Ant Hill Casting

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Many great YouTube videos on this, but the secret sauce to make it easy to do at home is Pewter. Its low melting point will allow you to melt a brick of pewter over a fire pit, grill, or stove top. Just use an old pot you don’t mind parting with. Scrape off the top few inches of a big ant hill and slowly pour the molten pewter into the tunnels. Let it cool (duh), then carefully dig it out with a shovel. Note this part can suck so try to recruit some other dad help if you can. Regardless, be sure your kid puts in some age appropriate effort as well, which will make the final product all the more rewarding. Talcum powder, or a more aggressive Lysol or bleach spray will keep any pissed off ants from crawling up the shovel. Rinse off the dirt and you’ve got a memorable keepsake that will drive a sense of curiosity and a passion for science and engineering.

MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS:

Judgement: What we see on the surface is but only a fraction of what lies within. You might assume the ants only live in the mound that is build up above ground, but in reality it goes much deeper. Have you ever assumed something but were later surprised to find out you were wrong? Have you ever judged someone for the way they looked, only to later discover how amazing, kind, funny, talented, special they truly were? Like a scientist, recognize your assumptions, test them, and be willing to accept the true reality.