Cook up ways to keep kids busy

Classic mealtime dilemma: It's 5 p.m. on a hot summer afternoon, everyone in the family is hungry, and you need a few calm moments to yourself to get food prepared and on the table. Here are quick activities to keep kids busy while you cook.

Preschoolers

-- Hide an object or two, such as a banana, spatula or potholder, in another room, give the kids some clues, and they'll enthusiastically start the hunt.

-- Hand your children a basket filled with magnetic-backed toys they can attach to the refrigerator door to spell words, make pictures or create stories.

-- Unroll a long sheet of art paper on the counter, tape it in place and let them doodle and draw pictures with markers and crayons. For extra fun, trace around cookie cutters with markers and let the kids decorate the insides of the shapes of their "paper" cookies. Use the "mural" as a table runner or cut it up for place mats.

School-age

-- Give the kids the directions to this simple science trick, and they'll have mini Fourth of July fireworks shooting in all directions.

Cover the bottom of a pie pan with whole milk (skim won't work) or cream (works best!). Carefully squeeze 10-15 drops of different colors of liquid food coloring randomly on top of the milk. They will look like dots. Do not stir or jiggle the pan. Pour liquid dishwashing detergent into a large spoon, then drizzle the detergent onto the milk around the rim. Within seconds the detergent will penetrate the colored dots. Watch the bowl burst into colorful fireworks, an exciting sight to see!

-- Grab the salt and pepper shakers for an instant magic show. Pour 2 tablespoons of table salt on a tray. Sprinkle or grind a teaspoon of pepper on top of the salt. Flatten it with your fingers so that the pepper is mixed somewhat with the salt.

Ask onlookers how the pepper can easily be removed from the salt, then take a plastic pocket comb and run it through your hair several times. Immediately hold an end of the comb 1 inch above the mixture - - and see the pepper jumping onto the comb. If you put the comb close to the pile, sometimes the salt starts jumping, too, adding to the fun!

Write Donna with your questions and ideas at www.donnasday.com. Donna's latest book, "Donna Erickson's Fabulous Funstuff for Families," is available in bookstores nationwide. ? Donna Erickson Dist. by King Features Syndicate

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