Feed the Penguins!

This week in my preschool class, we are learning about PENGUINS!  I thought it would be fun to feed the penguins since we're also working on counting, 1:1 correspondence and numeral recognition.  So, I found a cute penguin picture, added a number to each of 10 penguins, printed and laminated them (for easy cleaning).  The kids just had to find the number on their penguin and 'feed' the penguin that many fish (goldfish crackers).  Once they 'fed' a few different penguins, they got to eat the goldfish themselves.  The kids loved it!

Skinny Snowmen

My mom made these and I think they're not only cute but hilarious! These snowmen seem to have a very serious attitude to me when I look at them. Maybe they're serious because they've been on a diet - that makes me pretty serious (and at times... ornery). Enjoy!

Here's what you need: large pretzel sticks, white chocolate for melting, mini chocolate chips, mini m&m's, gumdrops, PeachyO's (or Apple O's), sour licorice strips.

Here's what you do:
Melt the white chocolate
Dip the pretzel sticks in the chocolate
Put on his hat (PeachyO for brim and gumdrop for top)
Lay him on wax paper
Decorate!!! Get creative and have fun!

Microwave Cake in a Mug

Thanks so much to our reader Deeann for this fun, yummy and easy, easy, easy recipe! I've seen this floating on the internet and armed with Deeann's recipe I gave it a try with yummy results!
I think this would even be fun for April Fool's day served as Hot Chocolate Cake!Here's what you need:
4 tbsp. flour
4 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. cocoa
1 egg
3 tbsp. milk
3 tbsp. oil
3 tbsp. chocolate chips
splash vanilla
1 coffee mug

Here's what you do:
Add dry ingredients to the mug, mix well.
Add the egg and mix well.
Pour in the milk and oil, mix well.
Add the chocolate chips and vanilla, mix well.

Put the mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Snowflake Cookies

Here's what you need: Fancy Tarts/Cookies, Powdered Sugar







Here's what you do:
Place the Tart or Cookie on a plate and let your child sprinkle powdered sugar on the cookie through a powdered sugar shaker or wire strainer, etc. They come out looking like these darling little snowflakes!

Sweet Snowman!

January is a great time to have a snow/ski/sledding party - so why not add a sweet snowman treat to the menu ... and by sweet - I MEAN SWEET! Just give kids all of the pieces and they'll love building this snowman. And please don't forget that kids are so creative! If they don't do it like you expect or just like the picture ... that's more than okay! Go creative crazy!
Here's what you need: Hostess Snow ball, m&m's, mike&ikes, raisinets, hersheys chocolate candy bar, reeses peanut butter cups.









Here's what you do:
Just give all of the kids the pieces and tell them to make a snowman - they'll know what to do. You can even give them a picture to look at if you want them to practice their matching skills!

Frosty the Cupcake

Here's what you need: Cupcakes (made & cooled), white/vanilla frosting, chocolate chips, m&m's and candy corn.



Here's what you do:
Scoop frosting into a ziploc bag, seal the bag and cut the corner off one end. Squeeze a good amount of frosting onto each cupcake. Decorate with eyes (m&m's), carrot nose (candy corn) and mouth (up-side-down chocolate chips). Get creative and use other items too!

Reindeer Food

Here's what you need: Dry oats, sugar sprinkles





Here's what you do:
Add 2 to 3 scoops of dry oats to a small bag and sprinkle in some festive sugar sprinkles.

Attach the following poem:
Take this magic reindeer food and sprinkle it on the lawn,
On Christmas, Santa's reindeer travel miles before the dawn.
The smell of oats and sugar path will guide them on their way
And you'll wake up to Santa's gifts next morn on Christmas Day!

*Note* The original poem I found had you mix confetti with the oats but it is more safe for any animals/pets who may try to eat the oats. Thanks!