Steam Makes Water

At lunch today, Daniel announced that he wanted to try the soup. I was encouraged as he is usually resistant to trying new foods, which he calls “different”. I think the fact that his grandma, his gumby, and his mom were all enjoying it convinced him to open his options up a bit. My mom placed a bowl down on the table and cautioned him that is was hot and that we needed to allow it to cool down before he could try it. He was a little impatient so I offered to blow off a spoonful so he could give it a try.

“Mom, be careful of the steam. It is hot!” he cautioned. “It will go up and make water!” He exclaimed, raising his hands up to indicate the direction the steam was rising.

“Yes, as the steam cools, it becomes water. That is right!” I smiled proudly.

My parents were both duly impressed. Thanks EcoTarium for your weather exhibit last month! What an impression the cloud demonstration had made! We watched the steam rise from the water being heated by hot plates and Daniel had run his hands through the cool steam vortexes spiraling upward, marveling at how it left his hands wet. We'd spend at least 30 minutes on one occasion playing with the steam. After that, we hadn't mentioned it at all. His memory of this really impressed upon me the mindfulness that must be employed with small children. We often don't give them enough credit in terms of their ability to remember things and to construct complex intellectual concepts and relationships at a young age.

He only tried one bite of the soup, which he labeled “different” and asked to be excused from the table. I guess you can't win them all!