Print

Don’t forget to Tag Us and Share Your Experiences to win our Power Up Your Summer contest! 

@GoKidPower #GoKidPower

Blippi Wonders: Garbage Truck and Popsicle

Summary

In Garbage Truck, Blippi talks to a fly about why flies like garbage. In Popsicle, Blippi talks to a popsicle about why she needs to live in a freezer. You and your child will go along with Blippi as he learns from each of these unique characters.

Prepare to watch the videos by completing the “Jump the Line” activity with your child. Then, play the videos and learn and have fun with Blippi! After the videos are over, do the “Ice Experiment” activity with your child and explore how ice reacts in different conditions.

Don’t forget to tag us and share your experiences to win our Power Up Your Summer Contest!

CLICK HERE to learn more!

Before the Video:

Jump the Line

What you'll need:

  • A space large enough to jump back and forth
  • A jump rope or long stick

Activity steps:

1. Introduce the Activity

Tell your child that you’re going to watch two Blippi videos today, and that in one video, Blippi talks to a character who likes to eat garbage. In the other video, Blippi talks to a character who needs to live in a very cold place to survive.

Explain that these things might seem different from what we like or need to survive, and that you’ll be talking about it together after you watch the videos.

Invite your child to play a game that will help you explore what different things like or need to survive.

2. Get Prepared

Lay a long stick or jump rope in the middle of your play area.

Tell your child that the left side of the line is for things that need or like cold, and the right side is for things that need or like heat. Explain that you’re going to call out the names of a few things. 

If the thing you call needs or likes cold, your child should jump to the left side. If it needs or likes heat, your child should jump to the right side. If it can be happy in either, your child should land with one foot on either side of the line.

3. Play "Jump the Line"

Have your child stand in the middle of the play area, and then call the following:

  • Polar bear
  • Lizard
  • Fire
  • Ice
  • Humans

You can choose to stop here, or add a few more ideas of your own.

If you like, invite your child to call out the names of some other things, while you “jump the line.”

4. Reflect

Ask your child how their mind and body feel right now, after playing this game. Explain that there’s no right or wrong way to feel.

5. Extend the Activity

You can play this game again using different categories, like:

  • land/water
  • plants/animals (herbivore/carnivore)
  • wilderness/with people

During the Video:

Move and Learn with Blippi

What you'll need:

  • The Garbage Truck and Popsicle videos. Head to gokidpower.org to find them! 
  • Space to move.

Activity steps:

1. Introduce the Activity

Invite your child to join you in watching two short Blippi videos. Remind them that you’ll be following along as he talks to two different characters about things they like or need to survive.

Explain that during the videos, the Blippi Mobile might fly, hop, or swim — and that you’ll pretend to do those things, too!

2. Make Room

Find a place that has enough space for both of you to move comfortably.

3. It's Time!

Play the videos and have fun doing the same motions as the Blippi Mobile, while you and your child learn from the characters Blippi meets.

4. Reflect

When the video is over, ask your child why flies like garbage, and why popsicles need to be very, very cold. 

Ask your child if they like garbage or being very, very cold. 

Remind them of the “Jump the Line” activity you did together earlier — different things like or need different foods and environments. What might seem strange or uncomfortable to one person might be just the thing someone or something else needs to be happy!

Take a few moments to talk about some of the things that each of you like and dislike, and explain that it’s okay to like and need different things.

5. Talk About Giving Back

Finally, ask your child how it feels knowing that they’ve helped other kids through Kid Power! Do they know what a ready to use therapeutic food packet is? Which local cause did they decide to donate to?

After the Video:

Ice Experiment

What you'll need:

  • 4 ice cubes that are similar in size.
  • 4 small cups or plates.
  • A sunny, warm location and a cool, shady location.
  • Salt.
  • A clock.
  • A piece of paper and pencil (optional).

Activity Steps:

1. Introduce the Activity

Remind your child that the popsicle character Blippi spoke with needed to live in the freezer to survive. Her ideal temperature was 32 degrees Fahrenheit, 0 degrees Celsius. 

Explain that now you’re going to do an experiment in which you’ll see how long ice takes to melt in the sun, in the shade, and when salt is added.

2. Get Prepared

Have your child help you place one ice cube in each cup/plate.

Together, place two ice cubes in a shady, cool location. Pour some salt on one of the ice cubes. Place two ice cubes in a sunny, warm location. Pour some salt on one of the ice cubes.

Take note of what time you placed the ice cubes in their spots. 

Ask your child how long they think each ice cube will take to melt. Write their predictions down, if you wish.

3. Observe the Ice

After about 5 minutes, check on the ice cubes. Ask your child to note any changes. Are any of them starting to melt? If so, which ones are melting fastest? Why?

Continue to check on the ice cubes at regular intervals. Depending on how hot the day is, you may need to wait more or less time between checks.

4. Reflect

Ask your child what they noticed about which ice cubes melted the fastest. Ask why they think that happened.

Ask what else they might do to the ice that would speed up the melting time.

5. Extend the Activity

If your child has some ideas about how to speed up the melting process, try a few of them! 

If your child has questions about why salt makes ice melt faster, you can do an Internet search to find a child-friendly video explanation.

What Else Can You Do?

What Gives You Energy?

Remind your child that the fly in the garbage truck gets energy from the food he finds there. Together, make a list or draw a picture of the healthy foods you love that give you energy. Were any of those foods in the fly’s garbage truck? You might talk about how your bodies feel when you’ve had too much unhealthy food. Do you feel like you have more or less energy?

“Freeze” Dance

Play Freeze Dance with your child. In this version, when the music stops you need to pretend you’re in a freezer, like a popsicle! What would you be doing with your body if you were in a freezer with the popsicle from the video?

Make Healthy Popsicles

Pour some fruit juice or yogurt into a popsicle mold and freeze it. Add cut up fruit for some extra fun! If you don’t have a popsicle mold, try putting the ingredients into an ice cube tray. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and poke a toothpick through the plastic into each section. Share your creations with us! @GoKidPower #GoKidPower #PowerUpGuides

Our Partners

Follow us for more UPDATES