle duality, we first need to understand what waves are. When you think of waves, your mind probably travels to Spain, back to the beautiful beaches on your summer holiday, and that's perfectly correct. The waves in the Mediterranean exhibit the same properties as the mathematical waves in Schrödinger's equation. Waves oscillate (move up and down), and they have amplitudes (the height of the wave from the surface of the sea), they also have wavelengths (the distance between the peaks of the waves). The frequency of a wave is the inverse of the wavelength, and the frequency is directly related to the energy of the wave! Take a look at the diagram below to understand the structure of a wave, and its most important properties.
That's all fantastic, but that still doesn't explain why it's important to think of quantum particles as waves! In order to understand this, think of a tennis ball. If a scientist wanted to observe a tennis ball, they could simply look at it. If a scientist wanted to weigh a tennis ball, they could place it on some scales and write down the mass. If a scientist wanted to figure out how fast a tennis ball was moving, they could calculate the distance it travels over time. Quantum particles, however, cannot be seen by the human eye, they can't be picked up and placed on some scales, and their speed certainly can't be calculated with a pen and some paper! Or can it!?
While a quantum particle can't be seen by the naked eye, its behaviour can be modeled using the Schrödinger wave equation:
Don't worry, we're not going to make you do maths! This equation looks complicated, but it actually describes a pretty simple idea. First let's talk about the horrible looking squiggly thing, this is called a wavefunction:
The wavefunction is simply a mathematical object that describes all of the properties of the quantum particle at any given time. Remember how we talked about the amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and energy. All of these properties are stored inside the wavefunction!
It's easy to see that the wavefunction appears three times within the Schrödinger equation. Once on the left of the equals sign, and twice on the right. The part of the Schrödinger equation on the left of the equals sign tells us about how the wavefunction changes over time. In other words, as time moves on how do the properties of the wave change? Maybe the energy of the wave increases or decreases, or maybe the position changes, or maybe everything changes! We can figure this out from the Schrödinger equation.
The part of the equation on the right of the equals sign tells us that the particle's wavefunction changes over time based on the kinetic and potential energies of the particle. In other words, the wavefunction of a particle is described by some very basic quantities that you learned about in high school physics class: mass, velocity, and potential energy. With these very simple quantities (and Schrödinger's equation), we can explain how a quantum particle behaves as a wave!
Now that we understand that quantum particles behave like particles, but also like waves, and that we can use equations to understand the wave-like behaviour. We can delve into some important concepts in quantum mechanics. The first of those is called quantum superposition.
Thankfully, superposition does not only exist in the quantum realm, superposition is a property of waves more so than a property of quantum mechanics. Nonetheless, it is vital to understand superposition to understand how quantum computers work. To draw a picture of superposition, let’s take things back to the ocean, when we are in the ocean, we can make waves with our hands by pushing water around, yes, we all did it as kids (and we still do as adults, don’t lie). But have you ever tried making waves with both hands and pushing them into each other? Do you remember what happened? When we do this, the two waves meet, and they either push each other up to form a bigger wave, or they cancel each other out. The result is known as a superposition of the two waves.
Remember how we talked about quantum particles being quantised, and how they can sit on different energy levels? Imagine we have an electron, and the electron has 3 different energy levels it can sit on. We don’t know for sure which energy level the electron is on until we have measured it in a lab. The wavefunction of the electron tells us the probability that the electron is sitting on each of the three energy levels. In other words, the wavefunction is in a superposition of the three energy levels! This is an extremely important concept for quantum computers.
So here we are. You have learned all the tools you need to know to understand quantum computing! In this section we will explain how a quantum computer works, and some of the famous quantum computing algorithms that have been developed. We will also discuss the possible applications of quantum computing, and why you should be excited about the field!
Where normal computers use bits, quantum computers use qubits AKA quantum bits. Bits in a normal computer can either have the value 1 or 0, and sequences of these 1’s and 0’s form binary code, which is how humans can talk to computers and give them instructions. Qubits on the other hand can be more than just 1 or 0, do you remember how we talked about superposition, and how a quantum particle can have some probability of being in more than one different energy level at a given time? This is exactly why a qubit can be more than just 1 or 0! Because real life quantum computers are made up of quantum particles, each particle represents a qubit, and so each qubit can be in a superposition of many different energy levels.
Real quantum computers are made up of many individual quantum particles/qubits, and all of these qubits are in superpositions of every possible energy level possible. This means that together, all of these qubits can represent FAR more information than a computer with a bunch of normal bits. When a quantum computer works through a calculation, it can calculate every possible outcome simultaneously! This is known as quantum parallelism. Where classical computers would need many lifetimes to carry out certain calculations, qubits allow quantum computers to finish the calculations in a fraction of a second!
One such example of this quantum advantage was discovered in 1994 by American mathematician Peter Shor, the algorithm is aptly named ‘Shor’s Algorithm’. Essentially the algorithm is used to find prime factors of an integer, we won’t go into detail but if you’re interested you can read more here [5]. Prime factors are incredibly important in cyber security because many password encryption methods use the fact that it is incredibly difficult to find prime factors of integers on classical computers to keep your passwords safe. Fortunately, quantum computers haven’t reached the point where they are reliable enough to do this, and thankfully scientists are already working on quantum encryption algorithms which might keep your passwords safe in the future!
Unfortunately for everyone who is excited by quantum computing, there are some huge problems that quantum computers currently face. Quantum particles are tricksy, and they don’t like being told what to do, meaning current quantum computers are very unstable. While quantum computers are not yet ready to take on the world, there has been a significant interest in recent times. The world’s biggest tech companies such as Google and IBM are already in a quantum arms race to see who can be the first to build stable and high-performance quantum computers. The next decade will be an extremely exciting one, if reliable quantum computers become commonplace, our world will change as we know it, and very quickly!
“I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.”
– Albert Einstein
[1]http://www.ffn.ub.es/luisnavarro/nuevo_maletin/Planck%20(1900),%20Distribution%20Law.pdf
[2]https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14786441308634955
[3]https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/200501/history.cfm
[4]https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09500830600876565
]]>
What Are The Benefits of Scything?
Firstly, scything is a great workout. As we have become more reliant on machines, we have also become more sedentary. This has led to a host of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Scything, on the other hand, is a great form of exercise that engages multiple muscle groups. It works your upper body, lower body, and core muscles, helping you to build strength and endurance. The rhythmic motion of swinging the scythe can also have a meditative effect, helping you to relax and clear your mind. In a world where stress and anxiety are on the rise, scything can be a great way to unwind and improve your mental health.
Scything Has Less Environmental Impact
Secondly, scything is better for the environment. Lawn mowers use fossil fuels to run, which contributes to air pollution and climate change. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), lawn mowers emit as much pollution per hour as 11 cars. This pollution can have a significant impact on our health and the environment. Scything, on the other hand, is completely sustainable and environmentally friendly. It does not require any fuel or electricity to operate, making it a zero-emission alternative to lawn mowers. By using a scythe instead of a lawn mower, you can help to reduce your carbon footprint and protect the environment.
Scything Helps to Promote Biodiversity
Thirdly, scything promotes biodiversity. Many people believe that a manicured lawn is a healthy lawn. However, this is not necessarily the case. Using a lawn mower can be detrimental to the ecosystem of your lawn. It can disrupt the natural habitat of insects and small animals, and even kill them. The constant trimming and mowing of the grass can also prevent the growth of wildflowers and other plants, which are an essential part of a healthy ecosystem. Scything, on the other hand, allows for a more gradual and natural process of grass cutting, which encourages biodiversity and the growth of wildflowers. By scything your lawn instead of mowing it, you can help to create a healthy and diverse ecosystem that is beneficial for both humans and wildlife.
Scything Is Almost Silent
Fourthly, scything is quieter. Lawn mowers are notorious for being loud and disruptive, especially in residential areas. The noise pollution they create can be a significant source of annoyance and stress for people who live nearby. Scything, on the other hand, is much quieter, allowing for a more peaceful and enjoyable experience of grass cutting. It is also less likely to disturb your neighbors, which can help to promote good relationships within your community.
Economic Benefits of Scything
And of course, scything is cheaper. While lawn mowers can be expensive to purchase and maintain, scything equipment is relatively inexpensive and requires very little maintenance. A scythe typically costs less than £100 and lasts forever if well maintained, whereas a lawn mower costs considerably more and generally wears out fast. Additionally, lawn mowers require regular maintenance, such as oil changes and blade sharpening, which can add up over time. Scything, on the other hand, requires only minimal maintenance, such as occasional blade sharpening and oiling. This makes it a much more cost-effective option for those who are on a budget.
How Did We Get On With Scything?
We were surprised how fast it was to cut quite a chunk of long grass! It also wasn't as physically exhausting as we'd expected, although I'm guessing a full day cutting a huge meadow might result in some aches and pains!
It seems to be important to learn how to sharpen your blade well and sharpening needs to be done every 3-4 minutes. But watching the experts at work, it was clear the rhythm of cutting - sharpening - cutting becomes second nature.
The scything community proved to be remarkably helpful and encouraging of new beginners, our enthusiasm to get involved and have a go was met with outright encouragement from all those skilful ladies and gents who clearly knew what they were doing.
Scything is a great alternative to using a lawn mower, especially if you're a beekeeper with colonies that don't like the sound of the strimmer or lawnmower. It provides a great workout, is better for the environment, promotes biodiversity, is quieter, and is cheaper. So, the next time you are thinking about mowing your lawn, consider scything instead. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy it!
If you'd like to find out more about scything take a look at The Scythe Association.
Historical Origins of Lammas
The name "Lammas" derives from the Old English term "hlaf-mas”. Lammas signifies the offering of the first loaves of bread made from the newly harvested grain. This traditional festival has roots that date back to the pagan times, and it continues to be celebrated in various forms around the world today.
]]>Lammas is an ancient Celtic festival steeped in history and agricultural significance. Celebrated on August 1st in the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the first harvest of the year and is a time of thanksgiving for the bountiful gifts of the Earth. The Roots of Lammas can be traced back to ancient Celtic and Gaelic traditions in the British Isles, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales; the homelands of the Celt people.
Feasting & Celebrations
Lammas was a time of joyous celebration and communal gathering. People came together to express gratitude for the successful harvest, seeking blessings for the remaining crops. Festivities included dancing, singing, storytelling, and various competitions, reflecting the interconnectedness of humanity with the cycles of nature. Bountiful feasts were prepared, showcasing the abundance of the harvest season.
The name "Lammas" derives from the Old English term "hlaf-mas”. Lammas signifies the offering of the first loaves of bread made from the newly harvested grain. This traditional festival has roots that date back to the pagan times, and it continues to be celebrated in various forms around the world today.
The festival of Lammas was dedicated to the Celtic god Lugh, a divine patron of the harvest. It marked the funeral games held by Lugh in honor of his foster mother, Tailtiu, who sacrificed herself to clear the land for farming. The festival was a time to gather together, foster community spirit, and give thanks for the bountiful harvest.
Lammas in the Christian Era
As Christianity spread across Europe, many ancient pagan festivals, including Lammas, were incorporated into Christian traditions. In some regions, Lammas became known as the "Feast of Saint Peter in Chains," with elements of Christian worship added to the festivities. Despite these changes, the essence of Lammas, which celebrated the harvest of the land, remained at its core with the blessing of bread and the consecration of the new harvest. It was also known as the Festival of First Fruits, symbolizing the gratitude for nature's abundance.
Modern-Day Lammas Celebrations
Today, Lammas is still celebrated, as a festival of thanksgiving albeit in various forms. In rural areas, particularly in the British Isles, Lammas is observed with county fairs, harvest markets, and agricultural shows. These events often include competitions, traditional dancing, music, and feasting on freshly baked bread, pies, and other seasonal dishes.
In neopagan and Wiccan traditions, Lammas is still revered as one of the eight Sabbats or Wheel of the Year festivals. It is seen as a time of transition when the first fruits of the Earth are harvested and shared in celebration. Many modern practitioners pay homage to the agricultural heritage by performing rituals, offering gratitude to the gods and goddesses associated with fertility and abundance, and creating handmade crafts. If you would like to know more about the ancient celts you can read more here: Who were the Celts?
Recipe: Honey and Walnut Soda Bread
A suitable Lammas dish is one that incorporates the flavours of the harvest season. Honey and walnut soda bread is a delicious creation that combines the sweetness of honey and the nutty crunch of walnuts, making it a perfect addition to a Lammas feast. Here's how to make it:
Honey & Walnut Soda Bread
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
1 ½ cups buttermilk
½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a baking sheet.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, and salt.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the honey and buttermilk. Mix until a sticky dough forms.
Fold in the chopped walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it gently for a minute or two until it comes together.
Shape the dough into a round loaf and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Using a sharp knife, make a cross-shaped incision on top of the loaf.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Enjoy this homemade bread with butter or your favorite spreads, and savor the flavors of Lammas while celebrating the bountiful harvest.
Lammas Recipe: Honey-Roasted Root Vegetables
Ingredients:
Instructions:
In Conclusion
Lammas, or Lughnasadh, stands as a celebration of the Earth's generosity, the hard work of farmers, and the interconnectedness of humanity with the cycles of nature and reminds us to appreciate the harvest and the importance of community.
As we celebrate Lammas in modern times, we continue to honour the festival's historical roots and the ancient customs of giving thanks for the first harvest. Whether through outdoor rituals or a shared feast of roasted new season vegetables & honey & walnut bread, with family and friends, Lammas offers a special opportunity to express gratitude for the abundant gifts of the Earth.
Wishing you all a bountiful & community-connected Lammas, from the CuriousMinds.co.uk team
]]>First and foremost, arts and crafts projects are a great way to promote creativity and imagination. When children are given the freedom to express themselves through art, they can explore their own ideas and perspectives, and develop their own unique style. This can be incredibly empowering and confidence-boosting, as children learn to trust their own creative instincts and take risks with their artwork.
In addition to promoting creativity, arts and crafts projects also help children develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Many arts and crafts activities involve cutting, gluing, painting, and drawing, all of which require precise hand movements and control. Over time, these activities can help children develop dexterity and precision in their hand movements, which can be helpful in many other areas of their lives, such as playing musical instruments, typing, and more.
Another benefit of arts and crafts projects is that they can help children develop problem-solving skills. When children are given a creative task to complete, they often have to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions to achieve their goals. This can help them become better problem-solvers in other areas of their lives, such as in school, at home, or in social situations.
Arts and crafts projects can also be a great way for children to express their emotions and feelings. Art is often a very personal and emotional form of expression, and children can use art to explore their own feelings and experiences in a safe and supportive environment. This can be especially helpful for children who may have difficulty expressing themselves verbally, or who may be struggling with anxiety or stress.
In addition to promoting creativity, fine motor skills, problem-solving, and emotional expression, arts and crafts projects also provide an opportunity for children to develop their social skills. When children work on art projects together, they have to learn how to cooperate, share materials, and communicate effectively with one another. This can help them develop important social skills such as empathy, patience, and conflict resolution.
Overall, the benefits of arts and crafts projects with kids are numerous and varied. From promoting creativity and imagination to developing fine motor skills, problem-solving skills, emotional expression, and social skills, there is no shortage of reasons to encourage your children to engage in art projects. And perhaps most importantly, arts and crafts projects are just plain fun! Children love the opportunity to experiment with different colours, textures, and materials, and to create something that is uniquely their own.
If you're looking for some ideas for arts and crafts projects to try with your kids, the possibilities are endless. Some classic options include painting, drawing, sculpting with clay, making collages, and creating jewellery. You can also try more unusual projects such as making homemade soap, creating recycled art from household materials, or designing and building your own board game. From googly eyes, to sequins and holographic paper, we have an extensive range of arts & crafts materials to help you and your family with your art projects, Shop Arts & Crafts Materials Here
Whatever projects you choose, remember that the goal is not necessarily to create a perfect finished product, but to enjoy the process of creating and exploring. Encourage your children to experiment, take risks, and follow their own creative instincts. And don't forget to join in the fun yourself! Arts and crafts projects can be a great way to bond with your kids, to share your own creative ideas and perspectives, and to create lasting memories together.
]]>Ammonites are an extinct group of marine invertebrates that lived during the Mesozoic era, approximately 240 to 65 million years ago. These creatures are characterized by their spiral shells, which are often preserved as fossils and are highly prized by collectors and paleontologists alike.
The name ammonite comes from the ancient Egyptian god Ammon, who was often depicted with the horns of a ram, which resembled the coiled shape of the ammonite shell. These fascinating creatures had a worldwide distribution and were an important part of the marine ecosystem during their time on earth.
Ammonites were part of the cephalopod family, which includes modern-day squids, octopuses, and cuttlefish. They had a soft body, similar to modern-day cephalopods, which was protected by a hard shell that they could withdraw into for protection.
The shells of ammonites were intricately patterned, with ridges and grooves that formed complex designs. The shell itself was divided into chambers, which the animal could control the amount of air or water inside to control its buoyancy. The chambers were separated by walls called septa, which were pierced by a tube called a siphuncle that allowed the animal to regulate the air pressure in each chamber, and thus its position in the water column.
Ammonites had a complex array of tentacles that they used to catch prey, which included small fish, crustaceans, and other invertebrates. They were preyed upon by a range of animals, including large marine reptiles such as ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs.
The extinction of the ammonites is thought to have been caused by a combination of factors, including changes in sea level, climate, and ocean chemistry, as well as competition from other marine organisms. However, the exact cause of their demise remains a subject of debate among scientists.
Today, ammonites are highly prized by collectors and paleontologists alike, who study their fossils to learn more about the evolution of life on earth. They are often found in sedimentary rocks and can be found in a range of sizes, from tiny specimens that are only a few millimeters in diameter to large specimens that are several meters in length.
In our opinion ammonites are a fascinating group of extinct marine creatures, so much so that we can't help but have a few to hand. If you would like to buy an ammonite of your own please check out our selection here: Buy Ammonites
Rag dolls and plastic dolls are two very different types of toy, and each has its own unique set of benefits and drawbacks. However, there are several reasons why we think rag dolls win over moulded plastic dolls.
Being so soft and cuddly makes rag dolls the perfect snuggly, drag along companion for a young child. Children often form strong attachments to soft toys, and rag dolls are no exception. They provide a sense of comfort and security, especially for younger children who may be feeling anxious or scared. The softness of the doll also makes it easy for children to carry it around with them, providing them with a constant source of comfort wherever they go.
Rag dolls are timeless
Rag dolls are timeless. They have been around for centuries and continue to be a popular toy for children of all ages. Unlike other toys that may quickly lose their appeal, rag dolls have a timeless quality that makes them a cherished part of childhood. They are often passed down from generation to generation, creating a sense of nostalgia and tradition that families treasure.
They are also often handmade, adding to their charm and appeal and in the past would have most certainly been hand made by granny or mum out of small scraps of left over dress making fabric. Handmade rag dolls have a unique personality and character that cannot be replicated by mass-produced toys. They are often made with love and care, and the attention to detail makes them truly special. Handmade rag dolls also have a sense of history and tradition, as they are often made using traditional techniques that have been passed down through generations.
Eco-Friendly & Recyclable
These days rag dolls are considered more eco-friendly than plastic dolls. Plastic dolls are made from non-renewable materials and can take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills. In contrast, rag dolls are often made from natural or recycled fabrics and can be easily repaired or repurposed if they become damaged or worn.
Children love to create their own stories and scenarios, and a rag doll is the perfect companion for these adventures. Whether they are pretending to be a parent, teacher, or doctor, a rag doll can become any character they want it to be. The simplicity of the doll allows children to use their imagination and create their own world without being confined to a specific storyline.
Rag dolls come in all shapes and sizes, there is a rag doll for every child's personality and preferences. Some rag dolls are dressed in traditional clothing, while others are dressed in modern outfits. Some are brightly coloured, while others are more muted. Some Steiner & Montessori rag dolls have blank faces rather than the ubiquitously happy smiling doll face. This allows the child to decide which emotion they’re feeling. There are even rag dolls that come with accessories such as bags or hats, allowing children to customize their dolls and create their own unique style.
Playing with rag dolls can help children develop their creativity and imagination, as well as their empathy, nurturing for and understanding of others. They can use their rag dolls to role-play different scenarios and explore different emotions, helping them to develop their social and emotional skills.
If you are looking to gift a beautiful rag doll please check out our selection of dolls here: CuriousMinds Rag Doll Selection
]]>Shape sorters have been around for many years, and they continue to be popular with parents and educators alike. These simple toys consist of a box with holes of different shapes, and a set of wooden blocks that match the shapes of the holes. The objective is for children to match the shapes of the blocks to the corresponding holes, thereby developing their motor skills, problem-solving abilities, and spatial awareness.
But why are wooden shape sorters such effective learning tools? Here are some reasons why.
One of the main benefits of wooden shape sorters is that they help develop a child's hand-eye coordination. As children pick up the blocks and attempt to fit them into the holes, they are working on their motor skills and hand-eye coordination. This is a critical skill that children will need as they grow older, and it is essential for success in many areas of life, including sports, music, and art.
Encourages Problem-Solving Skills
Another significant benefit of wooden shape sorters is that they encourage problem-solving skills. As children attempt to fit the blocks into the holes, they are developing their problem-solving abilities. They learn to assess the situation, analyze the available options, and come up with a solution. This is a valuable skill that children will need as they navigate the challenges of life.
Enhances Spatial Awareness
Wooden shape sorters also enhance a child's spatial awareness. As children work to match the shapes of the blocks to the corresponding holes, they are learning about spatial relationships. They are developing an understanding of shapes, sizes, and dimensions, and they are learning how different shapes fit together. This is a crucial skill that will help children as they navigate the world around them.
Promotes Cognitive Development
Wooden shape sorters promote cognitive development. As children work to match the shapes of the blocks to the corresponding holes, they are developing their cognitive abilities. They are learning about cause and effect, and they are developing their ability to think logically and systematically. This is a critical skill that children will need as they progress through school and into adulthood.
Encourages Creativity
Finally, wooden shape sorters encourage creativity. As children work to match the shapes of the blocks to the corresponding holes, they are using their imagination and creativity. They are coming up with new ways to approach the problem, and they are developing their ability to think outside the box. This is a valuable skill that will help children as they grow older and encounter new challenges.
Shape sorter toys are an excellent & fun learning tool for children. They help develop a wide range of skills, including hand-eye coordination, problem-solving abilities, spatial awareness, cognitive development, and creativity. They are simple yet effective toys that continue to be popular with parents and educators alike. If you're looking for a fun and educational toy for your child, a wooden shape sorter is an excellent choice and we have a great range here
Beeswax candle making is a timeless tradition that has been practiced for centuries. The process of creating a beeswax candle involves either rolling beautiful sheets of pressed beeswax to form visually beautiful rolled candles or melting down beeswax, and pouring it into molds, and allowing it to cool and harden into a beautiful and functional candle. Not only is this a fun and creative activity, but there are also many benefits to using beeswax candles that make them an excellent choice for anyone who loves candles.
Beeswax candles are natural and environmentally friendly.
One of the primary benefits of using beeswax candles is that they are made from all-natural materials. Beeswax is produced by bees, making it a completely renewable resource. Unlike paraffin candles, which are made from petroleum, beeswax is non-toxic and doesn't release any harmful chemicals or pollutants into the air. This makes beeswax candles an environmentally friendly choice for anyone who is concerned about their impact on the planet.
Beeswax candles burn longer and cleaner than other types of candles.
Another advantage of beeswax candles is that they burn longer and cleaner than other types of candles. Because beeswax is a denser material than paraffin or soy wax, it burns slower and lasts longer. This means that you can enjoy your beeswax candle for many hours, without having to worry about it burning out quickly. Additionally, beeswax candles produce very little soot, making them a cleaner choice for your home.
Beeswax candles have a natural, subtle scent.
Beeswax has a natural, subtle scent that is both warm and soothing. When you burn a beeswax candle, it fills your home with a warm and inviting aroma that can help to promote relaxation and calmness. Unlike scented candles that are made with artificial fragrances, beeswax candles have a natural scent that is not overpowering or overwhelming.
Beeswax candles are beautiful and unique.
Beeswax candles are beautiful and unique, because they are made from natural materials, each candle is slightly different and has its own character. The natural color of beeswax ranges from pale yellow to deep golden brown, and each candle has its own unique texture and pattern. This makes beeswax candles a beautiful and unique addition to any home decor.
For The Pure Pleasure Of Crafting
And don't forget the pure pleasure of beeswax candle making with friends or by yourself, it is a fun and creative activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether you are a seasoned candle maker or a beginner, there is something special about creating your own candles from scratch. From choosing the molds and colors to melting down the beeswax and pouring it into the molds, each step of the process is both satisfying and rewarding.
If you are interested in trying your hand at beeswax candle making, there are many resources available online to help you get started. You can find tutorials and videos that show you how to make candles step-by-step, and you can also try our wonderful Beeswax Candle Making Kit, which contains everything you need to create your own delightful beeswax candles, it also makes the perfect gift. Buy Our Beeswax Candle Making Kit
The first time I put together a bucket list I was about 13 years old. However, this was no ordinary bucket list. This special list resided on my battered and bruised iPod Touch and was made up of screenshots of a series of Tumblr posts about ‘things to do before you die’ (I started young..). 2013 was an interesting time for the internet, I beg that we never go back… There were 100-plus items on this list but I only remember one. It was the one thing I’d always wanted to do in my life and still do to this day. It’s not jumping out of a plane like my brother or conquering the world like my oldest brother but simply (and like many others) I wanted to see the Northern Lights.
There are 2 reasons you might be led to believe I’ve achieved this already - the week I spent in Iceland in high school and the fact that the Northern Lights were seen over Scotland, as well as across much of Britain and Ireland on the 26th and 27th of February. In actuality, we never saw them in Iceland, when they appeared in Scotland on the 26th I was asleep and had no clue what was going on, and on the 27th when they appeared again there was cloud cover (and I was also asleep).
Growing up I was under the impression the Northern Lights were something you had to travel far & wide to see. Imagine my shock when I grew up and heard about all the different places you could spot them and then imagine my reaction to hearing that they were right on my doorstep but I was being a responsible 22-year-old and getting my 8 hours! All of this has made me realise that there is so much I don’t know about the phenomenon I’ve sought out since childhood so let’s learn about it together.
The proper name for the Northern Lights is Aurora Borealis, a name penned by Galileo Galilei in 1916. Aurora comes from the name of the Roman Goddess of Dawn, and Borealis comes from the name of the Greek God of the North Wind. The Northern Lights counterparts the Southern Lights are called Aurora Australis and together they make up Aurora Polaris or Polar Light. These Auroras have graced our skies possibly since the dawn of time. The first possible recorded sighting was 30,000 years ago and was drawn on the wall of a cave in France. Long ago, people thought the lights were magical or signs from Gods or omens which lead to many myths and legends spawning from the lights. People treated them with respect and often worshipped them but many also feared the lights and their meaning. But what causes this spectacle that has enchanted humans throughout time?
The Northern Lights are a result of activity occurring in the upper atmosphere (corona) of the sun. Solar flares or storms on the sun’s surface create solar wind (geomagnetic storms) which is essentially a giant cloud full of electrically charged particles (electrons & protons) that are emitted into space. These particles can travel for millions of miles and at speeds of 45 million miles per hour. After roughly 2 days, some of the particles may reach the Earth and collide with its upper atmosphere (ionosphere). 98% of these particles are deflected but the 2% that aren’t are then caught in the Earth’s magnetic field - an invisible force which protects our planet and us in turn. The magnetic field then redirects these particles towards the Northern and Southern Poles of our planet.
The particles will smash into the atoms and molecules that make up the Earth’s atmosphere and essentially heat them - this process is called excitation and is what creates the stunning colours of the Northern Lights in the same way when a gas I heated it may emit a distinct glow. The 2 main gases in our atmosphere are Nitrogen and Oxygen - Nitrogen creates the majestic green colour we most associate with the Northern Lights, and Oxygen creates the purple/pink/blue/scarlet colours we also see. The wavy pattern we see, as well as the almost curtain-like appearance of the lights, is caused by lines of force in our ionosphere. These patterns fluctuate and change as our planet rotates and solar flare activity increases.
The Northern Lights create glowing rings around the top and bottom of our Earth. The lowest part of which is about 80 miles above the Earth's surface while the top of the Northern Lights can reach heights of several thousand miles above our planet! During stronger geomagnetic storms, the Northern Lights can be seen as far South as the US. Additionally, many people are unaware but the Northern and Southern Lights tend to appear at the same time however due to inverted seasons on the opposite poles, they are very rarely visible at the same time! Even if we can’t see the lights though, they’re always there waiting for a clear, dark sky so they can impress us again and again. There are even Auroras on other planets with magnetic fields such as Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, and even Mars. So… if aliens are real we can all bond over the pretty lights!
While the Northern Lights might give you a surprise by suddenly appearing over Helensburgh one night, they generally appear in the region of the Northern Hemisphere which includes: Northern Norway, Sweden, Alaska, Russia, Canada, Finland, Svalbard, Iceland, and Greenland.
Now, we know a lot more about the lights than the cavemen or Vikings did, we have scientific facts that explain them and how they occur but even then, don’t these breathtaking lights that dance across our skies still seem like magic?
Holly Myers
]]>You’ve heard it once and you’ll hear it again and again. Our world is built on stories. Religion, myths, legends, gossip, history, politics, science, superstitions, news, beliefs, ghost tales, rumours, movies and tv - all of them are a form of storytelling and narrative. These stories, whether it’s the tale of how your parents met or how history was made or about the ghost that haunts the school or how God created Earth or simply about a caterpillar that couldn’t stop eating, shape us and shape our world and how we live in it. It’s unsurprising then that one of the most impactful and memorable parts of our childhood is bedtime stories.
If you’re anything like me, then the day you stopped getting read a bedtime story was the worst day of your, at that point, very short life. You were perfectly able of reading by yourself but there was something special about being read to and you weren’t ready to let go of it. This later led to you growing up reading to your poor dog, all the way from Humpty Dumpty to Hamlet… right? We all did that right?! More and more adults are now realising a love of being read to which we can see with the immense rise of apps like Audible and the meditation app Calm that offers bedtime stories read by the likes of Harry Styles and Idris Elba. Ewan McGregor next, please! What is it then about bedtime stories that have us craving them even in our adult lives?
The biggest link between adults' and children’s desire for bedtime stories is fairly simple - they’re relaxing. Bedtime stories are primarily seen as a sleep aid for restless children (and sleep-deprived grown-ups!) and this is because they lull us into a state of relaxation and calm. The soothing sound of the reader’s voice paired with a good story is the perfect way to wind down after an exciting day of causing chaos. Listening to a story is a fantastic stress reliever which is a reason many nowadays reach for story-telling apps in this hectic world. Oftentimes, the storyteller can also become so relaxed that while reading the story they fall asleep along with the child or even before them! This is not the case with Idris Elba though, sorry to disappoint.
Reading a bedtime story to a child every night is one of the best ways to bond and enjoy each other’s company in a stress-free environment. Life can get busy and it can be hard to find time to spend together without other things getting in the way. Setting some time aside every night to read a bedtime story is an act that will not go unnoticed. Children will appreciate this routine and look forward to it every day, furthermore, the treat of a story will make them a little more accepting of bedtime itself. While reading with your child, you are not only enjoying each other’s company but it is also an incredible opportunity to get to know your child’s growing personality. Discussing details of the story and its characters allows both you and your child to get to know each other and your individual thoughts better. The stories and conversations you share with your child at bedtime will help to shape them as individuals, and can often be the best part of the day. How often do we just get to sit and talk to our children and hear their fascinating views of the world? Additionally, you both get to share a safe and calm space at the end of a long day - the more you and your child can find times like this together the better you’ll bond.
We don’t realise how important and helpful reading to children is as it often becomes just a part of the daily routine but in reality, it has exceptional benefits for your child’s emotional and cognitive intelligence. Storytelling has been used throughout time to teach us morals and values, and it is no different nowadays. We can use bedtime stories to teach children about empathy, understanding, different lives and cultures, as well as allow them to learn about their own emotions and values. Stories have always taught us about the world around us and they can help your child understand how to live in the world, how to treat others, and how to love themselves. Developing your child’s emotional intelligence will greatly benefit their overall mental well-being.
Stories don’t only aid our emotional intelligence however, they quite literally contribute to a child’s brain development! Through the stories we’re told as children we develop reading skills, writing skills, comprehension skills, listening skills, language skills, literary skills, communication skills, logic skills, concentration skills, problem-solving skills, social skills, expanded vocabulary, better focus, confidence, broadened imagination, curiosity, creativity, better attention span, and … deep breath … improved memory. Phew! That was a lot of skills. So what’s not to love?
The biggest in that list, in terms of storytelling benefits, is of course literary skills such as reading, writing, vocabulary, language, and comprehension. When we read to our children we are teaching them our language and how to utilise it effectively. Bedtime stories are a brilliant opportunity to teach your children new vocabulary and language techniques such as rhyming! Even when you feel your children have outgrown bedtime stories, I encourage you to reconsider. Even though they can read independently, by reading to them you can introduce them to more advanced literature and help to develop their comprehension of more difficult concepts even as they practice their reading independently. Furthermore, you can give them access to stories they would otherwise have to wait years to experience. Teachers still read to children all the way into high school so why shouldn’t parents?
The stories we engage with can often mould our outlook on life. That’s why the books we read to our children should have a message of hope that can inspire our children to persevere even when things are hard. Exposing our children to characters who overcome hardship and push forward despite their circumstances, all while staying true to themselves will facilitate your child in developing a positive outlook on life which will help them as they navigate the world. Don’t forget to throw some fun or silly stories in there too though, balance is the essence of life! Our kids need a giggle as much as the rest of us!
Bedtime stories were a treasured part of my childhood, they are my favourite part of babysitting, and I look forward to reading to the future children in my family one day. I hope that by the end of this blog, you’re looking forward to reading to your child or partner or dog or cat or are reaching for an audiobook to experience that childhood comfort again. We live and breathe stories, they are the basis of human connection and communication so please never stop sharing stories with your loved ones whether it’s about tigers gatecrashing tea parties or the funny altercation you had at a restaurant. Your child will forever treasure the time you spend together enjoying a bedtime story and it will have an impact beyond your imagination on their future development.
Holly Myers
]]>Today marks World Water Day, a day to raise awareness of water poverty and sanitation crises around the world. This year, the United Nations is holding the UN 2023 Water Conference where they will be launching their Water Action Agenda. There has been no such event for close to fifty years!
The Water Action Agenda outlines countless ways countries and industries strive to achieve freshwater and sanitation. While we don’t expect one person to save the world, there are many small changes you can make in your life to save water resources, make a change, and raise awareness. If one household, then one street, then one town makes these changes, the impact will be phenomenal.
And remember, saving water is for life NOT just for World Water Day.
We have scoured the internet and surveyed various sources to bring you this list of the top 11 things you can do to save water in your home. They’re so simple, even the kids can get involved!
1. If you’re anything like us, this first one will be the toughest change because it’s the only one asking you to give something up. It is recommended that we swap baths for showers and cut showering time down to 5 minutes. This may be difficult for some but the truth of the matter is that if you even take one less bath and cut 5 minutes off your showering time then you’ve already made an amazing start and should feel proud. Even small changes have big impacts.
2. Reusing water is one of the simplest ways to save water and help the planet. Bathwater, rainwater, water from washing produce, the cold water before your shower heats, the old water from your pet’s bowl - all of this gets washed down the drain when it would be better served in your garden helping your plants and produce to grow. You can also reuse water from boiling pasta and vegetables, for soups and broths.
3. Making the most out of your utilities. Take a leaf out of Derry Girls mother Mary Quinn’s book and only run your washing machine at full capacity even if it means stealing dirty washing from everyone around you. Save up your dirty clothes and do bigger, less frequent loads. The same goes for your dishwasher - you’re better off filling your dishwasher to the brim than washing dishes in a basin or under a running tap.
4. Don’t let the tap run. Whether you’re brushing your teeth, washing your hands, or having a shower - the water doesn’t need to be running the entire time. Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth or wash your face. Lather your hands up with soap before turning the tap on and rinsing it off, same for your hair and body in the shower!
5. Check for leaks. Leaks in your home cause immense water waste while also hiking up your water bill! Closely monitor your water bill and if the numbers look weird - check for a leak! One way to do this so that even the kids can get involved is to add some food colouring into the toilet cistern, if it appears in the toilet bowl without flushing, you’ve got a leak on your hands!
6. Only use what you need. Don’t overfill the pet bowl if they’re unlikely to drink everything, don’t fill the kettle to the top when you’re only making 2 cups of tea, and don’t fill a huge bottle of water if you only want a couple of sips. It is suggested to fill a jug of water and keep it in the fridge for the whole household to prevent repeated tap running. However, if you do use more water than you require, give the leftovers to your plants, they’ll appreciate it. They also loooove the ice cubes you dropped on the floor, don’t just kick them under the fridge….
7. Reduce your food waste and in turn, you reduce the massive amount of water used by the agriculture and livestock industry as they struggle to meet the demand for more and more food. Additionally, introducing more plant-based meals into your diet can save litres of water and in turn, help the planet.
8. If you can, introduce a water-efficient toilet (or a cistern displacement device) and shower head into your home. That one’s pretty self-explanatory.
9. Ditch the hose. Wash your car with a bucket and sponge, and water your lawn with a watering can. Both help save masses of water.
10. Water plants etc in the early morning or late at night to prevent the water from being evaporated before it can do its job, leaving your plants gasping for more and more water. Be sure to water the soil, that’s where the plants pull their nutrients from.
11. Use a reusable water bottle and fill it up at your local Scottish Water Top Up Tap like our brand new one on the waterfront!
Honourable mentions:
- use lids on saucepans to prevent water from spilling over the sides and going to waste
- clean veg in the basin, not under the tap and reuse the water for plants
- steam veg rather than boiling it
- do your planting in spring when plants need less water
- use a broom for paths etc rather than a hose
- keep your grass taller - it holds more moisture that way
- bin tissues instead of flushing them
- keep water activities to a minimum in the summer
- grow your own food!
- get drought-resistant plants
- use mulch and bark to reduce evaporation
How many do you already do and how many are you starting today?
Today, March 15th, was known as the Ides of March on the Roman Calendar. It was a day for settling debts long due and for observing religious ceremonies. Now, we remember it as the day Julius Caesar was assassinated. More often than that, however, we remember the quote “Beware the Ides of March” spoken by a soothsayer (prophet) to warn Julius Caesar of his imminent death in Shakespeare’s eponymous play 'Julius Caesar'. So, why do we think of Shakespeare's play and iconic quotes first, rather than the historical event itself?
There's no denying that Shakespeare has had an immense impact on the world of literature and the English language and, while his history is not always accurate (to be fair he didn’t have the sources we have now), his historical plays serve as a stepping stone for us to develop our own interest in history. Needless, to say Shakespeare had an epic influence then and now. Let’s look at some of the ways Shakespeare still influences the modern world.
Many of his works were likely lost to time, unpublished, or screwed up in a ball and thrown across the room, but as far as we know Shakespeare penned about 39 plays, over 150 sonnets, 2 narrative poems, and several other unclassified works. Through his writings, Shakespeare is credited with inventing over 1700 words, while for some of these he may be just the first to put them to paper or he may have altered pre-existing words, it is still an impressive feat. Furthermore, he altered verbs to become adverbs and adjectives and added suffixes and prefixes to various words to alter their meanings. Here are our top ten words invented by Shakespeare: dauntless, tranquil, zany, bandit, frugal, gloomy, swagger, gnarled, jaded, and hobnob. The longest word Shakespeare ever utilised was ‘honorificabilitudinitatibus’ - say that 10 times fast! He is also credited for creating some common phrases we still use to this day, such as: break the ice; cold comfort; in a pickle; wild goose chase; it’s Greek to me; cold-blooded/hot-blooded; what’s done is done.
However, creating words and phrases wasn’t Shakespeare’s only contribution to the English language and literature. Shakespeare’s works expanded on our ideas of plot development, genre, and characterisation. Even today, we still build our writing on the structure that he pioneered. It is no wonder Shakespeare is the most common writer studied in high school English classes. During the time of Shakespeare’s publications, spelling and grammar improved across the country, and he is even said to have aided in the standardisation of the English language. Shakespeare’s stories are still used today to inspire movies, television, and more. His plot lines, tropes, and character stereotypes have been readapted over and over again throughout generations to reach the audience of their time.
For example:
10 Things I Hate About You (film, 1999) - Taming of the Shrew
She’s The Man (film, 2006) - Twelfth Night
My Own Private Idaho (film, 1991) - Henry IV
Romeo + Juliet (film, 1996) - Romeo and Juliet
The Lion King (animated film, 1994) - Hamlet
O (film, 2001) - Othello
Throne of Blood (film, 1957) - Macbeth
Hamlet 2000 (film, 2000) - Hamlet
Forbidden Planet (film, 1956) - The Tempest
Gnomeo & Juliet (animated film, 2011)- Romeo and Juliet
West Side Story (musical, 1961) - Romeo and Juliet
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (film, 1966/play, 1990) - Hamlet
Ran (film, 1985) - King Lear
Motocrossed (film, 2001) - Twelfth Night
Lady Macbeth (film, 2017) - Macbeth
The King (film, 2019) - Henry V
A rather random tale of Shakespeare's influence is the story of King Richard III's bones. In a very roundabout series of events, Shakespeare’s play Richard III led to the discovery of King Richard III’s bones underneath a car park in Leicester (where the Grey Friar’s Priory previously stood) in 2012. The search for the missing bones of the last King to die in battle was largely spurred on by the Richard III Society whose goal is ‘to secure a more balanced assessment of the king and to support research into his life and times’. They strongly disapprove of Shakespeare’s portrayal of Richard III as a deformed and villainous King and seek to rectify his reputation. There is a channel 4 documentary on these events titled ‘Richard III: The King in the Car Park’ and a 2022 movie titled ‘The Lost King’. It is shocking and slightly scary to see how much a writer like Shakespeare can shape our idea of history and our perception of historical figures. With that in mind, always take Shakespeare’s historical plays for what they are - historical fiction. While Shakespeare did research his plays, the sources available then were often inaccurate. Not to mention, the stories flitting about then were largely impacted by Tudor bias and gossip. Additionally, Shakespeare had to write not only to please his Queen and later King, but also the masses who would probably be snoring in the wings without Shakespeare’s added drama and tragedy!
A little tidbit to inspire or motivate or remind us of the thread between past and present. Shakespeare's life was shaped by plagues. Grim, I know, but also ... slightly relatable. Shakespeare was born during a plague and after the loss of his siblings, his parents did everything in their might to ensure his survival and as we all know, they succeeded. Plagues continued to make their violent way around London throughout Shakespeare's life but he never left the city and he never stopped writing. In fact, Shakespeare is known to have written some of his greatest works during and after these outbreaks, such as King Lear, Timon of Athens, Antony and Cleopatra, Macbeth, and Coriolanus. It is also said that due to theatres closing during plague outbreaks, Shakespeare saw an opportunity to experiment with his writing and began to write more and more sonnets. Our world is still, in 2023, recovering from and dealing with Coronavirus but I hope Shakespeare's work can remind you that beauty and new beginnings can be borne of hardships.
All in all, Shakespeare has had an unprecedented impact on the English language, literature, media, and history. Shakespeare loved drama, moral dilemmas and romantic tragedies (I wonder what he’d think of Eastenders) and we will be studying his work, remaking his stories and using his words for years to come. While his memorable words may come to mind before the poor betrayed Julius Caesar on this date, would we think of Julius Caesar at all today if not for Shakespeare? That is the impact of his work.
If you were to create a word or phrase like Shakespeare often did, what would it be?
Oh, and remember … Beware the Ides of March …
Holly Myers
]]>On a cold day in November in the city of Vienna, Austria in 1878, Phillip and Hedwig Meitner became parents to a baby daughter, little did they know that she would go on to be one of the most important physicists of her generation.
Lise Meitner was born into a relatively well-off academic and learned Jewish family. Lise’s own scientific precocity quickly became evident to those around her when she began writing in her notebook. She quickly filled books with notes of her observations of the world around her. In particular, her studies of light and how it looked different when travelling in different media were most notable.
Despite Lise’s evident knack for the art of science, women were not allowed to pursue higher education in Vienna for the majority of the 1800s, so Lise decided to work as a teacher instead before then being able to train as a medic.
Later Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn worked together to discover the phenomenon of nuclear fission – The splitting of an atomic nucleus. Meitner and Hahn discovered that firing a neutron at another particle caused radiation to be released. This energy can be harvested and thus, the first concept of a nuclear reactor was born. This monumental discovery was later awarded the Nobel prize but Meitner, sadly yet unsurprisingly, was not credited in the award despite her playing the lead role alongside Hahn. This was not the only time Meitner was underappreciated by the scientific community, in fact, she was nominated for 49 different awards and did not win one. Today we’re posthumously awarding her a place on the Curious Minds wall of Eminent Scientists.
Emmy Noether had a similar early life to that of Meitner. She also was a young Jewish girl borne in Europe to an intellectual family. Noether studied maths earning a PhD after which she worked at the university of Erlangen where, because she was female, she received no pay for her work for 7 years. Later on she was invited by David Hilbert to work with him in Göttingen, however, the institute blocked her appointment on the grounds of her being a woman. To circumvent the university’s block, she was forced to lecture using Hilbert’s name.
Despite all the deeply unfair obstacles others put in her way, Emmy Noether would not be stopped, she defied all the odds and published papers proving Noether’s first and second theorems, both of which were essential to the future elucidation of the theorem of quantum gravity.
In 1933, due to her Jewish ethnicity Noether was prohibited from working further at the university of Göttingen. Noether had no option but to accept this ultimatum and continued to gather students to teach outside the institution until she sadly passed away in 1935. Emmy Noether battled her way to the top of her field using her striking intelligence and tenacity in the face of those who would try to stop her; a truly remarkable woman, and her achievements are still underappreciated to this day.
A personal favourite of ours, the avid environmentalist Rachel Carson was an American marine biologist. Just like Meitner and Noether, Rachel Carson showed signs of brilliance from an early age, publishing her first book at the age of ten and graduating top of her class.
Later in life Carson discovered her passion for marine biology and worked in public outreach writing about fish populations for the bureau of fisheries. Carson soon became the only provider for her family but despite the personal setbacks, continued to press on with her work publishing a number of other works on marine life. In 1945, near the closing of World War two, when everybody’s attention was on the fall of Nazi Germany, Carson uncovered the serious impacts of the pesticide DDT.
DDT is a nasty pesticide which can remain in the environment for long periods of time, bioaccumulating and biomagnifying in the tissues of the animals unlucky enough to inadvertently consume it. Accumulation of this pesticide posed a serious threat to bird populations and motivated Carson to write what would become her masterpiece : Silent Spring. Silent Sring highlighted the dangers of using certain pesticides and describes what might happen if this pesticide usage continued… a silent spring, when there are no bird songs left to be heard. A solemn image in a fantastically written book took the US by storm playing a huge part in raising awareness for environmental issues and the reduction of DDT use, despite the tiresome efforts of corporations who looked to profit from it. Before the eventual banning of DDT, Rachel Carson, after a life of passion for the environment, education of the people around her and publishing of one of the seminal environmental books passed away at the age of 56.
The final personal favourite of ours here at Curious Minds is none other than Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell. Growing up in rural Northern Ireland, Bell developed a love for astronomy from her father’s astronomy books. She studied at the University of Glasgow earning her bachelor’s degree before earning her PhD at the University of Cambridge.
Bell became fascinated with quasars, supermassive blackholes which give off radiation while feeding on gas at the centre of galaxies. While studying these Bell noticed an anomaly in the data, a star which was pulsing at a standard rate. At first it was thought this may be an alien civilization making contact but the real reason (which is awesome but maybe not quite as awesome as aliens) was that it was a pulsar: a rotating neutron star. A pulsar emits very high energy gamma rays in two opposite directions. Therefore when the pulsar rotates as the one of the streams of radiation points at us and then subsequently points away it looks to us like flashes of intermittent radiation with a constant interval between flashes.
In 2018 Bell won the Special breakthrough prize for fundamental physics for her discovery of pulsars. She donated all $3,000,000 of the prize winnings to fund representation of ethnic-minority women in physics. Despite the key role she played in the discovery of pulsars, Bell did not receive credit alongside her colleagues when the discovery was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1974.
Looking through the history one thing is clear: women make awesome scientists, which is why we think it’s so important to encourage all the mothers, sisters and daughters out there to take a leaf out the book of all the female scientists who came before them and never let anything get in your way of the pursuit of knowledge; life-long learning.
Thank you for reading and have a very happy International Women’s day 2023 from the Curious Minds Team!
Jamie Hamilton
Photo Credits: Wikipedia
]]>The Smallest Known Dinosaur
The Smallest Dinosaur Egg ever found was only 3 cm long. Most dinosaur eggs tend to be either ovoid or spherical in shape and can be as big as 30cm in length. A fossilised dinosaur egg can be difficult to identify as they tend to look and feel like rocks!
The smallest fully-grown fossil dinosaur known, was the size of a chicken. It is called Lesothaurus and was a plant eater or herbivore.
The heaviest dinosaur ever discovered was Argentinosaurus which weighed a whopping 77 tonnes. Argentinosaurus is also the largest land animal ever discovered. It was found in Argentina, hence its name.
Stegosaurus probably wasn’t very smart as it had a brain the size of a walnut at only 3 centimetres long with a weight of 75 grams.
The tallest dinosaurs so far discovered was Brachiosaurus from the group of sauropods. Their front legs were longer than the rear legs and they had very long necks, a bit like giraffe, which meant they could feed off leaves on high branches in tall trees. Brachiosaurus was a whopping 13 metres tall, but Sauroposeidon takes the title for tallest dinosaur, it’s thought it likely grew to a massive 18.5 metres tall.
The speediest dinosaurs were the ostrich mimic ornithomimids, such as Dromiceiomimus, which is thought to have been able to run at speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour. Imagine seeing it coming racing towards you. Yikes!
The oldest known dinosaur is Saltopus, which means ‘hopping foot’. It was a small carnivore that lived 245 million years ago in some quarries in Lossiemouth, Scotland. What else might be waiting to be discovered in Scotland’s ancient rocks?
The dinosaur with the longest name was Micropachycephalosaurus meaning "tiny thick-headed lizard". To prounounce it, break the syllables down: Micro-pake-cefal-osawrus. Its fossils have been found in China.
Tyrannosaurus rex looked the most ferocious of all the dinosaurs, but in terms of overall cunning, determination and its array of vicious weapons it was Utahraptor that was probably the fiercest of all. Utahraptor measured about 7 metres, and was a very powerful, agile and intelligent predator.
Elasmosaurus was the longest plesiosaur at up to 14 metres (46 ft) long. It had an incredibly long neck with 75 vertebrae which measured around 7 metres. In comparison humans have around 7-8 vertebrae. Elasmosaurus had four long, paddle-like flippers, a tiny head, sharp teeth in strong jaws, and a pointed tail. Plesiosaurs were technically not dinosaurs but were marine reptiles.
]]>Learning Number Sequences
To begin with you can simply talk to your child about how many units there are. For example; how many balls are there? Repeat the name of the number, so ‘one ball’ ‘one biscuit’. Your child will very quickly pick up the meaning of the word one, two three etc.
Once young children have learnt the basics of number sequences a good way to increase the difficulty challenge is to ask your child to start counting from a number other than one eg, “start from number seven”. This will help your child when they need to add two groups together as they can start counting from the larger group.
Using Food To Count
Another great way for them to learn is to ask your child to help you count the pieces as you cut up food such as fruit or sandwiches, or counting the number of peas on their plate. This can also be used when laying the table, by getting them to count the number of knives, forks and other cutlery you place for each person can help, and you could even get them to lay it themselves when they become good enough.
Counting ToysWe have a number of counting toys in stock, you can check them out here A,B,C & 1,2,3 Toys. This style of toy encourages young learners to work on number and colour recognition as they develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. They can sort by numerical order, do beginning math problems, and explore their imagination. Number toys will keep your toddlers learning and having fun for hours.
Lego, Lego, Lego
Is there anything Lego (& Duplo) can't be helpful with? From building functional beehives, to scaled models of the Lake district, Lego is embedded in the heart of the nation. And whilst its undoubtedly a fabulous construction toy and one of the best STEM toys out there, it's also a valuable and appealing to for teaching numbers and maths. How many red bricks are there, how many blue bricks. If we take three green bricks from the tower, how many bricks are left. It's truly a versatile toy. For younger children try using chunkier Duplo bricks, they're better suited to little hands. If you would like to invest in some Lego or Duplo bricks please visit our range here: Lego & Duplo.
We're Going On A Number Hunt!
Tap into your child’s inner curiosity with going on a number hunt! You can go around the house - or wherever you are – discovering all the places where numbers are used like a clock, TV, Computer and much more!
Wall Charts
Children love to have posters on their wall, why not make them educational with our many maths and counting wall charts. We have a range of posters, wall charts and calendars to help inspire and educate children in a play, home or school environment. The collection covers foreign languages, flags, cultures from around the world, the human body, maths, literature skills, dinosaurs, animals, wildlife, transport, space and much more. Take a look here: Educational & Fun Wall Charts
Whichever approach you take, have fun and don’t make learning too intense.
]]>Scientists have broken romantic love down into three distinct phases: lust, attraction & attachment. And far from being in control of your emotions, we’re here to tell you, the success of your romantic endeavours is down to the complicated interplay between a batch of chemicals, known as hormones swishing around in your body. Doesn’t sound so romantic now does it?
Lust is the drive for sexual gratification, the ultimate objective is reproduction of ourselves, in the form of babies, to perpetuate our species. But having a baby is likely not to be at the front of our minds on that very first date, nope, our minds are elsewhere! Our eyes will be locked on the focus of our attention, and that’s interesting as the eyes are extrusions of our brain and the only part of our brain that sits outside our skull. The eyes play a big role in deciding if we’re sexually attracted to the person in front of us and send messages back to the brain to say yes he’s a hunk, we’re interested or nope not this time, he’s not for us.
The old adage of his heart ruled his head, turns out to be entirely wrong because in fact a specific region of his head and our heads, known as the hypothalamus, is in control of the urge for sexual gratification. The hypothalamus is responsible for stimulating the production of the sex hormones testosterone in the testes and oestrogen in the ovaries. We tend to categorise testosterone as a male hormone, but it is also present in the female body, in lower levels and plays an important role in libido for women too. Menopausal women who experience declining synthesis of the sex hormones often report a corresponding decline in their sex drive.
Oestrogen is also important for driving our lustful desires, and interestingly, there are reports of women being more sexually receptive around the time of ovulation when oestrogen levels are higher, which makes marvellous reproductive sense as the chances of pregnancy are increased.
Once we’re comfortably in the lustful stage of our romantic encounter, we then begin to move into the attraction phase and other hormones are also stimulated by the hypothalamus. In particular dopamine and noradrenaline.
Dopamine is often described as the reward hormone, it is released in high levels when we’re pleased with something we’ve done or something someone says to us, ie when something makes us feel good, such as spending time with someone we’re attracted to, or having sex.
Norepinephrine, also known as noradrenaline is the fight or flight hormone which is released when we need to run from danger or stand and fight to protect our children. It’s swiftly released into our bodies when we’re stressed and interestingly is also released in response to our attraction to someone. These two hormones, noradrenaline and dopamine, are responsible for giving us the giddy, euphoric feeling and can even suppress our appetite; she’s so love-sick she can’t eat.
Once your relationship with the new love of your life is established your relationship moves into the attachment phase, you’re now a couple and beginning to look to a future together. As with the previous phases of lust and attraction, the attachment phase is also controlled by another hormone called oxytocin.
Oxytocin, synthesised in the pituitary gland, is affectionately known as the cuddle hormone. It’s important for long term romantic intimacy, that cuddle whilst you’re doing the dishes together, or cuddled up on the sofa. But it’s also especially important during bonding between parents and their new-born babies and is extremely important for breastfeeding mothers, known as the oxytocin reflex, the release of oxytocin results in milk let-down.
And so the next generation is borne and the hormones got their way!
We hope you’ve found our brief introduction to the science of love interesting, and it hasn’t taken the romance out of St Valentine’s Day for you. Whatever you’re planning on the 14th we hope s/he appreciates your efforts.
And if you're looking for an unusual gift check out our Valentine's range here
Have a wonderfully romantic day!
]]>What is the most sustainable gift you can give anyone? The answer is simple; it’s a gift that they actually want and will love using. Ideally that gift is also a gift which is durable, such as one of the Klean Kanteen thermally insulated cups, or the reusable ChicoBag reusable snack & lunch bags, both ranges are very durable and will be used daily cutting down on disposable single use plastic. They're also pretty and stylish, an added bonus whilst trying to save the planet.
A sustainable gift, could be quite short-lived as it might be something edible, usually the tastier it is the shorter the life span! Ideally sustainable food gifts are gifts that are produced here in the UK, thereby cutting down air miles and supporting small artisan food producers.
The CuriousMinds.co.uk honey is a perfect example of a sustainable and ethically produced gift. It is produced here in the UK by our company beehives, bottled in reusable jars and makes the perfect gift or sustainable stocking filler.
If you're looking for sustainable gifts for Christmas, how about some of our EcoSparkle Biodegradable glitter. The colours are stunning, vibrant and sparkly and best of all once you're finished with your festive creations, you can be reassured the plant-based, vegan glitter will simply decompose back into the soil.
If you're looking for a gift for someone who loves building models, how about one of our fascinating Da Vinci wooden construction kits. They're created entirely from wood, requiring only glue for assembly, they offer a stimulating challenge for young and old alike who enjoy a construction challenge.
Check out our blog on sustainable gifts for kids
]]>
The heads of Dozy Dinkums and their good friends the Cozy Dinkums are designed to create a beautifully tactile floppy doll with movement that allows the doll to be cuddled close to a young child’s own body.
Suitable from birth, we think Dozy Dinkums and Cozy Dinkums make stunning new born baby gifts as well as comfort dolls for toddlers who like to carry and cuddle a special soother toy.
#dozydinkums
#cozydinkums
#olliella
#cuddlydolls
#newborngifts
#soothers
There are four generalised types of free play – Object Play, Pretend Play, Physical/ Rough and Tumble Play and Guided Play, let’s take a look these in a little more detail:
]]>Free Play is a favourite for many parents as it’s easy to set up; give a child some wooden blocks or if you don’t have any on hand, some cardboard loo rolls too and see what they can build. Free play really is a ‘bare-minimum’ activity as you don’t need much, just some imagination.
Free Play is useful to incorporate into your child’s playtime as it helps with:
Types of free play
There are four generalised types of free play – Object Play, Pretend Play, Physical/ Rough and Tumble Play and Guided Play, let’s take a look these in a little more detail:
Object Free Play
This type of play helps children to explore objects, learn about their properties, and see if they can transform into new versions. Ideal for that creative, free-flow play as well as a more structured and academic style if you wanted to direct it as a guided-play experience. The Wonderful Beech Blocks are a great example of encouraging objective free play as children can build anything they desire with endless possibilities; with 101 blocks in assorted colours, what more could you need? Plus, children learn success and failure through playing with these blocks - you can build the most beautiful castle but if you are not careful it can all come tumbling down.
Pretend Free Play
Pretend play includes everything from make-believe and fantasy to symbolic and socio-dramatic play. This play type allows children to experiment with different social roles and how they would problem-solve in these situations. So whether it’s pretending to be a swamp princess or a dinosaur lawyer, every game is important. Additionally, pretend play encourages the use of playsets too like our Police Station. These sets teach children to actively imagine themselves as officers, crooks and canines as the detailed two-level station really helps create in-depth imaginary stories.
Physical / Rough & Tumble
A freer type of play that includes a variety of games from a 6-month old playing peek-a-boo or a simple game of chase / tag / it. Ideal for ensuring children get some time outdoors or even just a run around to get some fresh air. Our Explorers Bug Jar is another great way to encourage kids to get outside. With its magnifying lense, they’ll certainly want to get outdoors to discover minibeasts and creepy crawlies. So as they enjoy their time outside they can also develop cognitive and social skills as they explore the great outdoors - win-win!
Guided – A type of play that you’ve certainly read on a parenting blog or seen on a toy website at one point or another. This is when children are actively engaged in activities that are under subtle direction of an adult. The Chunky Clock Puzzle is a great example where children are able to free play but can also benefit from adult guidance by teaching them numbers as well as telling the time.
And there you have it, a brief exploration into the importance of free play for children. We can all agree that living in the moment and simply having fun is one of the purest ways to play, when we’re having fun we learn without realising, which is of course the best way to learn.
Which is what Hape is all about - love play, learn.
]]>
In our built up world such places can be hard to find as light pollution is generated by so many human activities such as airports, factories, road and street lighting. The glow of light from big cities can be seen for miles around and is known as sky glow pollution.
The Isle of Gigha is a rather perfect get away venue for amateur astronomers or anyone interested in an evening of star gazing, it’s completely unspoilt & stunningly beautiful, with a variety of self catering options, a hotel & a well stocked shop. But most importantly, it has very little light pollution. It’s also quite possibly the friendliest place I’ve visited; everyone waves & says hello.
The Dark Skies Theatre on the Isle of Gigha is situated at the end of the lonely road leading to the north of the island and can be reached after a short drive from the ferry, or on foot walking the only rural road heading to the top of the island. You can’t get lost if you don’t stray off the path. Once there, you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of a rugged coastline and pale white sandy beaches. Wrap up; you’ll be pleased to have warm wind & waterproof clothing and something warming to drink as the weather can be robust.
The Theatre is in its early stages, being marked by the newly built information plinth and benches running around the edge of the flat grassed area. The group of enthusiastic amateur astronomers behind the Isle of Gigha Dark Skies Theatre project have exciting plans for their project, the first of which is a Dark Skies Festival taking place on November 18th & 19th 2022.
From the Dark Skies observation point on the Isle of Gigha, you’ll be able to see as many as 2000 stars on a clear night. Remember to choose a night when the moon is at its smallest as the light from the moon will add its own challenges to star gazing. And at certain times of the year, if you’re lucky, you may see the spectacular Northern Lights phenomenon.
On the Isle of Gigha, the best months of the year for star gazing are from mid-August through to early May. But star gazing is wonderful at any time of the year on this beautiful little island.
To observe the night sky, use a pair of binoculars with a 10 x 50 magnification on a moonless night when the sky is cloudless. You should be able to see galaxies, star clusters and maybe even a planet or two.
To identify what you are seeing you could download a stargazer app to your phone, which will help you locate what you are looking at in the night sky. But if you are heading to the Isle of Gigha’s Dark Sky Theatre to get away from the internet and your phone, consider taking one of our Rob Walrecht Planispheres with you.
If you’d like further information about the Dark Sky Theatre on Gigha, email them: Dark.Skies.Gigha@gmail.com
If you would like to find out more about the community owned Isle of Gigha, check out their website
]]>When I was about 4 years old, I ‘graduated’ from nursery in a proper cap and gown made for very little people. I received a certificate and a gift, and my parents were incredibly proud, but me? I was annoyed. I was annoyed because just one week earlier the nursery had built an awesome new wooden play set on the nursery grounds. To my four-year-old eyes, which to be fair were probably already in need of glasses, this play set shone like a beacon, it was in fact the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Despite my enduring love for this pile of wood, I only ever got to play on it once before nursery was over and it was time for summer and then on to the super scary ‘big school’.
Let’s say then that I moved on from this pain (which would be a lie) and enjoyed several prosperous years in primary school having forgotten what I’d lost until suddenly… it happened again. Towards the end of my time at primary school, the school suddenly up and decided that outdoor learning was the in thing and built an outdoor classroom at the bottom of the playground and I, once again, fell in love with a beautiful pile of wood. Alas, I got to enjoy the outdoor classroom only twice before teachers gave up on using it because of Scotland’s one immovable constant: rain.
What I don’t think the teachers understood was, we didn’t care that it was raining and cold and damp. We didn’t care because we were outside in the fresh air, no longer crammed into a classroom and stuffed behind desks looking at a smartboard. Suddenly, we were all very eager to learn because we’d do anything to stay outside just a little longer.
My mum always asks me how I remember such random little things such as these two memories and the answer is that I was betrayed, and I will never forgive those who… I’m kidding, I’m kidding (sort of). The fact of the matter is that when I think back on my school experience at any age, what I remember most vividly were the times we got to go outside. Whether it was to do what we’d usually do such as maths or English but out in the sun (on those glorious but rare sunny days in Scotland), or whether we were learning about the outdoors and nature, or we were getting involved in gardening and getting our hands a little mucky – these are the school days I remember because these were the times when I felt happy, involved, and free. It wasn’t until sitting down to write this blog that I realised how much value outdoor learning holds for me personally let alone for children all over the world.
Why we at Curious Minds Love Outdoor Learning/Play
Flash forward to now and I’m working in a tardis-esque toy shop (seriously, it’s bigger on the inside, come check it out), and getting ready for summer by stocking in plenty of outdoor toys and outdoor learning tools. We have everything from frisbees to bug viewers to sandcastle buckets to sun print paper. We even have our very own bee-friendly wildflower seeds ready and waiting to fill your garden full to bursting with colour. The question that’s on my mind while getting all this ready for you is, why is outdoor learning/play so fundamental and why did it mean so much to me as a child? I can’t very well tell you to send your child out searching for ants and other creepy crawlies without good reason so let’s get into it.
Biophilia
I learnt a fascinating new term in my search for answers about nature and the outdoors’ impact on children and their learning. The term ‘biophilia’ was coined by a man called Dr Edward O. Wilson who was a Harvard naturalist. The word is simply used to describe his belief that human beings harbour a deep, primal connection to nature and the life forms that exist in nature. As a result of this, we are drawn to the outdoors and have a respect for it, so much so that spending too much time away from nature can have negative impacts on our senses, as well as our physical and emotional wellbeing. Doctors have even studied the link between time spent outdoors and lower risks of near-sightedness in children!
While this love for nature may be an innate human feeling that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t require work and care just like any other form of love. Through learning outdoors and learning about the living world children will become more appreciative and caring towards nature. A quality we desperately need future generations to have and nurture. Schools with any level of environmental focus encourage children to look after the planet more through activities such as gardening, composting, and recycling.
Furthermore, caring for nature and its inhabitants seriously impacts on a child’s sense of empathy. Their feelings of empathy will grow and evolve as they observe the lives of plants and animals alike, both of which need a little love sometimes, not unlike us humans. That’s why we always say that if you use one of our bug viewers etc to remember to let the little fellas go after so that they can return to their busy lives.
Rows of Flowers not Rows of Desks
I mentioned earlier the freedom of escaping your cramped desk and classroom plastered in times tables for the welcoming outdoors but its not just me who felt that way. Children garner a greater feeling of independence and freedom when learning outdoors than in a typical classroom, which allows them better room for growth as a person, be it emotionally or behaviourally. Furthermore, children’s inclination to work together as a team is exponentially stronger when learning outside as they don’t feel forced into it like they do when all placed around a cramped table looking at one sheet of paper. Rather, working outside allows their imagination and confidence to grow so each group member contributes better to the task at hand.
More Green, Less Stress
You may not associate stress with a child, except perhaps your own stress, but children do have a lot going on in their little heads and spending some time outdoors is a great way to help alleviate some of this stress and upset. It has been proven that spending time in nature, surrounded by plants and wildlife and beautiful views is a huge de-stressor for children and adults alike. Even the simple act of a daily walk is known to massively reduce stress and anxiety. Time spent learning or playing outdoors is invaluable, it is not only good for mental and emotional health through the provision of a calming environment and meditative tasks such as gardening or studying plant and animal life but is also great for physical health too. Outdoor learning/play promotes exercise for children whether its rushing from flower to flower, planting seeds, or playing energetic outdoor games. It helps to create a healthy lifestyle for your children, and this little bit of exercise doesn’t only aid physical health but emotional health too.
But What About the Actual Schoolwork?!
To get straight to the point: outdoor learning, whether you’re studying fractions in nature or nature itself, is a fantastic tool but also one that works. In my research I came across studies citing massive grade increases for children learning outdoors versus those who didn’t. These studies also found that the children learning outdoors were far more motivated and interested in their classes, had higher attendance rates, better behaviour, and superior social and personal skills. Learning about nature in nature is an incredibly hands-on form of learning which is fantastic for children’s growth and development. Additionally, it feels relevant to children, not only because of our changing planet, but also because it’s something they can see and touch, its far more tangible than other subjects so they’re more invested and active. Plus, kids love to get mucky and play around with bugs, so why not employ a style of learning that not only allows them to grow and develop while supporting their physical and mental health, but that they’ll enjoy too.
For me, learning about nature in nature was never tiring or difficult, in fact it energised me and made me excited to go to school. Of course, school can’t always be about plants and the environment and playing outdoors but it can be sometimes and that sometimes might be just enough to make a big difference in your child’s life. Learning about our world, how it works, how to look after it, and who lives in it, is never not worthwhile. Not to mention, most of what we’ve talked about applies to adults too so why not get involved in the fun and learn a little about our wonderful planet while you’re at it.
Hope to see you outside!
The Curious Minds team.
Note from the writer: If your little one decides to collect snails or anything similar outside, don’t make the same mistake little me did and sequester all those snails in a large birdhouse… only their shells were left behind ....
Instead, why not try our Nick Baker’s Snail World or Bug Safari for a more positive learning experience without the tragic and somewhat traumatising ending.
]]>Through our customers we are also constantly discovering and learning new things. This April we thought we’d take some time to learn a little about Easter, its roots and traditions. We also thought we’d take this time to share with you all some child safe, non-toxic, natural ways to dye your Easter eggs this year. Whether you use your eggs as pretty decorations, as part of an Easter egg hunt, or you just eat them all up, this is an activity you can enjoy with friends and family using all natural ingredients you can find in your kitchen.
Easter is originally a Christian holiday created to celebrate and remember the resurrection of Christ however over many years it has become a more secular holiday enjoyed by many as a celebration of Springtime. In fact, many Easters traditions stem from various cultures and regions around the world, some of which we’ll learn about today. Alongside Easter comes many associations such as the Easter Bunny, Easter egg hunts, chocolate eggs and chocolate bunnies, and we can’t forget – the dyeing of eggs. Now, two words came up a lot there, bunnies and eggs so let’s find out why.
Easter Bunnies Bring Easter Eggs!
Everybody knows that chickens lay eggs and bunnies … well … they don’t, but did you know that there is one very special bunny that can lay eggs and is so generous as to share those eggs with children year after year? That’s right, the Easter Bunny is in possession of this very scientifically plausible gift! The question is: how did the story of the Easter Bunny come to be and why is it so popular?
Many theorise that the Easter Bunny stems from the ancient Pagan festival of Eostre – a festival created to honour the goddess of Spring and fertility. The animal associated with this goddess was of course a rabbit. Rabbits are deemed symbols of fertility as a result of their high reproduction rates – they make lots of baby rabbits! The first introduction of the concept of the Easter Bunny into the mainstream was recorded in the 1700s when German immigrants to America brought over the tradition. The name they had for the Easter Bunny was ‘Osterhase’ and they believed this rabbit would lay beautiful eggs in all colours of the rainbow and gift them to children who had been well behaved. The Easter Bunny would place its eggs in baskets made by the children (these baskets which resemble birds’ nests were also considered symbols of new life, more so if they were brimming over with eggs) who would often leave their own gift of carrots for the bunny to snack on during its travels. In some countries the eggs are said to be delivered by a cuckoo or even a fox.
Now this idea may sound familiar – getting gifts for good behaviour from a kindly magical stranger, giving something in return etcetera but it’s totally NOT to encourage you to always be nice to mum and dad … right? Oh, and to answer the question of why the Easter bunny is so popular – its super cute and comes with chocolate, need I say more? Over the years the tradition has developed from brightly coloured eggs to big chocolate eggs to toys and sometimes to a little bit of pocket money from gran and grandad. Shh don’t tell mum!
We’re going to head back to basics and help you to create some multi-coloured eggs like the Easter Bunny intended but first we need to answer another question, why eggs? The answer to this one is simple and goes right back to what we mentioned earlier. Easter is a time of new life from any perspective – whether it’s the birth of new lambs, the resurrection of Christ, or simply the trees regaining their beautiful green leaves and the daffodils peeking through the ground. Eggs themselves are common symbols of rebirth and fertility as they are quite literally housing a new life preparing to burst forth into the world and squint at the sun. We mentioned Pagans before, but the Romans also offered eggs to their Goddess of agriculture, named Ceres, in the hopes of growing good, healthy crops that year. Additionally, way back in the Middle Ages (when your parents were born) the Church banned people from eating eggs before Lent so by the time Easter came around farmers had a whole lot of eggs lying around which made them a staple during Easter and people even began decorating them. You see where I’m going with this?
How To Make Natural, Eco-Friendly Food Dyes
Over at Curious Minds we love learning new natural and organic ways of life, furthermore the health and safety of your little ones is our utmost priority. With all of that in mind, we decided to learn about some child safe, non-toxic, natural ways to dye your Easter eggs this year. Which also means you can stash the chocolate eggs away for yourself!
The first thing you’re going need is of course several unpeeled hard-boiled eggs. You can use white or brown eggs to do this or better yet use a variety to see a bigger spectrum of results. Add 2 cups of water to a saucepan (you can increase this depending on how much dye you wish to make) and then add the ingredients that create your desired colour to the water (amounts included below but you can adjust as you see fit). Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat and leave it to simmer for between 15 to 30 minutes or until you’ve created a colour you like. Keep in mind the eggs will likely turn out lighter than the colour you’re seeing in the pot. Once you’re satisfied, remove your pot from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature before straining the liquid and then pouring it into separate containers for each colour. Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to each container of dye. Then simply place your eggs in the dye and place the containers in the fridge for any amount of time from 30 minutes for a subtler tint to overnight for the most vibrant hue. If you’re unhappy with the vibrancy of the egg you can always place it back in the dye no problem. Once your egg is the colour you want carefully remove it from the dye and place them on paper towels to dry. If you’d like your eggs to have a nice sheen rub some vegetable oil on them after the dye has dried and then polish them with some kitchen roll. Place your eggs in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat them, race with them, hide them, roll them, or decorate with them. The eggs can stay in the fridge for roughly a week.
Creating the colours:
Red/Lavender – 2 cups of red onion skins
Orange on white eggs/Rust red on brown eggs – 2 cups of yellow onion skins
Yellow – 4 tablespoons of ground turmeric
Pink on white eggs/Maroon on brown eggs – 2 cups of shredded beetroots
Green on white eggs/Blue on brown eggs – 2 cups of chopped purple cabbage
Green – 2 cups of spinach leaves
Grey/Violet – 1 cup of frozen blueberries
Pale blue – 2 cups of red cabbage
Lavender -2 bags of hibiscus (Red Zinger) tea
You can get even more creative by dipping flowers or leaves in water and placing them on the eggs (if you’d like you can add materials like lace for more fun designs). Next, take old tights/pantyhose cut into pieces and wrap them around the design and carefully tie with string. Alternatively, you can lay your selection from the garden on the pantyhose first and then wrap it around the egg and add string. Finally, simply place your egg in the dye as explained above. The design on your eggs will end up looking very similar to what you’d get with sun print paper – a staple here at Curious Minds.
We hope you give this new method of dyeing your Easter eggs a go and, if you do, please send us some pictures of your completed eggs on any of our social media accounts! Happy Easter from all of us at Curious Minds! We hope to share many more inspiring discoveries with you in our coming blog posts and newsletters, we’re just getting started!
Have fun & Happy Easter!
From Holly & The CuriousMinds Team
]]>As experts in learning through play, we have watched with fascination, the differences between grandparent–grandchild visits to our toy shop, versus parent-child visits and whilst both are joyous events, we have observed some differences in the approach of grandparents compared with parents, which lead us to the view that grandparents can make better teachers-through-play than parents. So much so, that we think grandparents should be actively encouraged to step into the role of teacher & experimenter with their grandchildren.
When grandparents come into our shop with their grandchildren to buy treats, there is no doubt the toy gifts are exciting and coveted, but the beautiful reality is that the experience of buying a new toy is as much of a treat as the toy itself, for both the children and the grandparents. Because the grandparent has set aside the time for the trip to our toy shop, possibly it’s even been planned and excitedly discussed with their grandchildren for days, the anticipation is as much about the time spent together as it is about what the children will eventually choose as their gift from Gran or Grandad. The grandparents are patient, animated and engaged in discussions with their grandchildren and of course the children simply love it when an adult will listen to them!
Grandparents Have More Free Time
Plenty of free time means a young at heart grandparent can readily get their sleeves rolled up and get stuck-in to helping their grandchildren learn through play, with ample time available to dedicate to possibly long projects, which require patience and dedication. Compared to parents, grandparents are usually either retired or at least partially retired, meaning the demands upon their time are much less than those of a parent who is likely to be working long hours five days a week. Add in overnight stays for conferences, travelling to-and-from meetings, client site visits etc., and suddenly family time outside of the basics of feeding, bathing and clothing their children becomes a luxury.
Sitting down to crack-open a science kit and work through the various exciting experiments or setting out a sequin kit to create some beautiful, but possibly messy, art with you child will be a distant desire filed under the category of ‘wish list’ family activities. This is immensely frustrating for a parent, but it doesn’t mean the child needs to lose out; with a bit of luck and some encouragement, up step the grandparents, and children’s home-led education is now in safe and experienced hands.
A Grandparent Isn’t Consumed by Worry
As a parent, I can identify with Mark Twain’s famous statement:
“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened”.
I have worried my way through life, I have worried so hard and for so long, that on the rare moments when I realised I wasn’t worrying about something, I began to…worry. I’m certain I’m not the only parent who has wasted much of their time & energy in the hot pursuit of disasters that never happened to themselves or their children.
Grandparents in contrast to us frazzled, exhausted parents, have largely left those stresses and strains behind. They’ve already earned their stripes as providers and successful nurturers for their own kids and can therefore devote all that invaluable mental energy we waste on worry, to listening to and interacting with, their precious grandchildren.
This peace and calm is evident when grandparents bring their grand kids to visit our shop; somehow the peaceful patience of grandparents seems to fill the place with magic in the form of a joyous energy that leaves us feeling reassured all is well with the world. It’s a rather wonderful & accidental therapy for the CuriousMinds team.
Grandparents Invented Life as We Know It
Grandparents are older & wiser. They’ve seen it and done it, they have lived a much longer and probably all too colourful life, which is to the benefit of a grandchild. Keep in mind how much society has changed over the years; remember how they have absorbed that change and adapted to it. They know what they’re doing, and they’ve learned from the vagaries of the world meaning they can bring a different, calmer, perspective on life and one that can make the dullest of tasks in life a truly, enriching opportunity for learning through play for children. I remember my own grandmother, cannily playing shops with me while we tidied out the kitchen cupboards, I didn’t see the chore in the play, but decades later, long after she passed away, I still fondly remember my gran calmly playing with me.
A Grandchild Is A Chance to Get It Right Second Time Round
Let’s face it, as a parent you’re always winging it; always one step behind your child, when they bring home their first reading book, or ask for help with writing their first lab report, it’s probably the first time as a parent we have tried to guide a child through the learning experience, but grandparents have done it all before, with you. They’ve already been through all the potty training, the learning to read, the discussions of Einstein’s theory of relativity, the arguments, and decisions. They may not have always gotten it right with you, but all the more reason to believe they’ll get it right second time around; after all, a grandchild is your parents’ chance to get it right second time round, you were their guinea pig after all.
Grandparents Are No Longer Old
I was talking to one of our valued customers recently, he is a grandparent, and I made the comment that his grandsons were lucky to have such a hands-on grandfather, all I remembered my grandfather doing was sitting in the corner smoking his pipe and acting like a very old man. He replied saying his grandfather had been the same, but that had been a valuable lesson as he’d learned how not to be a grandfather to his own grandsons. I thought that was a rather brilliant lesson to have learned!
Times have changed since my grandparents were alive, today 80 is the new 60 and today’s retirees are physically & mentally fitter and more active than even the forty year olds of decades gone by, that means our senior family members are likely to have spare time & energy on their hands.
On a daily basis we see examples of incredibly positive grandparenting in our toy shop & we hear from incredible grandparents who call or email us whilst researching kits & toys for their grand kids. Our observation is always the same; they care, they’re wise & they want to be hands on with their involvement. What a gift to the next generation. Surely families are missing a trick if they don’t do everything they can to charm grandparents into developing the kind of close learning relationship with their grandchildren that will give their kids such a flying start in life.
If you are a hands on grandparent who is actively involved in your grandchild’s learning through play adventures, we’d love to hear your story & the recommendations you would give to new grandparents. Pop a comment below or email us.
]]>As our bodies grow older, our minds grow wiser. Nurture your curious minds and never stop learning, questioning & adventuring. Live life to the maximum and focus on today, because tomorrow is not guaranteed and yesterday is now history.
Photo Credit: Americasbestpics.com
]]>CuriousMinds was founded in 2004 from a garden shed. We grew steadily and in 2011 we moved into warehouse premises in the pretty seaside town of Helensburgh, on the West Coast of Scotland. We had no intention of opening a toy shop, but the local residents knocked on the door so often, asking to come in to buy toys & gifts that we decided we'd best throw open the doors and welcome in the world.
That was back in August of 2012 and with the exception of a couple of set backs (The Great Fire in 2013 & the pandemic), we have contentedly run both our bricks & mortar shop and our online business from our premises at 112 West Princes Street in Helensburgh.
When you place an online order with us, the gifts & kits you choose are picked from the shelves, in our rather beautiful shop, by one of the enthusiastic and knowledgeable members of the CuriousMinds team. We also answer the phones and the emails you send us ourselves; it's all in-house, no fulfilment companies, no outsourcing to call centres, every aspect of your order is handled by the CuriousMinds team, because we don't trust anyone else to do the job better than we can.
The CuriousMinds Team
Most of the team are camera shy, but we're working on it and hope to have pics up soon, because there's nothing more reassuring than knowing who is handling your precious gifts.
Dr Wendy Hamilton
Wendy is the owner & founder of the business. She trained as a research scientist specialising in plant sciences. Once her children came along, she decided it was time to scratch the entrepreneurial itch and set up the online arm of the company before opening the bricks & mortar shop.
She is endlessly curious and passionate about life-long learning in her own life and loves to see children and adults alike enthusiastically pursuing hobbies & learning through play.
James Adlington
James is our IT wizard, he's responsible for keeping our computers & printers & website working smoothly. We keep him busy with daily challenges.
Holly Myers
Holly is one of our retail assistants, she looks after the shop and our local customers. She is also heavily involved in creating our social media posts too.
Thomas Strettle
Thomas is one of our retail assistants, he's responsible for ensuring our online customers are well looked after.
Robbie & Jamie Hamilton
Robbie & Jamie are involved with improving our web content. They were also responsible for selecting the Lego for the first ever order we placed, a dream job for a then, 11 year old and a 9 year old!
]]>
The term blue print, derives from cyano type printing which was invented in the 1900s as a cheap form of photographic printing to be used by engineers. It proved so useful it went on to be used in all kinds of industries including the architectural and design industries.
The process of making cyanotype photographic paper was first invented by the English scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel, who discovered the procedure in 1842 and used it primarily as a means of reproducing notes and diagrams, and so the term blueprint was coined.
Later Anna Atkins, the well renown early photographer and botanist used cyanotype printing to make exquisite images of fern leaves, which she published in a limited edition book. Atkins placed fern leaves and other plant specimens directly onto the surface of the coated and allowed the action of light to create a silhouette effect. The use of this photogram method and the publishing of her early book has earned Anna Atkins the title of first known female photographer.
Cyanotype photography was popular in Victorian England, but its popularity waned with improvements in photography. Today cyanotype papers are used widely for arts and crafts activities resulting in some stunning art pieces. It can also be used for non quantitative science experiments with children to assess the efficacy of sun blocking skin lotions.
Cyanotype paper is relatively easy, if a little messy and slow to make. Solutions of potassium ferricyanide and ferric ammonium citrate are mixed together. The depth of reaction to sunlight can be enhanced by the addition of a sensitizer chemical called potassium dichromate.
This photosensitive solution is then applied to a paper surface and allowed to dry in a dark place.
It is the Ultraviolet rays in sunlight that cause the photographic image to be formed after the paper has been exposed to light. The UV light in the presence of the citrate reduces the Iron III to Iron II, this is then followed by a complex reaction between the Iron II and the ferricyanide. The end result of this chemical reaction is the synthesis of an insoluble, blue pigment, ferric ferrocyanide, commonly known as Prussian blue.
The length of exposure time needed to catalyse the reaction vary widely, from a few seconds in strong direct sunlight, to 10–20 minute exposures on a dull day. The reaction will not work successfully using artificial lighting where UV light is absent.
After exposure to sunlight, the sun print (cyanotype) paper is then developed (fixed) by washing the paper in cold running water to wash away the water-soluble iron(III) salts are leaving the insoluble Prussian blue pigment behind on the paper giving the very typical images of strong blue background with white silhouette of the objects such as plant leaves. As the paper dries, the blue colour will deepen and darken.
Our sun print paper is a simple form of photographic paper that is great fun and can be used to make some stunning 'sun art' using hands, feet, leaves, flowers, shells or any other object you choose. The object or objects are placed on the photo-sensitive paper and left in place in the sun for a few minutes. Remove the objects and rinse the paper in water to 'fix' it. You can admire your beautiful sun art! Each pack contains 10 x sheets 18x13cm of light sensitive sun print paper.
https://curiousminds.co.uk/products/sun-print-paper?_pos=1&_sid=ce134fe6d&_ss=r
]]>]]>
If you're looking for a beautiful and unusual gift for your hosts, it's hard to beat one of our elegant and unusual Crooke's Solar Radiometers. They're visually beautiful and fascinating. Visit our Solar Radiometer Shop
]]>
I was fascinated and inspired by Maleeka's insistence that science could be explored and enjoyed by everyone, and that she had found her visual impairment actually helped her to be more aware, and in tune, with her science experimentations through her other senses.
As a small specialist company, whose customers are focused on curiosity and life long learning, we are sure you will also be fascinated by Maleeka's story, so here is our first interview with her. Enjoy!
You see, I was BORN with my visual impairment; it’s all I’ve ever known and all I will know.
This has naturally, caused me to develop my own individual perception of the world around me.
I’d say it’s unique because no one else sees in the exact same way as I do.
I enjoy sharing this with others because I believe more people should get a chance to understand differences and “See” in a new way!
As a VIP; I’m obviously biased, but honestly, I’d say the biggest advantage is…just not being distracted by sight.
I have an outsider’s perspective of sight. So when observing the way Sighted People behave/how they act; I noticed how it’s definitely the most distracting Sense.
Yes, it’s also the most informative Sense, but I believe the amount of info given by one’s vision can be equated/balanced out by the other Senses.
In short, sight’s a distraction.
Because I have less of it, I’ve been able to pick up on certain sounds, textures, tastes and smells that the average person would miss.
Me and my other VIP friends call it a Superpower!
Fun fact: sometimes, I can tell when people are lying by their tone of voice.
Yes, definitely.
As a kid, I went through quite a few “Science/Space” phases.
I remember watching quite a lot of Documentaries and looking through Space picture-books.
I also visited a few Science Museums and Planetariums. (In and out of school.)
Mixing different household products together (Chemicals?!) was also a pass-time of mine.
I used to say my weird gloopy concoction of Flour, food-colouring and Baking Soda was “food” for my toys.
It’s so fascinating how stuff…just works.
How the Universe is this intricately designed, beautiful, often incomprehensible thing.
There’s so much to it.
My brain often tells me: I have to know it ALL!
Where did these things come from? How has Earth and life on said Planet evolved? Black Holes?
Why? Why do we exist?
Alchemy?!
I love testing my capacity for knowledge and learning absolutely everything I can; Science offers me the chance to do so.
My all time favourite is Space/Astronomy.
But in general, although I do love all the Sciences, it’d put them in this order:
Physics, Biology, Chemistry.
Definitely experiments involving Chemical Reactions (Temperature changes, changes of State, effects like bubbles, fizzing etc.)
Stuff I can somewhat see, hear, smell or feel.
They’re very sensory and it’s also just cool to learn how different things react with each other.
I also love experimenting with Forces. Magnetism especially.
Naturally, I tend to avoid experiments involving colour and light. Haha…
Burning/heating things using Bunsen Burners in school.
Flames are a light source I CAN see quite well. They flicker and dance; it’s quite pretty.
Watching Chemicals like Magnesium react to a flame is also just…fascinating.
Get hands on.
When you have a challenge/disability that effects one or more of your Senses; textbooks, websites and videos can only get you so far.
They can be helpful, but to achieve a fulfilling experience, you need to do things that would equate to the information a person with sight would receive.
-Ask to FEEL the equipment if it’s safe to do so.
-Ask to get a closer look at Chemicals.
-If watching a video/Documentary in class, ask to sit in the front row, or in my case, in front of the teachers’ monitor. (Trust me, it’s great!)
These little things REALLY make a difference.
Do Experiments together.
Or supervise and talk your kid through the process.
Audio Describe things to your child.
This definitely helps.
Go outside on walks dedicated to exploring Nature.
Let your child collect leaves, rocks etc and even Insects.
My mum did this and it gave me the freedom to explore safely, ask lots of questions and help me understand my environment.
Overall, get down on your child’s level, encourage them and never underestimate them.
A bird. (I’m not sure what specific Species though.)
And for a bonus; if it was a Mythical Creature, I’d say Phoenix.
For all the same reasons.
Plus, REBIRTH AND FIRE POWERS! YEAH!
I was going to say Mars, but then I realised, we’re already headed there!
Then I thought Jupiter. But it’s not even solid! It would also incinerate you upon entering the Atmosphere…So not the best holiday destination.
Then it hit me. Saturn!
Just pitch a tent on the Rings, and you can watch a Spinning Planet Ball Of Stuff from a moderately safe distance away. On Spinning Rings!
But seriously. Saturn is definitely an underrated Planet in my opinion.
It’d be cool to see.
I don’t really know of that many LIVING Scientists, but since I was a child, I have always been inspired by Brian Cox.(Physicist)
He has one of the best Documentary-Voices and I’ve learned a lot from him. The Wonders Of The Universe series was excellent.
I even had the chance to attend one of his presentations in Birmingham.
I would also like to give a quick mention to Stephen Hawking. Yes, I’m aware he has passed (RIP) but he was one of the most brilliant people of the 20th Century.
He proved that anything is possible, even with disabilities/challenges.
Which historical scientist do you think made the biggest contribution (good or bad) to humanity and why?
Many would say Einstein or Darwin or Newton, but I think someone different.
Let me introduce to you…
(Imam) Ja'far Al-Sadiq.
He was an 8th Century Scholar, Scientist, Alchemist and Teacher.
He is a highly recognised figure in both the Religious and Scientific world/The West.
A few fun facts.
-Contradicting the likes of Aristotle,
at the age of 11, Ja'far Al-Sadiq
refuted the theory that the Sun, Moon and Planets rotated around the Earth
-He was the first Scholar in the world who separated Science from Philosophy.
-He discovered how Hydrogen could be separated from Water before English Scientist, Henry Cavendish.
Yeah, pretty great, huh?
Can I please please please erase all of Humanity from existence?
It would solve all of our problems!
No? I can’t do that?
Oh…
:(
If you'd like to follow Maleeka please check out her blog maleekaabbas.com
]]>Here's an easy experiment to do from home to understand how some microbes are super important to us. The microbe we use to make bread is called yeast.
Did you know some microbes (bugs) are super important to us and help us make delicious food? We think of bugs as being 'bad' and it's true that some bugs can make us sick, but many bugs are incredibly useful to us.
One useful microbe is yeast (it has a very official sounding scientific latin name of Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Yeast is actually a fungus, other fungi that we eat are mushrooms, pretty delicious, but yeast are absolutely tiny, so tiny you need a microscope to see them, they're smaller than the size of a pinhead.
We use yeast to help us make bread, as the yeast grows and reproduces (makes more yeast cells), it produces a gas called carbon dioxide, which is the same gas that makes the bubbles in fizzy drinks and is the gas we breathe out of our bodies.
The carbon dioxide in our bread causes our bread to fizz up with bubbles. When we bake the bread the bread the little air pockets inside the bubbles are captured by the baked bread and we end up with lovely soft, springy bread.
If we didn't add yeast to our bread we would end up with very flat bread. Can you think of one type of flat bread we like to eat? *We've given you the name of one at the bottom of this blog.
For Parents & Teachers
A great control experiment to do along side is to set up a second plastic drinks bottle (a small empty fizzy drinks bottle with a narrow neck will work well).
What you should see is the balloon over the bottle with the yeast begins to inflate as it fills with CO2 produced by the yeast, but the balloon on the bottle without the yeast does not inflate.
Bake Bread Experiment
If you're feeling creative and scientifically adventurous, you could move on to demonstrate how the yeast has an impact on bread making, by baking two types of bread with the kids, a raised bread and an easy to make, unleavened bread such as chapatti.
Have fun experimenting!
*pitta bread is a flat bread. Another name for flat bread is unleavened bread, it just means it hasn't had yeast added to it.
]]>