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MJorge
Here’s that second homemade popsicle. It might take a little more preparation than the fruitsicles activity and it also involves cooking on the stove, so be extra careful as you enlist your child’s help—the outcome is definitely worth it!
What you’ll need:
- 5 large bananas, cut in half
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
- 2 T margarine
- 2 cups crushed bran flakes, grapenuts, sesame seeds, nuts. (mix and match, your choice)
- 10 popsicle sticks or wooden skewers (as for shish kabobs)
Instructions:
- Insert a skewer into each banana half and freeze until firm.
- Melt together the peanut butter, marshmallows and margarine.
- Cool slightly; pour mixture into a tall narrow glass.
- Dip each frozen banana into the peanut butter mixture, coating evenly.
- Immediately roll in the cereal and freeze. (For longer storage, wrap each banana pop in tin foil before returning to the freezer.)
You should be able to enjoy this delicious treat within an hour or so.
tags: recipes
Too-ticky
Did you know that an 11-year-old boy invented the first popsicle? There hasn’t been a kid since who doesn’t love these frozen treats. Here’s the first of two ideas for making your own popsicles with your preschooler’s help. Both of you will enjoy the results.
What you’ll need:
- popsicle sticks
- popsicle molds or small paper cups
- 2 cups fruit juice (or enough to fill the containers)
Instructions:
Fill the molds or cups with juice. Prop the sticks in the middle of the molds and freeze. Try covering the mold or cup with a piece of tin-foil in order to create small slits to hold the sticks in place during freezing. You can also try mixing up different juices and even adding fruit pieces although remember that purple- or red-colored juices might stain clothes—so white grape juice might be a better alternate.
tags: recipes
Kapungo
Continuing with National Ice Cream Month, here’s an ice cream activity that won’t melt.
Instructions:
- On any size piece of paper, sketch a large ice cream cone.
- Help your child cut the triangle and circle shape out of paper and glue onto a new paper.
- Allow your child to color whatever parts of the cone they wish. Talk about different flavors of ice cream and toppings that might go on the ice cream.
- Buy small foam pieces or even real treats to glue on top of the now colored ice cream cone. Soft gummy bears, licorice rope, or small candies or mints work well as they are lightweight and will remain glued to the picture.
tags: activities
jessicafm
July is National Ice Cream month. Nothing tastes better than homemade ice cream. And nothing feels better to your preschooler than to create or accomplish something exciting “all by themselves.” Here is a simple and effective way to make ice cream with your child.
What you’ll need:
- ice
- salt
- milk
- measuring spoons and cup
- small Ziploc bags
- large plastic bags (a shopping bag is fine)
- towel
Instructions:
- Put one cup of milk into a small Ziploc bag.
- Add two tablespoons of sugar.
- Zip the bag and place into another Ziploc and zip that one as well.
- Place this into a large plastic bag (grocery bags work fine). Then, put this bag into a second large bag.
- Add ice into this last large bag, covering the smaller bags containing the milk and sugar mix.
- Add salt to the ice. This makes it colder and will keep it cold. Note: use a generous amount of salt.
- Close the bag by tying it tightly.
- Wrap a towel around the bag and keep it closed around the bag.
- Have your preschooler shake the towel with the bags inside. It must be shaken for about 15 minutes.
As the ice and milk mixture is shaken, the ice cream starts to form. The milk and sugar thicken and harden. It comes out tasting like ice milk and is thick. The bags with the ice cream can be removed once hardened. Make sure to wash off the salt from the bag right away. The treat can be scooped out and enjoyed!
tags: recipes
I’m afraid that writing thank you notes has become a bit of a lost art, but it’s an important skill that every child needs to learn and practice. I suggest that you buy a box of thank you cards just for the children to send. There are many cute styles wherever greeting cards are sold. A day or two after Christmas, the children sit down to write their thank you’s to grandparents, other relatives, friends, etc. For little ones, you can have them dictate what they want you to write and then they can draw a picture. For school age children, it is helpful if they decide what they want to say and even write a practice letter. The notes don’t need to be long, but they need to be written. And what a treasure for a grandparent or favorite aunt!
tags: holidays
The wrappings from opened gifts at Christmas or Hanukkah at this time of the year can easily become a mess. An easy way to avoid this is to bring a plastic garbage bag wherever the gifts are being opened and put the wrappings immediately inside. This also avoids losing parts from newly opened toys in the piles of papers (something we’ve done before!)
tags: holidays, timely tips
To teach your children to be realistic in making their Christmas lists, give them a toy catalog and let them look for three toys in a particular price range. It will help teach them about numbers, plus help them not have impossible expectations. You can also put your older children on toy store websites and have them search by price.
tags: holidays, timely tips
If we want our children to be charitable and kind to those less fortunate, then we must teach them by example. This holiday season, give your children a wonderful gift—the joy of giving to those in need. The following are some suggestions to get you started in such an important venture.
- Check your coat closet: With your child, go to the coat closet and pull out all the old coats that nobody wears anymore. Take them to the local homeless shelter that serves families. Allow your child to go along and possibly meet another child who might need their coat. Your younger child may not completely understand what is happening, but they’ll surely feel the good feelings that come from giving.
- Donate old toys: Go through old toys together with your children. Make sure you explain to your child what you plan to do and let them help pick out the toys to be given away. Choose clean toys that aren’t broken. If your child really doesn’t want to give a certain toy away—don’t try to force them and make an issue out of it. They will benefit from being consulted and will get into the spirit of it once they have a chance to get more involved.
- Participate in food drives: So many of us take one or more children to the grocery store with us when we shop. One idea, to help them feel ownership of the project, might be to save a little bit each time you go shopping. Have your older kids help you figure out how much money you might save from using coupons, or getting an item on sale. You can even add the amount you saved by not buying a treat. Keep the money in a jar or envelope. When there is enough to buy a few things, take the children grocery shopping with the sole intent of picking up non-perishable food items for a shelter or food bank. Have your children join you to drop the food off at the food bank or food drive.
- Sponsor a needy family: My greatest memories of Christmas as a child were ringing the doorbell of a home, running and hiding behind a snowbank or a parked car with my family. No, we weren’t playing a trick, we had placed presents, food and even a tree on the front porch of a family in need. We waited with anticipation to see the joy on the children’s faces. We were involved in the shopping and present wrapping, and even picking out a tree. Often, we gave up a toy we wanted in order to provide for this other child. What a powerful lesson to learn young. There are many ways to do this with your family. Most malls and community centers will have a “Giving” or “Wishing” tree. Sub-4-Santa is also an excellent organization that can coordinate your family with a family in need.
No matter what you choose to do to introduce these activities to your children, remember that it will mean more to them if they are really involved. Also remember, you are never too young to feel good by giving.
tags: articles, holidays
While teaching your child about the pilgrims crossing the ocean on the Mayflower, a fun prop might be to make Deviled Egg Ships.
- Peel hard-boiled eggs and cut them in half lengthwise.
- Remove the yolks and have your child mash them in a bowl with some mayonnaise and a small amount of prepared mustard.
- Put the yolk mixture back in to the egg-white halves.
- Make sails for the ships by poking two small holes in a small square colored piece of paper. Stick a toothpick in one hole and out the other.
- Place the flags in the yolk mixture and sail away.
tags: holidays, recipes
Thanksgiving is a great holiday for teaching your children a bit of history and a bit about gratitude. Chapter 10 of the Teach Me Mommy book provides stories and art projects to aid you in this endeavor. These chapters provide a few songs you can teach to your children.
Here is a fun and quick song you can also teach your child, submitted by Gayle Bittinger. It is sung to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”:
“Thanksgiving time is here.
Let’s give a great big cheer
For food and friends and family.
Thanksgiving time is here.”
In honor of the holiday, download for free the pattern for the Thanksgiving turkey story (found on the Teach Me Mommy Pattern Pages CD).
tags: fall, from the book, songs
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Teach Me Mommy is a preschool activity guide by Jill Dunford. You can order it here or at Amazon.com.
Inspired by the book, this website is a place where anyone can share preschool activities, games, learning ideas, and teaching tips to help young children learn and grow.
Thanks for visiting!
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