Chocolate Meets Playdough!

Recently, I came across a recipe for natural clay in the latest issue of Family Fun Magazine. They suggested using Cocoa for Brown clay, beet juice for Fuscia clay, Paprika for Orange clay, etc. My girls and I decided that being we are chocolate lovers, we would make some chocolate smelling clay. Warning: It doesn't taste as good as it smells. We had to try it!

To make your very own batch of chocolate clay/play dough, here's what you will need:


1 cup flour
3/8 cup salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
natural chocolate dye (3/8 cup hot water and 4 tbsp cocoa powder)

Combine your flour and salt. Next add oil and your chocolate dye. Stir well. Now you are ready to knead your dough. Add more dye or more flour depending on consistency. Get out some cookie cutters and other toys and have fun playing with your very own chocolate play dough. Safe for little ones! Be sure to store your dough in a Ziploc bag or container in the refrigerator!

Another tip- be sure to move the chocolate dye away from the table before your little one spills it all over your new yellow table cloth! He, He! (Luckily, it came out!)

Wallah! Here's our final product:





Peanut making her dough! I think that there is more flour on her than in the bowl.


Sunshine girl- growing up, but not too old for chocolate play dough!

This was a fun and easy activity, even though it was a little bit messy. For kids, the messier the better.

Have a wonderful Monday!

Jen

Resource: Family Fun Magazine, October 2009: All-Natural Play Clay

Snack time Fun!

Here's a simple tip for making snack time fun for your kiddos! When I serve my girls bananas, I draw a silly face on the front and then pull back the top to make hair. Even at 5 and 7 years old, they still love it and it always puts a smile on their faces.


Other ideas:
Create a funny face with a variety of fruits and veges.
Cut out toast or pancakes with heart shaped or other fun shaped cookie cutters. Also great for mini-sandwiches.

For lots of great snack time ideas, visit Snack time: Snacks and Treats for Kids

Also, be sure to check out
Michele's Muffin Tin Mondays

Enjoy your Day!

Jen

Secret Messages!

Do you want to make your child smile?

Leave them a secret message! Place a small note wrapped in a napkin in your child's lunch box to let them know that you are thinking of them.

Each day of the first week of school, my girls got a different message in their lunch box. We referred to them as secret messages, which made it fun for them. Some ideas for notes: I love you, a big hug from mom, U R great, U R awesome, So proud of you, Hope your day is going well, etc. Decorate with little hearts or smiles. For early-readers, keep notes as simple as possible. They can also get help reading from an older sibling or friend.

Guess who the secret messenger is this week? Dad. He left the cutest notes for them this morning with stick figures of him holding their hands. So sweet!

Tip: Cut out little squares and make the notes ahead of time at the beginning of the week so that they are ready to go.

Have a great day blogger buddies!

Jen

The Kissing Hand

If your looking for an encouraging and heartfelt story to start off your child's school year, I recommend The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.

My own Kindergartner has been struggling with the new school year and leaving Momma all day, so I've been giving her a kissing hand each morning to help comfort her when she misses me throughout the day.

For more information about this wonderful book, read the Amazon review below:
"Chester Raccoon doesn't want to go to school--he wants to stay home with his mother. She assures him that he'll love school--with its promise of new friends, new toys, and new books. Even better, she has a special secret that's been in the family for years--the Kissing Hand. This secret, she tells him, will make school seem as cozy as home. She takes her son's hand, spreads his tiny fingers into a fan and kisses his palm--smack dab in the middle: "Chester felt his mother's kiss rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart." Whenever he feels lonely at school, all he has to do is press his hand to his cheek to feel the warmth of his mother's kiss. Chester is so pleased with his Kissing Hand that he--in a genuinely touching moment--gives his mom a Kissing Hand, too, to comfort her when he is away. Audrey Penn's The Kissing Hand, published by the Child Welfare League of America, is just the right book for any child taking that fledgling plunge into preschool--or for any youngster who is temporarily separated from home or loved ones. The rough but endearing raccoon illustrations are as satisfying and soothing for anxious children as the simple story." (Ages 5 and older) --Karin

Take Care,

Jen

Wordless Wednesday: Summer Memories!

Fun at the beach!


Sunshine girl on the tree swing!


Peanut having fun, too!


Salamander hunting!


Crowns of Daisies!


Lots of summer birthday parties!


Lovin' the hats!

Now it is time for Back To School! We'll miss you summer fun, but we are looking forward to pumpkins, fall leaves, and the cool nights of Autumn.

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Jen