Invisible Ink Meets the 21st Century: Augmented Reality #CheerForGold with General Mills!

As of today, the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics are only 19 days away! Do you know how I know that? Besides being just a little obsessed with the Olympics, I have this SUPER handy app on my phone that tells me how many days left until the Olympics start. And let me take pics of myself & the kids with Olympic athletes. And make it snow in my livingroom. AND let me play fun winter Olympic games! It's a little app called "Blippar" and it makes magic happen when you scan a specially marked box of General Mills (an official supporter of the Canadian Olympic Team) cereal or snacks!

Check that out. All I did was point my camera at that box of Nature Valley bars, and all of a sudden, Charles Hamelin was IN MY HOUSE! And also, it was snowing in my house. This magic is called Augmented Reality, and you can find it on the shelves of your grocery store!! If you still don't get Augmented Reality, think: Invisible Ink meets the 21st Century. A secret message that lies in wait, only to be unlocked under just the right lighting.

It really is super easy, but I subjected myself to the video camera to show you just how easy and cool this thing is - be kind, being in front of a video camera is not my preferred position! :)

What a neat way to bring the Olympics into your house. My kids, especially Hendrik, thinks that this trick is absolutely amazing - and my daughter loved having her photo taken with Patrick Chan when he stopped by for lunch the other day!

It's a pretty easy to get this working. You will need an iOS or Android device and a specially marked box! (Cheerios, Oatmeal Crisp, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Reese Puffs, Nature Valley Bars, Gushers, & Fruit by the Foot.)
Download the Blippar App.

 With the app open, point the camera at the specially marked box, and wait for the magic to happen.

Want to make your own Invisible Ink? 
It's far less 'interactive' than Augmented Reality, but it sure makes a great activity for kids on a day off of school! There are a few ways to do this, but this is my personal favourite. (Sidenote - I don't recommend sending the Olympic Athletes fan mail with invisible ink. They probably won't decode it before they set it aside!)
Step One: Mix equal parts baking soda & water. (I used 1Tbsp of each)

Step Two: Using a fine paint brush or a Q-tip, write your message on white paper.

Step Three: Let it dry completely.

Step Four: Decode the message: mix several drops of food colouring with a tough of water. Paint over paper to reveal message!

I was going to show you a craft that we did making a Gold Medal out of Honey Nut Cheerios, but the dog ate it before we could take pictures. Can't blame her, really - I wanted to eat it while DS & I were making it! Another time.

Disclosure: I am part of the Cereal & Snacks Olympic Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.