Scouts Canada teaches parents to say yes to kids' wild experiments

Children build a multi-coloured volcano. March 15, 2023 (Courtesy: Scouts Canada)

More than half of Canadian kids say 'they want to blow stuff up" as a National Kids Yes Day activity with their parents.

On Scout Canada's first Kids Yes Day, Scouts wants parents to say yes to kids' requests for fun activities that may seem crazy at first glance, even slightly risky.

Volunteer Scouters have offered solid pro tips and hacks to support families in bringing their kids' zany ideas to life in a way that is age and skill appropriate, safe and most importantly—fun for both the kids and parents.

"In our survey, parents say it's messy, risky or dangerous," said Mike Eybel, a Scout leader for nine years.

"I think they just didn't know where to start. On our website, we've got infographics on what to do. So if your kids say they want to pet a lion in your living room, maybe it's time for a trip to the zoo or maybe a friend has a cat they can pet."

The Scouts Canada survey found:

• 44% of kids want to light fireworks
• 44% want to fly an airplane (or spaceship)
• 42% want to do 'wacky science experiments.'
• 41% want to ride a dirt bike
• 40% want to get close to a lion or other animal (some even want to pet them.)
• 36% would like to light a fire themselves

The survey helped discover it's important to talk to your kids and find out what the most interesting part of the activity is to them. If it's blowing things up - do they love the boom sound? Is it the visual part they love? Is it seeing what's left of an exploding object?

Identify obstacles, plan ahead, set safe parameters, and set yourself up to problem-solve in real time.

Most importantly, find a pivot idea that helps your kids still experience the 'main draw' in a safe, practical way that is age and skill appropriate.

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"My kids wanted to go to space," Eybel said. He set up water bottles, with pin holes in the lids to fit the bicycle pump adapter into, and set up targets on the front lawn.

"My daughter had put green paint in her bottle. It shot up, landed on the roof and then dripped down the white siding," Eybel said with a laugh. "A little rain washed that off.'

To join a Simcoe County Shining Waters Scouts group, visit the website and type in your postal code.

Kids' Craziest ideas:

• "Follow a bear to its lair."
• "Juggle daggers."
• "Trap a wild animal, pat it … and bring it home."

Safe ways to deliver explosive excitement:

Colour Burst Kaboom:  You'll want to enjoy this exploding lunch bag 'exploding lunch bag' activity outside.

Erupting Soap: Easy and affordable to do indoors with a microwave, minimal mess and all the fun.

Kaleidoscope Volcano:  A colourful twist on the classic 'lavapalooza'.