There comes a time in every parent’s life when they must help a child assemble a molecular model of methane gas.

Naturally, styrofoam balls hooked together with lollipop sticks are the material of choice. The sole reason styrofoam was invented was so elementary school children could do science projects, bring them home, and put them in the back of the closet to be crushed under a dollhouse and a wad of dirty clothes. But how do you color the balls? Styrofoam is notoriously hard to work with. It melts under the weight of spray paints. Coloring balls with markers or crayons only leaves a little pile of white gritty foam on the table.

After a lot of trial and error, I found a great solution. I mixed about a tablespoon per ball of Elmer’s School Glue with a few drops of food coloring gel. I rolled the balls around in the dyed glue until fully covered. Then I skewered each ball with a plastic knife and drove the knife upright into small slits I made on the lid of a shoebox so the glue could dry overnight.

In the morning, the glue was dry and the colors were opaque and jewel-toned bright. The balls retained their shape. They were still porous enough that it was easy for my daughter to stab the lollipop sticks into the balls, hooking them together.

Glue-dyed styrofoam balls with plastic lollipop sticks

Methane was never more beautiful.

Thanks to Shannon for hosting WFMW. I am posting this at the very end of Wednesday, so as not to sully her nice tradition over there with trite and virtually useless advice. If I can help one parent and child who are out there, Googling like crazy in the waning hours of the evening, madly looking for styrofoam ball help and on the verge of a meltdown because IT’S DUE TOMORROW, then it is worth it.