Kitchen Fun
With a little care and planning, making popcorn balls together can turn into a creative experience. Try different flavors and colors. Put the balls into cupcake liners. Or make ice cream cone popcorn balls with real ice cream cones and decorate with sprinkles.
Build a snowman with three different sized popcorn balls.
If making the popcorn balls seems too unmanageable due to the hot syrup used, how about gluing popcorn onto a large piece posterboard to make a jolly snowman? Use raisins and other food items for facial features.
Try using using cranberry juice to “dye” the popcorn. With older preschoolers, you can make necklaces out of popcorn strung in patterns with cereal or soft candy using a needle and thread. This works best with popcorn that is stale.
PUDDING
Follow the directions on the package and mix up some instant pudding in a bowl with a secure lid. Instead of stirring, put on the lid and let your toddler shake the pudding for two minutes. After shaking, let the pudding sit for five minutes before serving.
PEANUT BUTTER PLAY DOUGH
Mix an 18-ounce jar of peanut butter plus six tablespoons honey and a dash of milk and flour to the right consistency and let them create, sculpt, squeeze, pound, and taste to their hearts’ desire.
PIZZA
You’ll need a pre-made crust or large flour tortilla. Prepare bowls with pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni, bell peppers cut into various shapes. Let your toddler or preschooler help spread the sauce and cheese. Talk about the colors. Let them taste a little of each ingredient. Discuss the shapes of the pepperoni, pepper shapes, and the pizza itself while working.
REAL DOUGH
Instead of using a tortilla or ready made crust, make dough from scratch and let each child have their own ball of dough to work with and demonstrate how to knead and work with the dough.
I have found that our toddler is usually happy if she has a sink of dishwater, some plastic dishes, and a ladle or unusual kitchen tool to play with in the water. My four-year old loves to dump and stir and is learning about measuring ingredients. An added blessing is that they both love to clean.
Some of my favorite memories of childhood are days spent with my mother, baking Christmas cookies and candy together. I cherish those memories and still use the cookie press we used together when I was as young as five.
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