Make it Gourmet - Handwritng Practice

I don't know why I didn't think of this any other time, but I suddenly thought Alice would enjoy playing with lemon juice to write "secret messages" tonight.  Admittedly, I'm encouraging my six year old to "play" with fire, but she knows the rules (and I reminded her that the rules included - only when mommy and daddy are right with her).  In any case, it turned out to be a great offering for a fun evening activity to do, because it was really difficult to get her to STOP writing when it was time to get ready for bath.

PLUS that is what makes it gourmet. It is something she only gets to do once in a rare while, AND its super cool. 

 

If you aren't aware of the so-called secret. Just dip a toothpick in lemon juice (as if you are using a quill and ink) and write with the juice. You'll need to re-dip often. After the juice dries (unless you used a whole bunch), you won't be able to read the message until after it has been heated. Our hair drier doesn't get hot enough so we had to do the heating part with candles. Keep the heat source moving, but moving slowly in comparison to the paper (or the paper in comparison to the heat source). Wherever there was lemon juice will brown faster than the paper around it revealing your "secret message".

 

OF COURSE if you do this activity, please be CAREFUL and use fire safety precautions.  This really is not a "safe" activity.  Use caution.  We had tongs for holding the paper, and TWO adults present for our ONE child (not to mention a cleared space and water).