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Thursday, November 29, 2012 by Shelley Miles
Recipes, Science, Crafts, December Activities
DECEMBER 17 - National re-gifting day, Wright brothers day, National Maple Syrup Day
Re-gifting is a wonderful way to teach children about giving from the heart. Ask your child to select a toy that they’ve out-grown (hopefully in good shape) Have them find all the pieces, clean and repair the toy. Your child can give the toy to a younger sibling, or someone else that they think will really enjoy it. You may be surprised at the joy this brings to both the child giving the gift, and the child receiving the gift, giving something that has been loved. We did this all the years the kids were growing up, and these special gifts from each other were among their favorites. A side benefit? It really helps keep the clutter down. There is a rocking horse in our family that has now belonged to 15 children. Each of the children who’ve “owned” the horse has their name inscribed on the horse.
No matter where you live, you can enjoy a taste of New England by making some authentic Vermont Snow Candy.
Ingredients
- 1 quart of pure Vermont maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon of butter
- Shaved ice or fresh snow
How to
- Combine ingredients
- Heat until a candy thermometer placed in the mixture reaches 234 degrees F.
- Cool slightly until it reaches the consistency of taffy.
- Drizzle over small bowls of shaved ice or fresh snow.
Today commemorates the first successful flights of Orville and Wilbur Wright near Kitty Hawk, No. Carolina.Kids can discover some basic concepts of flight building their own paper airplanes. Origami-Kids has 10 paper airplanes designs to experiment with. Which fly the furthest? Which go highest?
Thursday, November 29, 2012 by Shelley Miles
Recipes, December Activities
DECEMBER 19 - Write to a friend month, Oatmeal muffin day
In the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we tend to simply scrawl our names in cards before sending them off in the mail. Consider adding a personal letter to at least a few of the cards you send out this month. Another alternative is a typed family newsletter that can be copied and enclosed with each card. Or tuck in a drawing made by one of your children. These personal touches will make your correspondence all the more meaningful. I dont know why there is an oatmeal muffin day, but they are delicious and nutritious.
Oatmeal Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry oatmeal
- 1 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
- 1 egg 1/2 cup brown or white sugar
- 1/3 cup canola or corn oil
- 1-1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped apples (optional), dried cranberries or chopped walnuts
How to
- In a large bowl combine the oatmeal yogurt.
- Let it stand for a few minutes so the oatmeal absorbs the moisture. Add the egg, sugar and oil.
- Beat for about 30 seconds.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
- Mix until well blended.
- Add any optional ingredients
- Spoon the batter into muffin cups, filling each about half full.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Thursday, November 29, 2012 by Shelley Miles
December Activities, Recipes
DECEMBER 23 - Roots day
Fresh root vegetables are plentiful and inexpensive in winter. This easy, delicious recipe can be enjoyed by all ages. For toddlers, cut the cooked vegetables into very small pieces. For infants, simply mash the cooked pieces. And the leftover raw veggies can be used as a tasty addition to your vegetable soup. Peel and cut a variety of root vegetables into 2-inch pieces. Try potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, onions, sweet potatoes, beets and yams. Explain to your child that root vegetables grow under the ground, tell him, or her, the different names, and point out all the colors. Add 1 tablespoon of olive or canola oil to the cut up vegetables and toss in a baking dish Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Season to taste.
Thursday, November 29, 2012 by Shelley Miles
December Activities, Book List
DECEMBER 29 - Molly (Garrett) Bang birthday
Molly (Garrett) Bang has written many beautiful books for children often drawing on folk tales from many lands. If you haven't discovered Molly Bang yet, your kids are missing out on some delightful story telling. Curl up in front of the fire and enjoy some of these wonderful stories.
Thursday, November 29, 2012 by Shelley Miles
Book List, Crafts, December Activities
DECEMBER 30 - Falling needles family fest day, Mercer Mayer's birthday
How many of us have grown up on the antics of Little Critter? Mercer Mayer has been delighting us with the antics of Little Critter for over 35 years in over 200 books. Happy birthday!
So the needles are falling and it's time to think about getting rid of the tree. Or, think about feeding the birds in the tree outside.
Check out this wonderful memory and craft from Catherine Wood of Luminarium Learning
In December, my children and I make a lot of treats to share with family and friends. A few years ago, my stepmother (in an attempt to duck the sugar and fat) asked her granddaughters if they would make something festive and special for the birds she feeds in her backyard. After a bit of research, here’s what we came up with:
Pine Cone Ornaments
What you need:
- Pine cones
- 1 Cup chunky, unsalted peanut butter (the less refined, the better)
- 1 cup oats (raw oatmeal)
- 1 cup cornmeal
- Seeds (raw, unsalted)
- Raisins Cranberries (fresh, raw)
- Thread
How to
- Mix together the peanut butter, oats and cornmeal.
- Smear it over the pine cones, rubbing it into the cracks.
- Roll the cones in seeds, raisins and/or cranberries.
- Tie a 12” piece of thread securely around the top of the pine cone, and hang it from a tree or feeder.
The girls grazed their way through the dried fruit, peanut butter and seeds, and I never worried about the nutritional value of these ingredients. And, according to Grandma, the treats were a big hit with the birds.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012 by Shelley Miles
Recipes, December Activities
DECEMBER 2 - National cookie cutter week, National fritters day
Fritters are pieces of fruit, vegetables, meat, or cheese deep-fried in batter. It is believed that the origin of this food resides in Northern Europe and dates back to medieval times. Fritters were often eaten to celebrate religious holidays, but you can fry some up any time. Try these with bananas for a taste sensation.
Apple Fritters
Ingredients
- Prepared pancake batter
- 4 or 5 large Granny Smith apples
- Cooking oil
- Confectioners’ sugar (optional)
- Cinnamon (optional)
How To
- Peel and core 4 or 5 large apples
- slice into 1/2 inch rings.
- Meanwhile, in deep skillet or deep-fat fryer, slowly heat oil (at least 2 inches deep) to 375 degrees on deep-frying thermometer or until small bubbles form around a wooden chopstick.
- Roll apple rings in prepared pancake batter, coating evenly.
- Deep-fry rings a few at a time 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, or until golden-brown on both sides.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar or cinnamon.
(Makes about 16 fritters) I've never been able to make enough of these. :-D
So many cookie cutters – so little time. Ever since my kids were small, we’ve always set aside an evening during the holidays to bake cookies together. When we emerged covered in flour and frosting, we’d spent a wonderful evening laughing, mixing, rolling, cutting and frosting and tasting. The kids have graduated from mixing, to measuring, to cutting out the cookies – and now have mastered the whole process – including creating their own masterpieces – Marilyn Monroe, Batman Santa – in addition to traditional favorites.
Here are some favorite recipes for giving and eating.
Reindeer Cookies
- Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe, or store-bought prepared sugar cookie dough- home made dough holds it’s shape best.
- Roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick.
- Cut into triangle shapes.
- Add mini M&Ms, raisins or chocolate chips for eyes and and a red M&M for the nose.
- Press in curly or twisted pretzels for antlers.
- Bake according to cookie dough recipe.
Rugelah
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour 1 8 oz. package cream cheese
- 1/4 lb stick of unsalted butter
- Approximately 1/8 cup ice water
- 1/8 tsp salt
- Jam
How to
- Beat together flour, cream cheese, butter.
- Add enough ice water for the dough to turn into a ball.
- Cover, and let dough rest in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Roll out fist size balls of dough to 1/8 inch thick.
- Cut like a pizza into wedges.
- Place ½ tsp of jam (pick your favorite) at the fat end of the wedge. Gently roll the fat end of the wedge over the jam. Continue rolling to create a crescent shape. Gently pinch the corners and place on a cookie sheet.
- Bake approximately 20 minutes at 350 until golden.
- Makes around 30 small cookies
Wednesday, November 28, 2012 by Shelley Miles
Crafts, December Activities
DECEMBER 3 - National roof over your head day
Every year, I’ve wondered why we bother buying toys for kids – they would much rather play with the box. Turn a box into a playhouse and your child will soon be furnishing it, spending time inside it, and using it as a springboard for all types of imaginative play. You can also turn large boxes into different kinds of buildings. If you have multiple boxes, set up an entire community!
Play House
Supplies
- A large box from a furniture or appliance store
- Nontoxic markers
- Scissors or carpet knife (for adult use)
- Masking tape
- Nontoxic glue
How To
1. Cut a door in the box large enough for your child to go in and out of easily. If you want to the door to open and close, make a “swinging door” by cutting the door on three sides only (top, bottom, and one side).
2. Make a doorknob by cutting out a round hole, or gluing on an empty spool.
3. Draw and cut out two or more windows. If you would like shutters, leave the sides attached.
4. Encourage your child to help decorate the inside and outside of the house with felt markers, crayons or tempera paint. Decorate the inside with your child’s artwork or pictures from magazines.
5. You can cut off the bottom and top flaps off an oversize carton and use them to create window boxes, a mailbox, a chimney—even a pitched roof.
6. Invite your child to “move in” to the new house by bringing stuffed animals and blankets inside.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012 by Shelley Miles
Santa Claus, Christmas, December Activities
DECEMBER 4- Operation Santa Paws week, Santa's list day, Wear brown shoes day
In Germany and Holland, Christmas is called St. Nicholas Day. In these countries, children leave their boots or shoes outside the night before Christmas, so that St. Nicholas will come by and fill them with treats. Instead of wearing brown shoes today, fill them up with goodies for a needy child instead. Line the inside of new or outgrown kids’ shoes with tissue paper. Fill with treats such as candy and cookies or small useful items. Make a holiday greeting card and donate the shoes to a local children's charity.
During the holiday season extra help is needed for the thousands of abused and abandoned animals in the care of local animal shelters and rescues all over the world. One local grassroots organization from Long Beach, Calif., Operation Santa Paws for abused dogs and cats was started by Justin Rudd in 2001 to collect treats, supplies, food and toys. Join this grassroots effort. Download a poster at Santa Paws to attach to your collection box. There’s even a wish list items needed most. Once you’ve collected toys and treats, take them to your nearest animal shelter.
Today is the day Santa starts checking out his naughty and nice lists. Which one are you on?
Wednesday, November 28, 2012 by Shelley Miles
Bobby Darrin, December Activities, Musi
DECEMBER 5- Walt Disney's birthday, Bathtub party day
The wind is blowing and it's cold outside. Time to call some friends, put on bathing suits and jump into a nice warm tub. Grab a rubber ducky, a few plastic bowls and measuring cups, and a colander - and the kids are ready for a fantastic bathtub party. Who cares if it's Sunday instead of Saturday night?
Celebrate the birthday of the man who brought so much joy to children through his animated cartoons and films by watching a favorite Disney movie or reading a treasured Disney book. To add to the fun, whip up some chocolate cupcakes and give them peppermint patty “ears” (cut in half) to honor Walt Disney’s most famous creation of all.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012 by Shelley Miles
Crafts, December Activities
DECEMBER 6 - St. Nicholas day, Coats and toys for kids day, Mitten tree day
This is a fun, easy activity for you and your child to do together. Cut mittens out of different colors of construction paper, then use crayons or glitter glue to add festive patterns to the cut-outs. Punch a hole in the bottom of each mitten, and hang from a nice, twiggy branch discovered outdoors. “Plant” the branch in a red bucket of sand, and display your whimsical winter decoration for all to enjoy.
Donate your gently used coats and toys to bring warmth and joy to a child. Giving children the opportunity to help another child teaches many wonderful lessons about being a friend to others and the joys of giving.
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