Fruit become floating fish and a fun bath or pool toy in this activity.

What You Need

• Citrus fruit (lemons, oranges, grapefruits and/or limes)
• Sharp knife
• Spoon

What You Do

1. Cut Fruit into Two Pieces
   Hold the fruit lengthwise and cut off the top quarter of the fruit. Make sure that you cut above the tip (the pointy notch at the end of lemons and the rounded circle point of the grapefruit). You will have two pieces of fruit—one big, one small.
2. Clean Out Pulp
   Clean out the pulp from the inside of the fruit (both the large and small section) using fingers or a small spoon. This can be done by either the parent or the child. If using a lime, make sure that the pulp is cleaned out extra well as the thinner skin makes it more difficult to float. (Parents: don’t forget to make a glass of lemonade to enjoy!)
3. Cut Fruit into Animal Shapes
   • Use a sharp knife to cut out an animal shape from the small section of the fruit. Try making fish, starfish, rays—whatever you would like in your ocean.
   • Make the big piece of fruit into a fish by taking the knife and carefully slicing sideways into the rind of the fruit. You can create fins, a tail and eyes. Be sure not to cut all of the way through the rind of the fruit! (See the picture for examples.)
   • Tip: If the big fish doesn’t work out, cut the fruit rind into smaller pieces to make smaller creatures.
4. Play With Your Fish
   Now take the fruity aquatic shapes to the bath or pool and have some fun!
   • • Note: To recycle your floating toys, add a few teaspoons of salt the inside of the skin. This will keep it from rotting and you’ll have a pleasant citrus air freshener for a few days

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