kensington regatta

October 24th, 2009

It is rainy season, here. I embraced the puddle time last week by using it as an excuse to teach a little science. (I’m thoroughly enjoying having a 5 year old!!)

First we tested potential vessels for their ability to float and then their weight capacity. I brought out a bowl, cup, lego raft, inverted plastic hard hat, and gold pan. They all passed the float test. The lego raft was the first to sink under the weight of a key-lime sized pebble. Only the hard hat and gold pan could hold the softball sized rock. None could hold Will.
initialregatta

Next we pulled out a bunch of plastic tops, popsicle sticks and fashioned sailboats.
makingsails

Will drew the sails. I cut and taped while he worked on his custom boat. The custom boat was the best floater of the second regatta. The muffin cups were the fastest.
regatt2

Nothing survived tsunami Will. Will attributed the supreme floating skills of his raft to the deflated balloon taped to it’s bottom. I’m thinking it had less surface area to take on water during the tsunami.
tsunamiwill

The cleanup process:
postregattacleanup

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