Jell-O Gelatin Pan for Play-Dough?

     This afternoon, my oldest kept telling me how bored she and her younger sister were. So I decided to take my daughters into the kitchen to make some of our favorite homemade play-dough.
     They had fun a lot of fun helping me, but they had even more fun looking for "tools" to use to play with the dough. They dug through my cupboards, looking for things that they could use. They had found some of their small plastic forks, some cookies cutters, cups, etc. but my oldest daughter found my ole' Halloween plastic gelatin Jell-O pan. This pan turned out to be the best, and most popular thing for my girls to play with. I thought they'd want to play with the cookie cutters, but I was wrong.

     I had a lot of fun watching my daughters playing with their play-dough and this pan. My kids wanted to shove the dough inside the openings of the pan, but had a hard time pulling the dough out with their tiny hands. So I decided that it would probably be best to turn the pan over to do some "stamping". It worked wonderfully, and was a lot easier for my girls to manage the dough that way. I could tell that they really liked pressing their dough onto the pan, then peeling it off to see their creation on the back. Somehow, they thought it was the best thing in the world.

      I am so glad that we did this, because we were all entertained for over an hour with this activity. I think we'd still be sitting there, if it wasn't for having to clean up to get ready for dinner.

Dying Easter Eggs

     Dying Easter Eggs is one of my favorite Easter activities, and I am very proud to pass on this love to my daughters. With just the three of us, I usually use a box kit to dye my Easter Eggs. This year, I decided to use my classic DIY Easter Egg dye that I would use while teaching my preschoolers.

To dye eggs without an Easter Egg Dying Kit, you will need:

-Vinegar
-Water
-Eggs (Hard Boiled)
-Food Coloring
-Spoons and Cups (one for each color)
-Some Paper Towels

Step #1: Boil your eggs, and make sure to save your hot water from boiling.
Step #2: After the eggs have boiled, pull them out and place them nicely on a paper towel to dry.
Step #3: Pour 3/4 cup of boiling water into each cup.
Step #4: Pour 3 tablespoons of vinegar into each cup needed.
Step #5: Add approximately 10 drops of food coloring into each of their cups. (The more drops added to each cup, the more vibrant the color will be on each egg.)
Step #6: Place the eggs in their cups, and leave for a few minutes. (The longer the egg is in its cup, the darker the egg will become) Continually adjust your eggs using a spoon, this will help even the color around the egg.
Step #7: Once the egg has reached its desired color, pull it out and place it on a paper towel to dry.

     The best thing about this dye recipe is, crayon can be added to the egg to help resist the dye just like the typical Easter Egg Dying Kits that are sold in stores. This recipe definitely helps save a few dollars, but I have found it really helpful when dying eggs with multiple children. I have used this method several times, especially while teaching upwards of 25 children.
I wouldn't recommend dying Easter Eggs as a whole group activity, but I would most definitely suggest doing it in small groups for center time. That way, the teacher can monitor each child and clean up any mess before it "gets out of hand". I would also recommend having the children wear smocks, or old clothing sent from home. This will prevent their nice clothes from getting stained.

     Thanks for stopping by. Please let me know if you decide to do this activity with your kiddos, and how it turned out for you. I always enjoy hearing from you. Thanks again! 

Homemade Watercolor

     Painting is a lot of fun. Unfortunately, when you don't have any paint to use then an alternative must be used. My daughter and I ran into this same problem. Luckily, I remembered a quick watercolor recipe that  my mom used when I was younger. This recipe calls for water and food coloring, I have used liquid dish soap, in the past too. (It makes the paint  bubbly, and fun for kids to paint with). Needless to say, I used the dish soap with the water and food coloring. Brooklee loved it!

How I made my watercolor:

I pulled out 2 plastic cups, and poured a small amount of dish soap into each cup. I slowly added some water to the dish soap. I then asked Brooklee which colors she had wanted to paint with. She instantly picked pink and blue. I added a few drops of each color to their own cup, and then slowly stirred the color into each cup.

After the watercolor had been made, I handed Brooklee some paper and a paintbrush. She enjoyed painting, and seeing all of the bubbles in her watercolor.

The results looks just the same as the store bought watercolors that you find in the store. And it's cheaper! I would recommend anyone use this recipe, especially those who care for children.

Guest Speaker: Amber from "Dessert Now, Dinner Later!"

Hi there!  My name is Amber & I blog over at Dessert Now, Dinner Later!  I share all things sweet & savory alongside my knowledge & skills as a culinary graduate.  If you ever have a culinary question, don't be shy to ask!  I love to ease your cooking/baking concerns. 
I remember starting to enjoy cooking with my mother when I was about 11 years old.  My favorite time together in the kitchen was when we would bake pies & other desserts for Thanksgiving & Christmas.  Creating things in the kitchen brings people together.  I love it!  That time in the kitchen with my mom at that ripe young age sparked my interest into making food a huge part of my life.  

I graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Nutrition & Food Sciences, emphasizing in Culinary Arts at Utah State University in 2008.  I have been in 3 different bakeries & 1 restaurant that also catered.  So I know a bit about food.  Stop by my blog for some delicious recipes.  I also have a recipe link party on Saturdays.  If you are a food blogger, come by & share your recipes!  It starts every Friday night at 9:00pm MST.  


So the reason I am here today is because Jacque asked me to come by & share a recipe that I enjoy making with my children.  I have two cute little kiddos.  A 3 1/2 year old boy & a 1 1/2 year old girl.  Since they are so young, their cooking & baking skills are pretty limited.  I like to keep it to things that they can help roll or shape, like bread or cookie dough.  They also like to shake or stir things, like coating food with crumbs in a zip-top baggie or stirring kool-aid.  And of course licking the bowl & spoon of whatever I am making...they are professionals at that!

With that being said, I brought my favorite recipe to make with my kids.  MUDDY BUDDIES!  Right now I have two variations on my blog:

Cherry Cheesecake Muddy Buddies

Gingerbread Puppy Chow

Muddy Buddies are extremely versatile & perfect for little helpers because they can help push the buttons on the microwave to melt the morsels & they can shake the coated cereal in a zip-top baggie.  Plus they are fun to munch on. 

Here is a general recipe outline to making your own muddy buddy creations:  

Muddy Buddy Recipe Outline

From: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

• 1 (10-12 oz bag) chocolate or other flavored morsels
• 1 Tbsp shortening (to thin out the melted morsels)
• 5 cups Rice Chex Cereal
• Approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cups powder (cake mix, powdered sugar, pudding mix, or gelatin mix or combination)

1. In a LARGE bowl melt your bag of morsels (chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter, cherry, cinnamon etc) with the shortening in the microwave on 50% power for 60 seconds at a time.  Stirring & re-heating until melted.
2. Add Chex cereal & fold with a spatula gently until the cereal is well-coated.
3. Combine approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cups worth of desired powders (cake mix, powdered sugar, pudding mix, gelatin mix, or any combination.) in a zip-top baggie.
4. Add coated cereal to the zip-top baggie, zip shut, & shake until evenly distributed. Enjoy!

BONUS: I have compiled some tips & age appropriate tasks when inviting your child(ren) into the kitchen.  This is an educational blog after all.  These are just guidelines.  Adapt these activities to suit your child's needs & interests within your (the parent's) comfort zone.

Kids in the Kitchen: Ages 3 & Under
Toddlers this age are too young to have "helping" in the kitchen.  Alternative activities can be:

• Buy a kitchen play set to mimic what you are doing in the kitchen.
• Leave pots, pans, tupperware, & other safe items in the lower cupboards or drawers so they can play with them.  This helps them feel like not everything is completely "off-limits" in the kitchen.
• Let them snack in their high chair while they watch you cook.
• Teach them the dangers of HOT things in the kitchen.
• Let them taste everything you make, so they appreciate different foods/flavors & sparks that desire to create in the kitchen.
• Practice hand washing before eating.
• Teach them new words of the foods/equipment you are using.
• Point out senses that they use in the kitchen: smelling the food as it cooks, touching the different textures of ingredients (like flour vs sugar), seeing things cook from the oven window, hearing the water boiling on the stove, & tasting the meal after it's made.
• Allow them to be the official bowl/spoon licker :)

Kids in the Kitchen: Ages 3-6 years old
Children in this age group can be your "Sous/Assistant Chef" by:

• Adding/pouring pre-measured ingredients
• Gathering ingredients
• Helping set the table for dinner & gather dirty plates after the meal
• Washing table with a rag
• Opening packages
• Scrubbing fruits & veggies
• Tearing lettuce
• Using blunt scissors to cut food
• Using a can opener
• Stirring liquids, doughs, or dry ingredients
• Shaping rolls (it's like playing with play dough for them)
• Shaking/coating foods in a zip-top bag
• Spreading condiments, dressings, fillings & frostings using a small spatula/butter knife/sandwich spreader
• Squeezing lemons/oranges/limes
• Mashing potatoes
• Peeling bananas, oranges, or eggs
• Cut-out shapes for sugar cookies

Kids in the Kitchen: Ages 7-11 years old 
These children to pre-teens are now Chefs in Training & should be able to:

• Measure ingredients with cups or spoons accurately
• Peel/shred vegetables
• Fill muffin tins
• Scoop cookies
• Crack eggs into a bowl
• Cut soft foods with a blunt knife
• Knead & roll dough
• Help plan meals
• Make simple recipes with 6 ingredients or less
• Microwave with supervision
• Use a hand mixer with supervision
• Whisk liquids
• Roll meatballs

Kids in the Kitchen: Ages 12-15 years old 
Teenagers are now Junior Chefs in the Kitchen & are ready to learn:

• Knife safety & how to chop vegetables with supervision
• Oven/Stovetop safety & how to use with supervision
• How to plan & shop for meals
• How to use the electric mixer, blender, grater, & other kitchen appliances or sharp utensils with supervision
• How to follow steps in simple recipes

Kids in the Kitchen: Ages 16-18 years old 
These "young adults" are now Senior Chefs in the kitchen & should:

• Use math skills to half & double recipes (can apply to previous age group as well)
• Cook a meal once a week or on a semi-regular basis for the whole family
• Experiment making world cuisines (Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Peruvian, etc) & expand their cooking genre
• Plan balanced menus for dinners, parties, or other special events
• Learn how to shop for ingredients while learning costs of different foods & ways to save (especially important for when they go off to college & have to buy & make their own meals)
• Learn new skills such as canning or drying foods

If you liked what I shared please tell your friends & come visit me:

http://dessertnowdinnerlater.blogspot.com/

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DIY Playdough

 

I'm about to share a money saving recipe for all of you teachers and parents out there. I hate spending a lot of money on cases of play-dough, only to have the colors get mixed together and dried up.

This recipe is so easy, and very safe... so safe that you and your kids can make it together. Not to mention, it is safe enough to eat. {I wouldn't recommend it though, because it tastes horrible.}

To make this DIY play-dough, all you need to do is:

Mix together 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of salt, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, and one cup of water. Once you have mixed all of these ingredients together thoroughly, you may divide your dough up. As you can tell, I separated my dough into 4 equal parts. Place the dough in separate Ziploc-baggies, and added food coloring into each bag. "Zip" the bags up, and then "mash" the food coloring into the dough. This was especially fun for my kids, because they both got to help "mash" the food coloring into their own dough, without making any mess.

Once the color is mixed in, it is ready to be pulled out to have fun with. Remember to keep your Ziploc-baggies. That way when you are finished, your dough won't dry out.

I hope you enjoy using this recipe. If you decide to use this recipe, please let me know how it turned out. I would love to hear from you.

 

Homemade Puffy Paint Recipe

My 3 year old daughter, Brooklee, really enjoys being crafty. She can spend a lot of time coloring, painting, and drawing. Sometimes she gets tired of using crayons, markers, water colors, and colored pencils. For these times, I've set aside some amazing homemade paint recipes {that hardly cost anything!} to make especially for her.

Today, we made some of our homemade Puffy Paint. 

(the paint actually dries "puffy", leaving a 3D image)

To make some of your own, you will need:

- Flour 

-Salt

-Water

-Food Coloring

 -Scissors

 - Construction paper-- or any heavy paper

- Ziplock Baggies (1 baggie per color that you will want to use)

 

What you will need to do:

You will need to mix equal amounts of salt, flour, and water together. Divide the mixture into your Zip-lock baggies, then add a few drops of food coloring to each bag. Seal the baggies completely. Combine the flour/salt mixture with the food coloring by shaking each bag. Once the mixture has been colored, make a small cut in one of the bottom corners to help squeeze the mixture out to make a design on your construction paper.

Now that your design is done, set aside and let dry.