Boy Scout Stuff
Secret Ink
On a sheet of writing paper, write your secret message using milk, egg white or lemon juice. Even urine works, though don’t ask us how we found that out. Then let the paper dry and write a normal letter in ink over the top. To uncover the secret message, you need to heat the dried liquid with a flame – though obviously don’t hold it too close! Children, or the most inept secret agents, will need the help of an adult here.
The Secret to the Best Bubbles in the World
Take 125ml washing up liquid or baby shampoo, 300ml water and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Mix well and make sure the sugar has dissolved. Make a circle out of an old coat hanger or strong wire, wrap string or cotton twine around it and cover the handle in tape. Then dip into the mixture, hold aloft and run like the wind! The best bubbles will fly out behind you. This impresses anyone under the age of 10, and quite a lot of people above it.
Good Camp Fire
This requires tinder (small twigs or wood shavings that will burn immediately), kindling (small sticks 1” round or less) and fuel (larger wood that will keep the fire going). Place a small pile of tinder in a clear area and light with a match. Once it has fully started to burn, slowly add smaller pieces of kindling and gradually increase the size. When you have a good fire going, add the fuel. Then get out your guitar and whip the crowd into a frenzy with a tuneful rendition of Kum Ba Yah.
Safety with Fire
- NEVER build a fire near tents or other flammable items.
- NEVER use flammable fluids to start a fire.
- NEVER leave fire unattended.
- Build a fire only as big as you need.
- Make sure to completely extinguish fire.
- Scatter ashes or embers out.
- Sprinkle with water. Stir with a stick. Repeat.
- Drench charred logs.
- Repeat until everything is cold.
Tough Balloons
You will need:
- Balloons filled with air
- Balloons filled with water
- Sticky tape
- 4 30cm x 30cm pieces of thick cardboard from a cardboard box
Note: Make sure you have someone with you when testing this experiment to make sure you do not fall. Also, make sure you test your water filled balloons outside or somewhere that you can get wet!
What to do:
Make two strong platforms by gluing two pieces of cardboard together so that the corrugated lines in the cardboard are going in opposite directions. This should make it extra strong.Start by standing on one of your platforms supported by the balloons filled with air. The balloons stay in place better if you tape them onto the bottom platform and then put the second platform on top. Have a friend pop one balloon at a time. How few balloons still support your weight? Do balloons filled with water hold your weight better or worse than balloons filled with air? Why do you think one works better than the other?
What’s going on?
A gas is made up of atoms surrounded by large amounts of space. This means that a gas can be compressed into a smaller area or volume. In a liquid the atoms are much closer together and the volume of a liquid cannot be reduced.
When you stand on the balloons filled with air you squash the balloons and the gas inside squashes along with it. When you stand on the balloons filled with water the volume inside cannot be reduced and the balloon has to stretch outwards causing it to pop. The more balloons there are under the platform; the easier it becomes to support your weight. As the balloons are squashed downwards the surface area of the balloon touching the platform increases. This means that you are spreading your weight over a much larger surface area and reducing the pressure on each individual balloon.
Natural Dyeing of Eggs
Wash eggs in warm soapy water to remove any oily residue that may impede the colour from adhering to the eggs. Let eggs cool before attempting to dye.
You need to use your own judgment about exactly how much of each dyestuff to use. Except for spices, place a handful (or two or three handfuls) of a dyestuff in a saucepan.
Add tap water to come at least one inch above the dyestuff. NOTE: This will be about 1 cup of water for each handful of dyestuff. Bring the water just to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Let simmer about 15 minutes or up to an hour until you like the colour obtained. Keep in mind that dyed eggs will not get as dark as the colour in the pan. Remove the pan from the heat.
Pour mixture into a liquid measuring cup. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of white vinegar for each cup of strained dye liquid. Pour the mixture into a bowl or jar that is deep enough to completely cover the eggs you want to dye. Use a slotted spoon to lower the eggs into the hot liquid. Leave the eggs in the water until you like the colour. NOTE: Allow the egg to sit in the tea for several hours or overnight. The longer the egg soaks, the deeper the final colour will be. If you plan to eat the eggs be sure to do this step in the refrigerator.
When eggs are dyed to the colour you desire, lift the eggs out with the slotted spoon. Let them dry on a rack or drainer. NOTE: An egg carton works nicely as a drying rack. Be careful to handle the eggs gently and minimally as some of the colours can easily be rubbed off before the egg has dried.
For a textured look, dab the still wet egg with a sponge.
Eggs coloured with natural dyes have a dull finish and are not glossy. After they are dry, you can rub the eggs with cooking oil or mineral oil to give them a soft sheen.
| Color | Items To Dye With |
| Blue | Canned Blueberries |
| Red | Cabbage Leaves (boiled) Purple Grape Juice |
| Brown or Beige | Strong Coffee Instant Coffee |
| Black | Walnut Shells (boiled) Black Tea |
| Brown Gold | Dill Seeds |
| Brown Orange | Chilli Powder |
| Green | Spinach Leaves (boiled) Liquid Chlorophyll |
| Greenish Yellow | Yellow Delicious Apple Peels (boiled) |
| Grey | Purple or red grape juice or beet juice |
| Lavender | Small Quantity of Purple Grape Juice Violet Blossoms plus 2 tsp Lemon Juice Red Zinger Tea |
| Orange | Yellow Onion Skins (boiled) Carrots Paprika |
| Pink | Beets Cranberries or Juice Raspberries Red Grape Juice Juice from Pickled Beets |
| Red | Lots of Red Onions Skins (boiled) Pomegranate juice Canned Cherries (with syrup) Raspberries |
| Violet or Purple | Violet Blossoms Hibiscus tea Small Quantity of Red Onions Skins (boiled) Red Wine |
| Yellow | Orange or Lemon Peels (boiled) Carrot Tops (boiled) Chamomile Tea Celery Seed (boiled) Green tea Ground Cumin (boiled) Ground Turmeric (boiled) or Saffron |
Downloadable Kite Instructions!
But before we break into song again, let’s actually do it with a kite you can make yourself with these downloadable and printable instructions.