Page 1 Updated March 2013

ART...

 

JELLY BEAN PAINTING

Materials: Jellybeans, paint, paper, tape, a box
 
Directions: Place a piece of paper in a box. Take the tape and roll a piece over on itself; place it on the back of the paper to keep the paper secure in the box...

Add small amounts of paint in each corner. Place a few jellybeans in the box and have the children move the box so that the jellybeans will roll through the paint and create an abstract design "work of art..." 
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GLOSSY EGG DECORATIONS

Trace an 'Egg pattern template' onto white construction paper; have children cut them out. In four separate bowls divide a can of condensed milk; add a few drops of food coloring in each bowl--One color per bowl. Paint the eggs with the condensed milk paint. Let them dry.

When art is dry the eggs will have a glossy appearance. Use the eggs to decorate the room.
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AN 'AFTER-EASTER' EGG SHELL COLLAGE...

Ask all you know to save the dyed shells from the Easter eggs! When Easter is over, you'll have the most important material for this project!

Need: Egg shells, Glue, paper, and water-color paint.
Glue shells onto a piece of paper. When the glue dries, paint over it with water colors...
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MAKE WRAPPING PAPER and More...

PAPER #1
Place Easter shaped cookie cutters in paint.
Cover a blank piece of paper with the cookie cutter shapes.
Is is it an art project or wrapping paper? Your choice!

Paper #2

Mix a variety of food coloring with water in a spray bottles.
With the variety of colors, Spray water on a large sheet of paper.

There are several ways the dried paper can be used.
   • Wrapping paper
   • Trace egg shaped templates to make decorations or cards.
   •  Background on an Easter or Spring time display board.

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FOOTPRINT EASTER CARD

Make a print of each child's foot using yellow paint. With an orange marker, add an orange beak where the BALL OF THE FOOT is... Add brown stick feet where the toes are . Glue onto a piece of folded 8 1/2 x 11 paper or construction paper. Write "Happy Easter" on the front--with a message or poem on the inside.
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 PAINTING WITH "PEEPS"...

1. Cut out large "chick shapes" from white paper. Put tempera paint (white, yellow, orange, black) in containers and then use REAL candy "Peeps" to apply the paint---in a sponge like effect.

2. The head makes a good grip for the bottom when the chick's bottom is dipped in paint...

3. Extra fun! Have "Peeps" as a treat too! If you're concerned about younger children taking a bite during the painting, you can use vanilla pudding with food coloring to paint!
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TWO PROJECTS IN ONE!
COLOR AN EASTER EGG AND MAKE WINDOW ART

  • Put a sheet of wax paper in the bottom of a good size box. Add a few spoonfuls of various colors of paint (child's choice of color) 
  • Place hard-boiled egg(s) in box and roll--the same way as in marble painting. It's a fun way to color eggs... and...
the paint results on the wax paper look like a stained glass picture! You can frame the wax paper in construction paper and hang it in a window.
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CRACKED EGG SHELL EASTER CARD 
    • Colored pieces of egg shells 
    • Pink Construction paper  
    • White cardstock or construction paper 
    • Glue 
    • Pencil 
    • Scissors 
    • Markers, crayons, and colored pencils

1. Draw the shape of an egg on the colored construction paper.
2. Put a coating of glue on the construction paper egg.
3. Glue pieces of crushed egg shells on the paper, keeping the colored side up and let it dry.
4. Take the construction paper and cut a piece of it twice the width of the egg and slightly taller than the egg.
5. Fold up the paper in half and paste the mosaic egg on front of it.
Write an Easter message on the card.
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FACE PAINTING... PAINT A BUNNY FACE

  • Children love to have their faces painted. 
  • Here's an easy way to turn children into Peter Cottontail's helper: Draw an upside-down triangle on the child's nose with the brush from brown or black liquid eyeliner or face-paint.  Fill in completely. Rub a circle of rouge on each cheek. Paint three whiskers with the eyeliner or paint on each side of the face, starting from the nose and extending across the cheek. 
  • Allow to dry. 
  • This bunny face comes off in a flash using makeup remover pads or soap and water.
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'TIE DYE' EASTER EGGS
Materials: Paint or Washable Markers, Coffee Filters, Spray Bottles

1. Cut coffee filters in the shape of Easter eggs and give each child a spray bottle with different colors of water in them.
2. Have the children spray the coffee filter until it's completely soaked. Dry...
3. You can also have children decorate egg shaped filters with markers and spray with regular water.
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THUMB PRINT EASTER BASKETS
Materials: Picture of an Easter Basket, Paint, and children's thumbs.

Draw or down-load a simple picture of an empty Easter basket. Put a variety of paints in shallow dishes and let the kids dip there thumbs and make Easter eggs in the basket!
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CRAFTS...

BUNNY IN THE GRASS POT
Items Needed:
Grass seed, potting soil, pot or cup, wide craft stick, white paint, markers, pink felt, misc. craft items such as fishing line (whiskers) pipe cleaners, pom poms, press on eyes, or googly eyes.

1. Have children place the potting soil in the pot, and sprinkle with grass seed.
2. Place a little more soil to cover; water the soil.
3. Next have the children paint their craft sticks white; when they are dry, decorate them like bunnies. Cut the felt into ears, put on eyes, nose, and whiskers.
4. Insert the stick into the grass pot and place it in a sunny window.
5. In a few days your bunny will be sitting in the grass.

SECRET MESSAGE EASTER EGGS-A surprise Easter Gift!

    • Secret Message Easter Eggs are easy, different and lots of fun for children and adults alike. Start with one blown egg (CLICK HERE - (directions are towards the bottom of the page) to learn how. After having a clean, blown-out egg, brush with a thin coating of craft glue. Sprinkle with clear, silver, gold or colored glitter and allow the egg to dry.

    • Cut out a 2-inch-by-2-inch square of airmail or tracing paper. Write a small fortune, note, poem or promise to perform a certain task or chore on the paper and roll up tightly. Slip into the larger hole at the bottom of the egg. Cover the hole with a sparkly sequin, sticker or bead. The recipient cracks the egg to discover the message.

   • Can't bear to crack your creation? When you insert the message, leave a little bit of it exposed so it can be pulled out without destroying the egg.

EASTER EGG SUN CATCHERS
Materials:
Clear contact paper
Pastel-colored tissue paper
Scissors
1. Cut out two small, rectangular pieces of contact paper.
2. Have children tear the tissue paper into small bits.
3. Peel off the backing of one of the pieces of contact paper. Have children stick pieces of tissue paper to it.
4. When it is filled, cover it with the second piece of contact paper.
5. Smooth it out, and then cut it into the shape of an egg. (Make a template pattern of an egg to trace) Hang them in the window...

You can make sun catchers to fit any theme you like: Hearts for Valentine's Day, flowers for spring, etc.
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RABBIT BAG
Need: White paper bag, tape, ribbon, wiggle eyes, and a pom pom
Directions: 
    • Take a paper bag (Preferably white). 
    • Tape the bag closed-- about one third of the way up. 
    • To make bunny ears, cut a slit down the middle of the bag to where you have it taped. 
    • Round the corners of the ears and poke 2 holes near the top of EACH ear. These are to put ribbon through to make the "inner ear". 
    • Decorate with 2 large pom poms for the cheeks and one for the nose. Use 2 large wiggle eyes. Use string or ribbon for the whiskers.
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BUNNY OR CHICK JARS Try this craft from Making Friends  It can be adaptd to just about any animal or holday theme!

1. Remove the label from a clean baby food jar.  Fill the jar with pompoms to match your animal's face. Put the lid on and turn it upside down.
2. Glue on wiggle eyes.
3. Cut ears (or beak) out of foam and glue in place.
4. Add pompoms if desired.
5. For whiskers, cut pieces of craft lace and glue one end under pompom nose.
6. Cut a strip of craft foam 1/4" wide and glue around edge of lid. Original idea from Lisa  Anniston, Alabama

 
RABBIT MASK
Materials:
Paper plate,
Pink or black paper(a small quantity for the nose and ears)
Cardboard
Cotton balls

1. To make the ears, cut out oval shapes from the cardboard. 
2. Next, cut out the nose from the colored paper. You can also cut triangles of pink paper to make the inside of the bunny's ear.
3. Cut two holes in the paper plate for eyes.
4. Paste on the ears,(you can put straws behind the ears to make them stay upright) eyes and nose.
5. Cover the face with glue cotton balls--to make the bunny look soft.
Bunny mask is now complete!
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RABBIT EARS
Materials: Constructions paper and straws 
    • Make rabbit-ear template shapes.
    • Have the children trace and cut them out of construction paper...(if children are young, pre-cut for them) 
    • Glue them to a paper head band. 
    • Add straws to the back of the ears so they will stay upright.
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'LUNCH BAG' BIRD NEST

1. Take a small brown lunch sack and roll it from the top all the way down to make a perfect birds nest.
2. Have children collect twigs, grass, etc. from the outside and put in their nests. OR...
3. You can put in Easter grass and jelly beans with a pipe cleaner handle to use it as a small Easter basket.
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MINI EASTER BASKETS
Materials:
Margarine container
Hole punch
Pipe cleaners
Glue
Fabric, and ribbon (Other decorations as desired)
Easter grass and goodies

Directions: Wash and dry a margarine container.
1. Punch a hole on both sides of container - near the top.
2. Wrap 2 pipe cleaners around each other and insert each end into a hole and twist the ends together for the handle.
3. Decorate the "basket" as desired.
4. Glue fabric, tissue paper, or wrapping paper and ribbon to outside of container.
5. Decorate the handle with ribbon and a bow. Add some Easter grass and fill the basket with treats!
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BERRY CONTAINER BASKET

  • Make a Easter basket from a plastic BERRY container...Weave pretty colored ribbon or yarn through the open spaces around the container and glue the ends together. 
  • Use pipe cleaners or heavy cardboard for the handles. 
  • Have the children put an egg that they colored themselves into the basket--along with some Easter grass and jelly beans.
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BABY FOOD JAR BUNNY  (Different than above)

You'll Need: Baby food jar, glue, cotton balls, Wiggly Eyes, one big pom-pom, one small pom-pom, white or pink pipe cleaner,
Acrylic paint - white or pink

  1. Paint the jar lid with acrylic paint and let it dry while you make the rest of the bunny.
  2. Cover the baby food jar with cotton balls.
  3. On the cotton-ball covered jar-attach the eyes, small pom pom for the nose and the big one for the tail.
  4. Shape the pipe cleaner into bunny ears and hot glue the ears to the lid.
  5.Place one last piece of cotton in between the ears.
  6. For a small gift or party favor, fill the jar with jelly beans.
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PAPER EASTER BUNNIES
Materials:
1 large white paper plate, 1 small white paper plate, white or pink construction paper, google eyes, 3 pink chenille stems, red or pink marker, 2 or 3 cotton balls, white glue, stapler

1. Staple the plates together, the small one as the head and the larger as the body.
2. Cut two large oval shaped ears from the construction paper.
3. Staple or glue them to the back of the small paper plate. Glue on the eyes and a small pink triangle makes the nose.
4. Cut the chenille stems in half and glue three to either side of the nose for whiskers.
5. Use the marker to draw on a mouth.
6. Attach two or three cotton balls to the back of the bunny to make a tail.
7. The children make want to add a hair bow or bow tie to dress up their bunny!

TIP: chenille stems can be difficult to secure with white glue, you can use a hole punch to insert the whiskers...
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COFFEE FILTER EGG
Need: Coffee Filter, Food Coloring, Straws 
    • Cut the coffee filter into an oval, egg shape. 
    • Measure  about 1/4 cup of water into a container. Add a few drops of food coloring at a time into the water until you get the desired color. 
    • Repeat this for as many different colors you want. 
    • Once your colors are mixed, you can use the straw to add colors to your egg shape.

Dip a straw into the desired color. Cover the end of your straw with your finger so the colored water stays in it. Move the straw to your filter and hold it over the area you want colored. Remove your finger from the end of the straw and the colored water will run onto the egg! Repeat this for as many colors as you want to use.
When finished - dry the eggs...
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TWO EASTER HATS

#1 BONNET
You'll need: Poster Board, Tissue paper and other decorative items (buttons, lace, ribbon etc.)
  1. Cut a large circle from the poster board-about 18 inches in diameter.
  2. Cut another hole in the middle of the circle, big enough to fit around
the child's head. It should look like a donut.
  3. Next... Using craft glue or a glue gun, add decorations to the rim of the hat.
  4. Use a hole punch to add the ribbon tie.

#2 PAPER PLATE BONNET
You'll need: Paper plate, ribbon, hole punch, glue, supplies to decorate the hat such as lace, bows, ribbons, beads, costume jewelry, pipe cleaners, feathers, felt, crayons, poster paint
  1. Make two holes in the rim of the plate before decorating. The holes should be opposite one another.
  2. Lace 10" pieces of ribbon into the holes. When tied, these will secure the hat.
  3. Now have fun decorating the hats...
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EASTER EGG DOLL
Materials :
Blown out egg shell,(Direction Here) Paint, Paper cupcake liners, Wide ribbon, Cardboard tube, Tape or glue, Scissors
Paint the face of the doll in the in the blown out eggshell.
1. Fold the paper muffin cup in half -- to make the Easter bonnet for the doll.
2. Use the ribbon to tie the bonnet properly on the Easter egg face. You can also use glue or tape to attach the ribbon or yarn, to set the bonnet in its right position.
3. To make the body, take about 4 to 5 muffin cups and cut their centers.
4. Take the cardboard tube and use glue to place the cups upside down on it. To make the tiered skirt of the doll, let the muffin cups overlap the last one.
5. Glue the egg doll face on the topside of the cardboard tube to complete the Easter egg doll.

 

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EASTER PLACEMATS
Although one can shop for Easter placemats, self-made and personalized placemats can create an ambiance of warmth and hospitality.

Materials : 
• Cardboard/Card-stock paper or construction paper 
• Glue 
• Contact paper 
• Easter cards 
• Photos 
• Pictures

 
1. Take parts of Easter cards, photos or pictures and cut them into different shapes.
2. Using glue, paste the cut out pictures on the cardboard to create a collage.
3. Laminate the collage using contact paper.
4. Write an Easter greeting message to lend a personal touch to the placemat.

You could also make something like the above place mat at First Palette.

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GIANT BALLOON EGG

• Inflate and tie a small balloon for each child. 
• Make a thin glue and water mixture, and have the children "paint" sections of the balloon and then lay squares of tissue paper down flat onto the glue. 
• The tissue should overlap and cover the entire balloon. Let it dry on wax paper, or hang to dry from the knotted end of the balloon over newspaper. 
• When the balloon is completely dry, use scissors to cut a small slit in the balloon neck. The balloon will deflate, leaving a beautiful, hollow tissue paper "egg". 
• For a  gift, these may be filled with lightweight candies, and then sealed with one more square of tissue.
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DECORATED EGGS
Need: Legg's eggs, a plastic Easter egg, or small blown up balloon; Masking tape, Glue, Brushes, and Colored tissue paper.

Directions: Put tape around the seam of Legg's eggs or plastic egg.
1. Brush slightly watered-down glue all over the egg.
2. Place different colored tissue paper pieces onto the glue.
3. Have children dip their fingers into some glue to sure all paper edges are down.

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EASTER THEMED SNACKS!

CHICKEN EASTER FEED
Make a bowl of Chicken Feed by tossing together crisp, crunchy shoestring potatoes, salted corn nuts, shelled sunflower seeds and pistachios, dried blueberries and unsweetened coconut flakes for a crunchy, nutty treat.
(Leave out whatever you don't like)
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EASTER BASKET CUPCAKES

1. Prepare cupcakes and frost with cream cheese frosting, white or yellow colored frosting.
2. Create green Easter "grass" by placing shredded coconut and a few drops of liquid green food coloring in a re-sealable plastic bag.
3. Mix the food coloring into the coconut until it is evenly distributed and the coconut is green.
4. Sprinkle the coconut over the iced cupcakes.
5. Insert one end of a red licorice whip into the cupcake, then bend and insert the other end of the licorice into the opposite side of the cupcake to form a basket handle.
6. Top cupcake with a few jelly bean "eggs" and they're ready to serve.
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ANOTHER CUTE IDEA~ EASTER CHICK CUPCAKES

Make or purchase white frosted cucakes...Place coconut in resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add about 8 drops yellow liquid food color; seal bag and shake to mix. Frost cupcakes with white frosting. Top with yellow coconut. For eyes, add brown baking bits. Cut orange gumdrops to resemble beaks; place on cupcakes. Source: Betty Crocker.com

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PEBBLES CEREAL EASTER NESTS
Makes 12 nests
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups miniature marshmallows
4 cups Post Fruity Pebbles or Trix cereal
Coconut flakes
Assorted candies

   • Microwave butter in large microwavable bowl on high for 30 seconds or until melted. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Microwave 1-1/2 minutes, stirring after 45 seconds. 
   • Add cereal; toss lightly to coat well. 
   • Press firmly into lightly greased muffin pans to form 12 nest; cool. 
   • Fill nest with coconut (you can tint coconut, if desired) and candies. 
   • Note: lightly spray your hands with no stick cooking spray to prevent cereal mixture from sticking and to make it easy to press the mixture into muffin pans.
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TWO EDIBLE BUNNY SALADS
#1 Ingredients:
Pear halves
Raisins
Miniature marshmallows or cottage cheese
Lettuce
Apple slices or Almonds

  • Place a lettuce leaf on a plate. 
  • Put the pear half on lettuce for the body. 
  • Insert raisins for the eyes and nose. 
  • The ears are made from apples slices or almonds;a miniature marshmallow or cottage cheese become the bushy tail.   Source: amazingmoms.com

EASTER BUNNY SALAD #2

Lettuce
Cottage cheese
1 can of pear halves
Celery stick
Raisins
1 Red Grapes

1. Place leaves of lettuce on a salad plate.
2. Use Ice cream scoop and place cottage cheese on top of the lettuce.
3. Use 1 canned pear half and place on top of cottage cheese.
4. Use thin slices of celery for whiskers.
5. Place the raisins where the eyes should be.
6. Use a grape for the nose.
7. Cut the remaining pear in half to create the ears.
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EASTER BIRD'S NESTS
1/3c. butterscotch morsels
1c.chow-mein noodles
Candy robin's eggs

1. Melt butterscotch morsels in a medium microwave safe bowl.
2. Add chow-mein noodles to melted morsels and mix.
3. Shape into a circle on wax paper. Use a large spoon  to make indention in center.
4. Let nests harden and then add jelly beans or chocolate eggs.

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#2 CHOCOLATE BIRD NESTS

Make the above version, but instead of butterscotch chips, use chocolate chips! (Image by KidActivities.net)

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NEST SNACK IDEA #3 
Melt 1/2 cup of butter in a saucepan. Add 1 cup of brown sugar. Boil and stir for one minute. Add a 3 oz. can of chow mein noodles. Put the mixture in 12 paper baking cups in a muffin tin. Use your thumb to press noodles into the nest while still warm. DO NOT BAKE. Give children jelly bean eggs to put in their nests.

 

#4 COCONUT MACAROON NESTS

Ingredients:
 •16 ounces shredded coconut
 •1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
 •2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 •Jelly beans or candy Robin Eggs

Directions:
Mix first three ingredients together. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto generously greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Cool coconut macaroons slightly; remove to rack. Once cooled, place candy Robin Eggs or jelly beans on top of coconut 'nests'. This makes about 4 dozen coconut macaroons.

Tip: Parchment paper or a well greased pan works best to put on the cookie tray. Then make very small roughly round balls and place on the tray. Press your thumb in the middle to make the “nest”.  These spread out in the oven, so don’t press too hard or make them too big.

Cooking time is dependent on the size of your “nests”. Bigger nests requite more time in the oven.
Annie at "No Fuss" recommends about that tablespoon size will fit 3  mini egg candies...or one large Cadbury egg.

Watch in the oven with the light on till coconut tips are barely golden.  ♥ This idea and photo is  courtey of No Fuss Fabulous! 

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PEANUT BUTTER RICE-KRISPY BUNNY CAKE
This recipe is from Jif Peanut Butter. The kids will love this for Easter!
Ingredients:
   • 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
   • 2-10oz packages of marshmallows
   • 2 cups creamy peanut butter
   • 10 cups crisp rice cereal
   • Non-stick cooking spray
   • Jelly beans, licorice gum drops, or decorative candy
   • Glaze (optional)
   • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
   • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
   • 2 tablespoons milk
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla
   • 2 1/2 cups sifted powder sugar
   • Makes 16 servings.

1. In large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows. Stir until completely melted and remove from heat.
2. Stir in peanut butter and mix well to incorporate.
3. Add rice crisp cereal and stir until well coated.
4. Press into two 9-inch pans, well coated with cooking spray and allow to cool.
5. Cut ears and bow tie from one cake. This is done by cutting two football shaped ears from the top and bottom of one cake layer, leaving a bow tie-shaped piece in the middle.
6. Position two ears at top of whole round cake and place bow tie under face.
7. Apply optional glaze, if desired. Decorate with jelly beans, marshmallows, licorice, and gum drops or any of your favorite cake decorations.

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 RAW EGG ON TOAST (The egg is a peach half!)

 

Ingredients for one serving...
1 slice poundcake
1/2 peach
Reddi-Whip topping
Directions:
Put slice of pound cake on plate.
Place peach half on top-- round side up.
Add whip cream around peach and serve.
It looks like a raw egg on toast!

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 THE EASTER BUNNY'S CARROT

 This snack only takes two steps:
1. First take  Wilton's Disposable 12 inch Decorating Bags (or something simiar) and fill them with whole wheat gold fish or your favorite orange colored cheese crackers.
2.  Gather the top and tie with green ric-rac, ribbon, or yarn.

These crackers are much more nutritious than jellybeans, but the effect is just as cute! This is idea is great as a gift to take home or to make up ahead and serve then at your program Spring/Easter celebration! Photo and idea is thanks to No Fuss Fabulous!

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PEEP NEST PANCAKES

Make pancakes...

In the center of the pancakes make a nest shape with whipped cream.
Place a marshmallow chicken peep, jelly eggs or melon balls in the middle of the nest.

When these were served, KidActivities poured a little warm syrup on the pancake before putting on the nest of whipped cream. Optional 'sprinkles' were also added. All thought they were not only fun but tasted great! ( Image by KidActivities.net)

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Click here for complete Easter Themed Art, Crafts, Snacks, Games, Jokes, Easter Egg Ideas and more...

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Page 1 consist of  'How' to Plant and Grow, Experiments, Worm Farms in bottles, and Community Service Ideas.

Page 2 is loaded with activities for Art, Crafts, Games, Snacks, Songs and Jokes...The following ideas  on both pages have been collected from about the site for anything to do with gardens/gardening)

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CONTAINER PLANTING 

Deciding WHERE and WHAT to Plant...

Contain your plants. Many vegetables and flowers grow well in either indoor or outdoor pots. Once your plot or pots are chosen, help children begin researching what to plant. For speedier and more certain results, plant seedlings instead of seeds; however, children will miss out on the excitement of seeing that first sprout peeking through the soil.

• With container gardening, you control the soil and drainage, and you can avoid most garden pests. In 3- to 5-gallon pots, you can grow beans, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, corn, broccoli, cabbage, kale, leeks and even melons.

• Pots as small as 4- to 6 inches are fine for growing peas (choose shorter peas, ones that grow to about a foot), lettuce, spinach and Swiss chard.

• Choose medium size pots for beets, eggplant and cherry tomatoes. Of course, all of your pots will need plenty of sun and water

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MAKE A CONTAINED OUTDOOR GARDEN... in a children's swimming pool!
Here's a good idea if you can't dig up a plot for a garden!
   1.  Get a a small swimming pool and be sure to punch holes for drainage.
   2.  Fill with dirt---plant seeds, or small flowers, water, fertilize and watch the flowers grow!
   3.  The kids will love to work their "garden"

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REAP WHAT YOU EAT!

Children often want to plant seeds left over from fruits (peach pits, apple seeds, watermelon seeds). If your climate is conducive and you have the space, try planting some peach pits in a corner of the yard. In about three years, some tasty fruit may appear.

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GROW SOME EDIBLE PLANTS AND ADD THEM TO YOUR COOKING WITH THE KIDS!

Be sure to ADD your 'child-grown' goods to... soups, salads, beverages and desserts!

DID YOU KNOW IT'S SAFE TO EAT:
Peonies, pansies, nasturtiums, dandelions, day lilies, squash flowers, elder flowers, carnations, violets, marigolds and sunflowers?

DO NOT EAT:
Wisteria, holly, bird of paradise, hydrangea, oleander, poinsettia or philodendron.
Source: parenthood.com

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GARDENING FUN!

GROWING POPCORN IN A BAGGIE
Instructions: Take a plastic zip-loc baggie, put cotton balls in it and saturate cotton balls with water. Put popcorn kernels into the bag, seal it and tape to a window. Add water as needed and watch the plants grow. Transfer to potting soil later. (It doesn't take much to get a popcorn kernal going!

My grandson had a kenal laying on its side on the sink--in just a drop of water. In a couple days it was sprouting a small leaf and stem! (Barb)

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MAKE A POTATO HEAD PLANT

1.  Cut off both ends of a potato.
2.  Stand the potato upright on one of the flat cut surfaces and scoop out a hole in the other end.
3.  Carve out a face on one side of the potato.
4.  Have the children place two cotton balls in the potato’s scooped-out top.
5.  Let them water the cotton balls and sprinkle them with grass or alfalfa seeds.
6.  Place in a sunny spot and watch his hair grow.

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MAKE A LIVE BLOOMING NECKLACE
Materials Needed:
Film Container
Cotton Balls
Yarn
Flower or Vegetable Seeds and Screw Eye Hook

Instructions: This works great with the clear containers.
1. Put two-four cotton balls into the container.
2. Tuck in about a few seeds between the cotton balls and the outside of the container, so that you can see them. Large seeds work best. Peas, Cantaloupe, etc.
3. Add a few drops of water, just until cotton balls are damp, but not soaked and not enough to puddle water on bottom of container.
4. Use a screw-eye with a medium size eye on it and screw it through the center of the lid. Put the lid on the container tightly. 5. Braid three pieces of yarn long enough to go around the child's neck and slip over the head.
6. Thread yarn through the screw eye and tie in a circle.
Kids like to wear these necklaces and watch the seeds sprout and grow inside the container. If you time this right, you can plant them into starter pots when they get too big for the container, or outside into the garden.

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 PLANT A GARDEN TO ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES! A list of plants that attract adult butterflies:

• Aster
• Blanket Flower
• Day-lily
• Phlox
• Sunflower
• Verbena
• Black-eyed Susan
• Butterfly Bush
• Milkweed

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WONDERFUL IDEA!

PLANT A CIRCLE OF TREES... It'll take a while to form--but will be wonderful when it does!
In the January issue of Exchange, Rusty Keeler contributed the article, "A Spring Playscape Project: Building a Tree Circle", which he introduces with...  "If you are dreaming of adding nature to your yard, this project may be perfect for you. The Tree Circle is a green gathering area for children made by planting trees in a circle.

• For children... the Tree Circle becomes a magical place for dramatic play, quiet retreat, or lively nature exploration.

• For teachers and parents... it becomes a shady grove for snacks and stories.

•The trees create a sweet spot that changes during the seasons and grows over time. A beautiful addition to a child’s life — and yours too!" You can read the instructions of the tree circle in its entirety. Click here

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PLANT A RAINBOW
You can grow a blooming rainbow by planting curved rows of different-colored flowers. For the best effect, use plants that have similar heights.

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GROW THINGS (Horticulture)

•  Grow different types of beans in wet cotton and plastic bags; tape the baggies to a window and some in a closet.  Observe and photograph (or draw) sprouting once a week. Discuss differences in growth patterns and what plants need to grow. Measure and graph plant heights.

•  Plant a garden and eat harvested vegetables.

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 GROW GREEN BEANS  

 Have each child plant their own green beans. It's a great way to introduce children to gardening and the connection between food and the earth.

You need...bean seeds, small garden pot (3 inch across) some soil and water. You will also need a place  to put the pot where it will get 4-6 hours of sunlight.

Fill the pot with soil; make a small hole using the little finger about 1/4 inche deep--put in the bean-- cover over-- water. Place the pot in a sunny spot and watch it grow. Be sure the planter has drainage and be sure to place a saucer to catch the excess water... If children are younger, end the activity with reading JACK AND THE BEANSTALK!

 

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SWEET POTATO VINE #1
Need: One healthy sweet potato; 2-litre, clear soda bottle; three tooth picks or wooden skewers, water, clean stones or gravel.

Easy Instructions:
1.  Cut the top off your bottle (start cut with a sharp knife, then use scissors).
2.  Place stones or gravel in bottom of bottle.
3.  Suspend your potato, narrow end down, into the bottle. Use toothpicks, punched into potato and resting on sides of bottle, to hold in place.
4.  Fill bottle with water so that at least half of your potato is submerged.
5.  Your sweet potato vine should show new roots within a week or two. Leafy purple sprouts will appear shortly after. Use a magnifying glass to see tiny root hairs and to examine little sprouts. Ask students to PREDICT what will happen next.

TIP: A sweet potato purchased from a natural foods store or farmers' market may sprout sooner than one from a supermarket--because it's less likely to have been sprayed with a sprout inhibitor.

EXTENSION IDEA:
Before you prepare your experiment, ASK students what plants eat. The general answer to this question is "nutrients collected from soil by roots." But what about plants grown in water? Students may guess that there are nutrients in what appears to be pure, clear water. Are there enough to support a whole, big plant?

WHAT IS YOUR VINE EATING?

A sweet potato is a root tuber, a fleshy root that stores food for a plant and produces adventitious shoots or shoots growing from unusual positions--in this case, out of the sides of the root.

What's happening to the potato, itself?  Your vine will continue to grow for months if you are careful to replenish water and/or change it when your bottle becomes cloudy.

You may wish to plant your sweet potato outdoors in the spring, after danger of frost. It may not survive but, on the other hand, you may find a small crop of sweet potatoes in the fall. Dig up the plant and use one of the new potatoes to grow another vine.

 

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 SWEET POTATO VINE #2
1.  Using four toothpicks have child suspend the vegetable on the rim of a jar or mug filled with water.
2.  Make sure the bottom half - the pointed end - is under water.
3.  Place in a sunny spot and change or add water as needed.
4.  In a few days, roots will form below the water. And, two to three weeks later, leaves and stems will sprout from the top.
5.  Continue to grow the plant in water or, after a month or two, pot the sweet potato in a houseplant potting mix.
6.   Keep the soil moist.
7.  The stems are weak, so help children tie them to strings, wire or a stake.
8.  Feed once a month with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer such as 20-20-20. As the vine grows, cut it back a few inches to force the plant to grow bushy. Some are treated with heat to keep them from sprouting on grocery-store shelves, but most grow roots in a matter of days after being placed in water.

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GARDENING SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS

PLANT GROWTH IN LIGHT VERSUS COMPLETE DARKNESS

Plant two seeds each in their own clean cup with potting soil. Cover one with a black bag or a box over it. Only open it to water it and then re-cover it immediately. Plant the other one and place it near a window or under a grow light.
Ask what the children predict? After 2 weeks---see what happened!

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SPROUTING SPROUTS

 1.  Take a small zip-lock bag and using a needle, punch a few holes in the bottom seam of the bags.
2.  Get some alfalfa or mung bean seeds and place a teaspoon of seeds in each bag.
3.  Zip the bag closed and have children place the bag in a bowl of warm water.
4.  Soak the seeds overnight.
5.  The next day, take the bag out of the water and let it drain; have it sit in indirect sunlight the rest of the day. For the next few days, have children dunk the bags in water for a few seconds and then drain and put back in indirect light. 6.  On the fourth day, have your child set the seeds IN THE SUN.
Have fun watching the sprouts turn green.
7.  BE SURE TO USE THE BEANS! When ready eat the sprouts by sprinkling them on top of a green salad, on a sandwich or on top of cream cheese spread on crackers.

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MIGHTY SEED: Learn about: exothermic reactions- Observe the power of seeds when you try to limit their growth.
Materials:
Clear plastic cup
5 tablespoons of Plaster of Paris
2 or more tablespoons of water, Plastic spoon for mixing, Dropper
3 soybeans

1. Put the plaster of Paris in the plastic cup
2. Add 2 tablespoons of water and mix.
3. Continue to add drops of water until the mixture has the consistency of a very thick milkshake.
4. Push the soybeans into the plaster until they are covered and then smooth the surface.

Now, explore! What do you think will happen to the soybeans? Make regular observations. What happens? Why?

5.  The next day add a tablespoon of water to the cup and continue to make observations. What happens? Why?  What's Going On?

• Seeds require moisture and warmth to germinate. In this case the seed absorbs moisture from the plaster mixture.
• As the seed absorbs water it increases in size and applies pressure to the surrounding plaster. This force, combined with the strength of the germinating sprout, causes the plaster to crack and allows the shoot to grow up through the plaster.
• This strength and ability to grow in adverse conditions allows plants to survive in a wide range of environments.
• You may also notice that when water is mixed with plaster the cup becomes warm. A chemical reaction which gives off heat like this is known as an "exothermic reaction." Source: cosi.org

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CARROT TOPS

As the project is written, it is geared to GRADES 6 to 8; however, it can be adapted to ANY grade level.
Question: Can a plant grow from just the top of a carrot?
Research: What kind of root does a carrot have? Why is the root so big? What is needed for a plant to grow?
Hypothisis: Can the carrot top provide what is needed for the plant to grow?
Materials: Shallow container, 4 carrots

1. Cut about half an inch off the end of the carrot that has the leaves. Cut the leaves off close to the base of the carrot.
2. Put the carrots into the container with the cut side down.
3. Add enough water to cover about half the carrot top.
4. Place the container in a well-lighted window.
5. Observe the carrot tops each day for any changes. Remember the changes may start out small and change slowly. Look for new leaves and roots.
6. Use a metric ruler to measure any growth you may observe.
7. Continue your observations for six days and write your report on the sixth day. For younger children---just have fun observing the carrot, while making observations along the way!

TEACHER/CAREGIVER SECTION FOR CARROTS:
POSSIBLE HYPOTHESIS: No growth will occur since the carrot is not living-OR Leaves will grow since even this small part of the plant is still living.
Possible Conclusion: The carrot top should show some new growth each day. The student should discuss the possible reasons for the growth.
Adapted from Judy Schneider

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 MAKE A TERRARIUM

A terrarium is a sort of living landscape inside an enclosed plastic container or jug.
•To start, put a layer of pebbles or charcoal at the bottom of the container for drainage.
•Cover that with two inches of topsoil.
•Add a few rocks, some twigs or branches, moss,and small plants.
•Moisten the terrarium with water, but don't overdo it. Cover the opening with a sheet of plastic wrap.

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#1 SODA BOTTLE GREENHOUSE...
Materials:
2 clear 2-liter bottles (soda)
Sand
Dirt
Seeds
1.  Cut one bottle so that the bottom is approximately 4" high--this creates the bottom and base of the green house.
2.  Next, cut the second bottle so it's about 9" high this will be the "lid" or top for your house.
3.  Place small aount of potting soil in the bottom of the 4" base.
4.  Add soil and seeds. Water the seeds--- then slip the top over it to create a “greenhouse”.
5.  Put in sunny place and plants will appear in 2-5 days -- depending on the seeds you use.

#2 SODA BOTTLE GREENHOUSE

 1.) Thoroughly wash and dry the clear plastic bottle. A clear juice bottle or 2-liter soda bottle works. With the scissors, cut all the way around the bottle to carefully remove the top one-third of the bottle.

2.) Place about 1 inch of loose grave in the bottom of the bottle, then add about 3 inches of potting soil.

3.) Make small holes in the dirt and plant the small plants or seedlings in the soil, just deep enough to cover the roots.

4.) Add a few drops of water in the bottle, but do not soak the soil. As the bottle will be almost an enclosed garden only a little bit of water is necessary.

5.) Gently place the top part of the bottle back in place on top of the planted section. Use the wide clear tape to secure the 2 parts of the bottle together. (You may need an extra pair of hands for this part.) Once the sections are back together and in place, if you desire, you can decorate the bottle with sticky-backed ribbon to cover the joint where the bottle sections are taped together.

 6.) Place the green house in a sunny warm location and water only when necessary. You do not need to keep the lid on the bottle as the air and condensation will give the plants all the nutrition they need to grow into healthy, thriving plants. Source: Source:eHow.com

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WORM FARM- HOW WORMS WORK IN THE GARDEN!!!

Worms are vitally important for the gardener. Not only do they aerate the soil and improve its condition by breaking down rotting plant waste in the soil, they will also produce  higher quality compost in your compost heap, eating their way through quantities of kitchen waste at the same time.

 Directions:

• Cut the top off a plastic soda bottle, tape the edge.
• Pour in 2 inches gravel or stones for drainage (good way to get small rocks out of the yard!)
• Alternate 2 inches of sand, 2 inches of dirt. (VERY lightly spray the dirt with water) Worms 'breathe' through their skin, which must be damp for this to happen. Put a few small pieces of banana peel in the middle for worm food.
• Continue with layers till top.
• Add worms. Tape the top back on or cover top with plastic wrap and tape. Either way, put in several air holes. The jar should not be put anywhere too cold.

Tape black construction paper around bottle, and leave for a day or 2 -- try to do this on a Friday. When you take the paper off, you will see the tunnels the worms have made, and the layers will have shifted and mixed. 

Make sure you check your bottle ecosystems every day; moisten the soil; add more moistened food to the top layer if necessary. Always ensure the contents of the jar are moist, not too wet and definitely not too dry.

You can also: 1.) Observe your ecosystems and record your observations. 2.) Draw a picture or take a digital photograph of your ecosystems.

Charles Darwin studied worms for 39 years, and concluded that life on earth would not be possible without them. Mainly because they increase soil fertility so efficiently, but also because they reduce quantities of plant waste.

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WORMS CAN BE FUN... Activity Two

Go to bait and tackle store and buy bait worms. Dump them into two large tubs of dirt and let the children observe them as they dig. The children can use their hands to dig up the worms. If your children a young, have a variety of plastic birds  at the table for pretend feeding.

With the children, TAKE THE WORMS OUTSIDE and put them in the garden at the end of the day. Have a box of baby wipes available for hand washing.

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TURN A PROTECTED SECTION of your home, program or school yard into a nature shelter.

In warm weather or cold weather- birds, squirrels and other small wildlife are in constant search of food, fresh water and safe shelter. Set up a bird feeder, bird bath and bird house where you and the children will be able to quietly observe. Youth enjoy watching different animals seek the food and water and your bird house will be there when needed. Visit Bird Theme 

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 PLANT  BULBS IN THE FALL

When fall approachs, it's  time to get  bulbs in the ground for spring blossoms such as tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and lilies. When flowers welcome next spring-you'll be happy that you did!
For the best results:

• Plant before the first frost.
• Dig a trench and place the soil on a plastic sheet.
• Place the bulbs in the trench according to your design, but don't let them touch. Make sure they are facing the right way up.
• Replace the soil.
• Water thoroughly. You can also add a layer of mulch to keep the bulbs moist.
• Now all you have to do is wait for spring to see healthy green sprouts that will grow into colorful flowers!

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GROW YOUR OWN FRESH SALAD!

Grow a selection of salad crops to make a lovely summer salad and introduce children to practical gardening. It will increase their interest in healthy food and help them to understand plant life cycles.

Materials:
A plot of good soil, garden tools, compost or manure, watering can,
Seed Ideas for salad: lettuce, nasturtium, pot marigold, cherry tomato, tomatoes, peas and crystal apple cucumber

1. Help children dig the soil and mix in some compost or manure.

2.  Plant  seeds following the directions on the seed packets. You don't have to grow the crops in rows -but can plant in patches, spirals or pots and window-boxes. Be sure children leave enough space to be able to get to the plants for watering, weeding, slug removing and picking!

3. When seeds are planted, water them gently. Seeds MUST be kept moist to germinate.

4. When seeds start to grow, take steps that slugs don't visit and eat everything. (A slug trap can be made with some beer in a jar - make sure you dig a hole to place the jar in so that it sits at soil level.)

5. Remind kids to keep pulling out the weeds, but not to disturb  salad crops. You can give the pea plants some sticks to climb up.

6. Be patient until the salad crops look ready to eat!

RAW PEAS can go in salad - the children just need to take them out of their pods.
 
The NASTURTIUMS AND MARIGOLDS are advised for two reasons: they encourage pest-eaters to come into gardens... and  can also be eaten. The marigold petals and the leaves and flowers of the nasturtium will brighten up any salad.

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How to grow TOMATO PLANTS (from seeds) with your child.

• Around March/April, start by filling a small flowerpot with fresh potting compost.
• Press the soil until it's firmly packed and then evenly sprinkle a few tomato seeds on the surface of the soil.
• Cover the seeds by putting a little compost into another pot and shaking it gently over the new seeds, like a pepper pot.
• Cover the pot with cling film or a plastic bag and secure it with an elastic band and place it in a warm, light place until the seeds begin to sprout.
• When the seedlings appear they will need to transfer them to their own pots. And around June time, when the weather is warmer, plant them outside in larger pots or in the garden.
• Ensure plants are well-watered and give them a special treat of plant food once a week.

Be sure the children wash their hands after gardening, as well as the produce before they eat it.

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GARDENING & COMMUNITY SERVICE...

• Improve the school grounds and plant trees or wildflowers.

• Plant produce. Donate the harvest to a local food bank.

• Plant seeds. Sell the flowers or plants and donate the proceeds to a local organization in need.
Form a litter patrol on school or park ground

• Put on a play at your school, a fair, or festival about local environmental issues.

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This is page 1...Go to page 2 for Gardening Themed ideas for Art, Crafts, Games, Snacks, Songs and Jokes!

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Some interesting categories that could blend with a 'Garden Theme' are:

• Worm Theme
• Flower Theme
• Sunflower Theme
• Bird Theme 
• Insects/Bugs (Creepy-Crawlies)
• Short Theme for 'Veggies and Fruit Day'

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Many good ideas for 'Geololgy' & other fun things!

ARTS & CRAFTS...

 

ROCK ART make great gifts for people. They can be used as paper weights, decorations for indoor gardens or masterpieces to be shown throughout the home.
1. Gather various shapes and sizes of rocks found at parks or along beaches or in your own background. All sizes and shapes are perfect for rock art.
2. Clean the rocks and air dry.
3. Gather various art supplies. (Markers, paints, crayons, glue, fabric...)
4. Decorate

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MAKE A 'ROCK' NECKLACE
Materials:
Small rock, wire (sample used 22-gauge, small pliers, plastic lacing or other cord-type material.
Wrap the wire securely around the rock in a decorative fashion, being sure to include a loop at the top for the cord. Cut off the end of wire and tuck/wrap excess. String it through the cording and knot. Photo/Idea source: Devanie Angel

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CANCELLED ROCKS (These make nice paperweights)
Materials:
Cancelled stamps from mail (small colorful pictures from seed catalogs and magazines may be used instead of stamps)
White glue (the kind that dries clear)
Clear shellac, varnish, or fingernail polish
Smooth surfaced rocks

1. Wash, rinse, and dry rocks.
2. Carefully peel off stamps from envelopes. It's O.K. if some tear.
3. On dry rock, spread a thin layer of glue. Arrange stamps (or small pictures) on rock, OVERLAPPING, until all rock sides showing are covered. Let dry.
4. Coat with thin layer of shellac or varnish, or fingernail polish.
NOTE: You can also coat the finished rock with a thin layer of white glue. It will dry clear, but it will not be waterproof.

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Are you having a 'Rock Themed' or 'Rock Climbing Party? MAKE A PAPER MACHE 'ROCK' PIÑATA! See Paper Maché page for general piñata making directions...

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ROCKS OF GRATITUDE
Materials:
Rocks (various sizes, avoid shiny or glossy rocks)
Light stock paper (such as news print)
Low-gloss varnish or clear finish
 
1. Collect an assortment of rocks.
2. Clean with soap and water, then paint with fall colored acrylic paints (It's not necessary to cover the entire rock with paint, leave some areas exposed if you wish. Let dry.
3. Print words of wisdom on paper. Tear out the sayings (ragged edges).
4. Glue the sayings to your rocks using either white glue or Modge Podge.
5. Finish off the rocks by applying low-gloss varnish or polyurethane.
This makes a nice paper weight or addition to a garden!

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RIVER STONE PAPER WEIGHT

Materials: 
Smooth Stones (Stones can be purchased at craft stores) 
Elmers Glue or good Craft Glue 
Small tiles ( Sample shows 3”x 3” – you can also used jar lids)
Felt pieces for bottom
For a SAC program, I picked up discontinued tiles (see if you can get them donated-the store I got them from gave me about 100 for no charge! Barb) 

1. Glue stones to the attractive side of the tile. Glue will dry transparent. Stones do not have to cover all edges as the tile underneath is nice looking.
2. Let stones dry for a couple hours--- fit, cut, and glue felt to the bottom. (Or attach self-adhesive pieces)
3. The tile I used had writing on the side, so black permanent marker was used along the edge. If your edges are nice--this is not necessary.

Finishing off the side and bottom can be done before glueing on the stones if desired. Image source: KidActivities.net

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MAKE STEPPING STONES
Materials:
Cake pans in a shape you would like, sand dough, paint, cooking spray, paint
1. Spray the cake pans with cooking spray -- Vaseline also works.
2. Fill it with sand dough.(Recipes below)
3. Let dry for 3 days.
4. Children can paint the stepping stones when they come out of the pan. You can also Varathane the stones to weatherproof.

SAND DOUGH RECIPE #1
1 part white glue
2 parts flour
2 parts sand
2 parts water
Mix together to create a dough. You may need to add water or flour depending on the consistency.

#2 SAND DOUGH RECIPE
Add sand to quick set cement and follow the instructions for mixing the cement. Use this recipe when you have a mold or have created a pattern in the sand.

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MAKE MOON CRATERS
Materials Needed:
Liquid Starch
Rock Salt
Glue with food coloring

Mix 1/2 cup of liquid starch with 2 cups of rock salt and 1/2 cup of glue plus food coloring or tempera.
This makes a gooey, rocky mixture.
Let the children freely pile onto cardboard to create a three dimensional structure.

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PET ROCKS

Find smooth, flat or round rocks. Be sure to clean off any dirt or sand and dry completely before starting. Paint with acrylic paints. Decorate faces by using google eyes, yarn for hair, markers, glitter, and any other tidbits you like. (Photo from shirtvalley.com)

PET ROCKS CAN BE A LOT OF FUN!

Extension Ideas:
Investigate what type of rock your pet is. What are the three main types of rock? Discuss their characteristics and give examples of the different types. (See "Word List' down middle of the page under Literacy Section)
Activities:

• Write down its funniest sayings
• Dress it up for a costume party
• Send it on a holiday/vacation
• Write it a bedtime story
• Make it a form of transportation or a bed/house/etc.
• Give it a name
• Give it a birthday party and a present
• Take it for a walk in the park and write what the two of you did
• Have a picnic
• Teach it a trick
• Write out a word bank/haiku/pet journal
• Prepare it to go to a class such as dance class/gymnastics/playgroup/sports day
• Send it for a sleepover with a friend
• Write out a menu sheet for its food
• Photograph it/blog about it
• Make a scrapbook page about it
• Inspired by My Science Program

I dislike taking people away from KidActivities site...but visit DaisytheCurlyCat...for a fun read! It's a great example of what can be done with the extension ideas above!!! Cute and funny! Barb

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ROCK COLLAGE
Set out a variety of small rocks, glue, and squares of cardboard.
Children can glue the rocks on the cardboard squares to create rock sculptures or designs. Designs could also be painted on the rocks.

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MAKE 'TREASURE' ROCKS
Materials:
1 cup Dried Used Coffee Grounds
1/4 cup Sand
1/2 cup Salt
1 cup Flour 
1 cup Water
Large Mixing Bowl and spoon
Small prizes to use as hidden 'Treasure'
Makes about 3 cups of dough

1. Stir together all the dry ingredients. 
2. Add water SLOWLY and continue to stir. Continue adding slowly until the mixture forms a dough. 
3. Knead the mixture of dough until it is well blended.
4. Shape into small balls--about 3 to 4 inches in diameter.
5. Poke a hole in the dough ball to add the treasure. Cover the hole with dough and smooth over as needed.
 
Let the ball air dry for 2 to 5 days--or longer-- depending on its size.  
When the dough is dried and hardened, treasures can be reclaimed by opening with a chisel, craft stick or screw driver. (Be sure to supervise when screw drivers are used)
Idea: Have children make a couple balls with the prizes inside. Group together as they dry--and have children randomly take fossils; their 'treasure' will then be a surprise to them. 

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Make an EARTH TERRERIUM inside a small to medium glass vase.
Use pebbles, green moss, foliage, twigs, small pieces of wood and stone for the earth terrarium. 

TIP: Put small glass vases in your wish list! Parents may have quite a few vases in their cupboards that they could donate--I get a couple every year with gifts of flowers. Barb

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CRAYON COVERED ROCKS Materials:
Zip--close plastic bag,
Wooden or rubber mallet
Smooth, flat rocks about the size of your fist
Aluminum foil or an old pie tin
Felt scraps
Scissors
White glue

IN THE SUN METHOD...

1. Choose crayons in three or four light or bright colors. Dark crayons will make the color on the rock look muddy.
2. Peel the crayons, put them in the zip-to-close bag, and seal it.
3. Place the bag on a hard surface such as a floor or sidewalk. Using the mallet, pound the crayons into small pieces.
4. Place the rock in the pie tin or on a sheet of aluminum foil in the hot sun. Sprinkle it with the crayon pieces.
 
When the crayon pieces have melted, but before they reach the point that they run off the rock, take the rock out of the sun to cool. The crayon will quickly harden and form a colorful and waxy coat over the rock.
Cut a piece of felt to glue to the bottom of the rock to keep it from scratching the table.
 
IN THE OVEN METHOD...
The sample photograph is by permission of World Preschool Mom. The rock was made by a four year old boy; it was colored after being in the oven for about ten minutes. With this method, as Deneal states, place the rock on a sheet of foil (with a hot pad or towel under the foil) before decorating with crayons. The hotter the rock, the more runny the wax will be. (Use caution and supervision with this method.)

TIPS: IF WEATHER ISN'T HOT---

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the rocks on a foil covered cookie sheet and put them in the oven for the children. Keep an eye on them because the crayon melts quickly. It will re-harden within seconds of taking it out of the oven.
• To do outside---this project needs a hot, direct sun..
• If you're unhappy with the color of a crayon-coated rock--Reheat the rock and allow the crayon to melt to the point where most of it drips off the rock and onto the foil under it. Cover the rock with a new selection of crayon bits and see if you get a swirl of color you like better. Remember to avoid dark colors.
• A goal is to get it looking like a tie-dyed rock! The distinct lines of color can be very beautiful. Because the rocks can be easily redone, remember not to place the completed ones that you like in a sunny window or direct, hot sunlight because they will re-melt.

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LITERACY...

POETRY PEBBLES Grade: 4-8
Materials:
Small rocks or pebbles
Small paint bushes
Water and water containers
Magic markers
Paint (make tempera paint thicker by adding glue or flour)
A covered work area
A shoebox, yogurt or empty "Jiffy Pop" popcorn container
Hairspray or a spray varnish

•  Make sure your pebbles are clean.
•  Paint words onto the pebbles. You could also use markers instead of paint. 
•  Choose a number of words-people, places, things, action words etc. Example: 
    1. he
    2. she
    3. to
    4. love
    5. dog
    6. went
    7. walk
    8. you
    9. happy
    10. in
    11. to
    12. a
    13. my
    14. your
    15. orange
    16. red
    17. blue
    18. purple
    19. green
    20. swim
    21. bike

• Use your imagination and make sure you draw some punctuation marks on some pebbles as well (comma, exclamation point, period, question mark etc.)
• Once the pebbles are painted, let them dry and seal them with hairspray or spray varnish.
• Put all the pebbles into a show box or Jiffy Pop container. You can decorate your container with paint or markers as well.
• Play a game of poetry pebbles. Each player chooses a number of pebbles from the box and tries to come up with a poem or story. Makes for a great way to begin a short story for those times when you have writers block!
Source: Kinderart.com

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READ STONE SOUP AND THEN MAKE STONE SOUP!

STONE SOUP  by Marcia Brown, tells the story of three hungry soldiers who come into a village and cleverly trick the peasants into sharing their food--by making a lavish soup out of seemingly nothing but stones. Like the soldiers' soup, this recipe turns basically whatever vegetables you have on hand into a hearty meal.

 

Stone soup is a wonderful story to share with children in a group setting.  Read the story one day and the next day have  children bring a ziploc baggie of chopped up vegetables, herbs and/or spices (you can assign things to bring for a well rounded soup... or let the children bring whatever they like for a mystery pot).  For child participation-- 
1. Everyone can chop or measure ingredients.
2. Put all in a large crock pot. Cover with water.
3. Cook 2 to 3 hours on high. Remove bay leaf before serving... (You can also do this at home in conjunction with reading the book)

...Think about making the big pot of soup in a crock pot. You can start it in the morning program/classroom ... and let it go on low during the day. Have kids sign up to bring potatoes, small onion, carrots, celery, cans of beef broth, can of diced tomatoes, seasoning, crackers or rolls, etc. (Don't forget the 'clean scrubbed stone'!)

* Each child would only have to bring a single item to make a huge pot.

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'COOKING STONE SOUP' SONG
Sing to tune of Farmer in the Dell...

We're cooking stone soup,
We're cooking stone soup,
Stir the pot,
It's getting hot,
We're cooking stone soup.

First, we add potatoes,
First, we add  potatoes,
Stir the pot,
It's getting hot,
We're cooking stone soup.

We're cooking stone soup,
We're cooking stone soup,
Stir the pot,
It's getting hot,
We're cooking stone soup.

Continue with rest of ingredients: tomatoes, onions, water, celery, carrots, etc.

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COMBINE LITERACY AND SCIENCE...

WORDS TO INVESTIGATE and KNOW: Challenge the kids in your class/group to learn the meanings of:

• igneous, sedimentary, metamporphic
• molten, magma, lava
• chemical, organic
• crystalline
• sandstone, basalt, crystal, marble, quartz, limestone, granite
• smooth, rough, layers, hard
• geologist
• clastic
• fossil
• rock

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SCIENCE...

KIDS LIKE TO COLLECT THINGS: Capitalize on this interest by encouraging kids to bring their finds to your program for your science center.

Example: ROCK COLLECTING--GEOLOGY

 

  •  LOTS of kids/families have rock collections. Do a 'geology theme' and have kids bring in interesting and different rocks and minerals they have collected.  

  •  Provide field guides and a mineral test kit to identify each rock or mineral sample. They can learn about the properties of rocks and minerals as they perform tests on their own specimens, checking the streak, color, hardness, luster, and more.

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ROCK COLLECTIONS FOR PRE-K AND LOWER ELEMENTARY...

Take children on a rock gathering expedition. After stones/rocks are collected--have children wash them.

• Examine them with magnifying glasses.
• Sort rocks by size, color, markings, etc..
• Are they hard or soft? Scrape rocks with nails to see!

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CRACK OPEN GEODES! Information on a variety of methods (good for all ages) and where to puchase small geodes is here...

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FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL: Science for a changing world at U.S. Geological Survey provides resource collections and maps for studying earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and other natural disasters, as well as rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, earth's interior, fossils, coastal wetlands, deserts, the carbon cycle, climate change, and the solar system. Learn about the San Andreas fault system, the life cycle of a mineral deposit, fire ecology research, big floods in the U.S., and more.

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Kids always love making VOLCANOES! Directions and images are in the Science category (Scroll down towards the bottom of the page)

 

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GAMES USING STONES...

HOP SCOTCH (Use rocks/stones as markers) 
Equipment: Pavement, stones, chalk
Draw the layout with the chalk - From bottom to top---
3 single squares, 1 double square, 2 single squares, 1 double square, 1 single square.
Number the squares.

The two basic rules of hop scotch are:
1) One foot in each square only.
2) Hop over the square with the rock in it.

Use a rock to throw into the first square.
Hop on one foot over the square with the rock in it.
Land with two feet on the double squares.
On the second turn, throw the rock into the second square, and so forth.
The tricky part is staying on one foot when the rock is in one of the side-by-side squares.

If you have a side walk--you can also play by marking two side walk squares with an "X" going from corner to corner in each square.
The part of the "X" portion closest to you (at the very bottom) would be #1...
#2 would be above that to the right
#3 is to the left of 2---and #4 goes in the top portion of the "X"
Mark the square above the same--with #5, 6, 7, and 8...Proceed to play as above.

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SIFTING FOR GOLD
Have children pretend to be gold miners.
Paint very small ROCKS, gold.
Hide them in the sand.
Give children small sifters to sift through the sand looking for gold.

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PLAY BINGO using pebbles or polished stones for the markers...

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POPCORN VOLCANO ERUPTION
1.  Spread out a large clean sheet on the floor and have the kids sit outside the edge.
2.  Set a popcorn maker in the center, and prepare popcorn according to directions. Do NOT put the lid on the popcorn maker!
3.  Watch the "volcano" erupt and shoot "hot lava" all over the sheet.
4.  Make sure that everyone stays away from the popper while it's on, so the kids don't get sprayed with hot oil or kernels.

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SNACKS...

 • Serve fruits with stones in them! Peaches, plums, nectarines, avocados, cherries...

 

• Rocky Road Fudge (See recipe in the Candy Category-near top of page with other fudge goodies)

• Rocky Road Ice-Cream...if you can't find Rocky Road -- get flavor of choice and mix in (or top it) with mini-marshmallows and chocolate chips!

•Trail mix (See 'Snack Mix' Category)

• Dirt Cups (Dirt Cup recipes are in the 'Garden Theme' page; Snacks are towards page center)

• Read the Book Stone Soup and then make some! (Scroll back up towards the middle of the page for directions)

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MAKE A VOLCANO CAKE

1. Bake two 8" round cakes and two Pyrex-bowl dome cakes.
2. Trim and stack the cakes to look like a mountain.
3. Frost it brown and sprinkle it with crushed chocolate graham crackers.
4. Use Fruit Roll-Ups: blue for the water around the volcano, red roll-up down the side for lava, green and yellow for the trees and foliage.
5. Put several sparkles around the top.
6. Cut out a hole from top down inside the cake.
7. Put a tall glass in the hole filled with dry ice.
8. Add some hot water inside the glass (on top of dry ice)
Watch the kids with all the 'oohs and ahhs' when you do this!!!

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There may be ideas in the SAND THEME that you may also like!

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DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR BIRTHSTONE IS & WHAT IT MEANS?

 

Modern birthstones are linked to calendar months, and each month has its own unique birthstone, with its own fabled properties. Many people love to wear jewelry set with their birthstone, as the ancient meanings and associations with these stones still intrigue them.

JANUARY Birthstones
• Garnet for Strength for perseverity, prosperity,and health
• Rose Quartz for Emotional balance, forgiveness
  
FEBRUARY Birthstones
• Amethyst for Wisdom, spirituality, sobriety, security
• Onyx for Relaxation, comfort

MARCH Birthstones
• Aquamarine for Beauty, honesty, loyalty, happiness
• Bloodstone for Endurance

APRIL Birthstones
• Diamond for Invincibility, clarity, purity, eternal love
• Rock Crystal / Quartz for Balance, clarity, energy

MAY
• Emerald for Patience, understanding, foresight
• Chrysoprase for Fertility, secrecy

JUNE Birthstones
• Alexandrite for Balance, confidence, joy
• Moonstone for Balance, good fortune, tender passion
• Pearl for Modesty, purity, beauty, happiness 

JULY Birthstones
• Ruby for Love, success, integrity, passion & promise
• Carnelian for Luck, safety 

AUGUST Birthstones
• Peridot for Fame, dignity, protection, succes)
• Sardonyx for Relaxation, security
 
SEPTEMBER Birthstones
• Sapphire for Truth, sincerity, commitment, loyalty
 
OCTOBER Birthstones
• Opal for Hope, faith, confidence
• Tourmaline for Balance, endurance, safety 

NOVEMER Birthstones
• Topaz for Strength, wisdom, courage
• Citrine for Hope cheerfulness, youth, health, fidelity 
 
DECEMBER Birthstones
• Tanzanite for Contentment, understanding
• Zircon for Wisdom, honor, wealth
• Turquoise for New possibilities, happiness 

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WHAT AND WHEN IS 'OLD ROCK DAY'?

Did you know that 'Old Rock Day' is celebrated each year on January 7th? You can celebrate the day by collecting different rocks...or have fun doing a variety of things to go along with the theme! (Such as the ideas on this page!)

The day does not have a specific meaning--nor is it known how or when it began. So...have fun with it as you like! (Just be sure to include a stone, rock or pebble in some way...)

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BOOKS at BestCrystals.com

Eye Wonder Series: Rocks and Minerals
by Caroline Bingham, hard cover, 47 pages.
Dig into the earth and discover the amazing treasures beneath our feet. Travel on an incredible journey through Earth. Take trips through deep diamond mines, locate hidden secrets in the rocks, and find out what salt really is. Packed with facts, accessible text, and dramatic photography. Recommended for ages 8-14.

Rocks & Fossils
An Usborne Guide, by Martyn Bramwell, soft cover, 31 pages.
This fascinating book is an excellent introduction to the world of rocks and fossils. With detailed diagrams and illustrations, it explains many of the geological processes which have formed different rocks, minerals, and fossils. Recommended for ages 8 and up. 
 
Let's Go Rock Collecting
A Reading Rainbow Book, by Roma Gans, Illustratd by Holly Keller, soft cover, 32 pages
Travel around the globe with two adventurous rock hounds and learn how rocks form and change. Rocks are everywhere. Whether they are part of an ancient pyramid or under your very feet, they are always close by. Once you learn more about them, you won't be able to resist starting ta collection of your own! Appropriate for younger children, ages 5-8.

Julie the Rockhound
A Reading Rainbow Book, by Gail Langer Karwoski, Illustratd by Lisa Downey, soft cover, 30 pages
when a young girl finds a shiny quartz crystal, her dad shows her how to dig for minerals, and she becomes Julie the Rockhound. "Creative Minds" information section follows the story at the end of the book. Appropriate for younger children, ages 5 - 9.

Eyewitness Books: Rocks & Minerals
by Dr. R.F. Symes, hard cover, 64 pages.
Spectacular and informative guide to the amazing world beneath our feet. Stunning color photos of rocks, fossils, minerals, precious metals, crystals, jewels, and gemstones give the reader a unique eyewitness insight into the evolution and composition of the earth. Readers ages 9 through adult will enjoy this book in the Eyewitness series.
*NEW* - Now includes poster and clip art CD

 
Eyewitness Books: Crystal & Gem
by Dr. R.F. Symes and Dr. R.R. Harding, hard cover, 64 pages. Spectacular and informative guide to the amazing world of crystals and gems. Superb color photographs of crystals, jewels, and gemstones of every color, size, and shape offer a unique eyewitness insight into their extraordinary beauty and variety. Readers ages 9 through adult will enjoy this book in the Eyewitness series.
Includes poster and clip art CD

Eyewitness Books: Fossil
by Dr. Paul D. Taylor, hard cover, 64 pages.
An original and exciting new look at fossils - the remains of long-vanished animals and plants. Stunning real-life photos of the spectacular remains of ancient lives offer a unique eyewitness view of what fossils are, how they were formed, and how they lived millions of years ago. Readers ages 9 through adult will enjoy this book in the Eyewitness series.

The Ultimate Rocks & Minerals Sticker Book
by DK Publishing, soft cover, 8 pages
Create your own picture book with over 60 bright full-color stickers. Each self-adhesive sticker is easy to peel off, and can be used more than once. Fact-packed labels accompany every sticker.

DK Pockets: Rocks & Minerals
by DK Publishing, written by Sue Fuller, soft cover, 155 pages
This book is packed with information about rocks and minerals, along with beautiful photographs. A great pocket reference book, with diagrams, charts, maps, glossary, and index. Recommended for ages 9 to adult.

 
DK Pockets: Gemstones
by DK Publishing, written by Emma Foa, soft cover, 122 pages
This little book is packed with information, history, and lore of gemstones, along with beautiful photographs. A great pocket reference book, with diagrams, charts, maps, glossary, and index. Recommended for ages 9 to adult.

DK Pockets: Fossils by DK Publishing, written by Douglas Palmer, soft cover, 155 pages
This little book is packed with information about fossils, along with beautiful photographs. A great pocket reference book, with diagrams, charts, maps, glossary, and index. Recommended for ages 9 to adult.

Introducing Landforms
by Crabtree Publishing, written by Bobbie Kalman, soft cover, 32 pages
Learn how to identify all the varied land features of our earth, and how they are formed. Learn about the formation of glaciers, lakes, mountains, valleys, plains, deserts, canyons, volcanoes, and more. Then take the landforms quiz at the end of the book! Recommended for ages 6 to 10.

Eyewitness Workbook: Earth
by DK Publishing, written by Caryn Jenner, fold-out workbook, 48 pages
A workbook that children will actually want to use! Are you ready to take your knowledge of the planet Earth to the next level? This activity-packed workbook will help you go straight to the head of the class. Find out how mountains are formed, see inside our planet, learn how a volcano works, and discover the layers of our atmosphere. Train your brain with activities, stickers, and quizes. Includes tun-and-learn information wheel. Parent notes and curriculum-based content. Chart your progress and receive your certificate of completion!

Eye Wonder Series: Volcano
by DK Publishing, written by Lis Magloff, hard cover, 47 pages
Explode into the spectacular world of the volcano. Find out what causes the most dramatic scenes on Earth and look back in time to discover the violence and danger that is the volcano. Packed with facts, accessible text, and dramatic photography.

Volcanoes
by Neil Morris, soft cover, 32 pages
Part of the Wonders of our World series, this book explains what a volcano is, and identifies the different types of volcanoes, the lava, ash, and rock produced by volcanoes. Examples of volcanoes from around the world, as well as information about geysers, springs, avalanches, and tsunamis resulting from volcanic activity, and the birth of new islands. Great illustrations and facts. 

   
DK Readers: Volcanoes and other natural disasters
by DK Publishing, written by Harriet Griffey, soft cover, 48 pages
Stunning photographs combine with lively illustrations and engaging, age-appropriate stories in this series of books geared toward developing both reading skills and knowledge. Learn about the famous eruptions of Vesuvius and Pelee. Learn about other natural powerful forces such as earthquakes, avalanches, and hurricanes. Recommended for readers age 8-12.

 

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Art, Crafts, Games, Snacks, FYI, Book List, Community Service (great for older kids!), Jokes and lots of fun ideas! 

ADAPT TO MIXED AGE CHILDREN: 'Bear Themes' are usually for young children; however, this can also be adapted to mixed-age programs. Perhaps your school age participants would like to facilitate planning and presenting Teddy (and other) bear themed ideas? 

Older children could plan activities for the younger.  They could read books about Bears and write, produce and act out skits and plays based on those books. They could lead games and host and make decorations for a party. School Age participants could also lead a Community Service activity. (See below) An * has been placed before ideas that would be appropriated for school agers...there are more than 15 activities of this type.

Additionally, while younger children are actively involved in the below --older youth may be interested in studying and learning about different species of bears...they can make posters, display boards, drawings, research, write articles and present to each other. Pre-K to grade 1 children will enjoy a 'Teddy Bear' theme--but when working with mixed ages--get creative and also include activities for them!  'Teddy Bears and Other Bears' can also work for older school-age kids!

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ART AND CRAFTS...

*BEAR CAVE OR DIORAMA
1. Make the cave base using a small cardboard box or Styrofoam meat tray. 
2. For the cave-- staple or glue a brown crumpled paper bag to the base.
3. Add pine needles, straw, rocks/stones, twigs, moss, and sawdust.  
4. Tuck a 'teddy graham bear' or two inside the 'cave' to hibernate!

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*TEDDY BEAR WINTER BIRD FEEDER (Makes a nice Nature, Earth, and Craft project all in one!)
Materials Needed:
Bread
Teddy Bear shaped Cookie Cutter
Peanut Butter
Knife (to spread Peanut Butter)
Scissors or knife
Plate to dip bird seed
Bird Seed
Ribbon or Yarn

1. Toast bread 
2. Press  cookie cutter into the bread.
3. With scissors or knife, put a hole in the toasted bread shape.
4. Spread  peanut butter onto toast.
5. Place the toast--peanut butter side down-- on a plate of bird seed. Press lightly so the seeds stick in the peanut butter.

Put the yarn (or ribbon) in the hole of your cut out bread feeder. Hang from the trees outside for the birds to eat during the Winter

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*STILL LIFE ART:

Put out a couple teddy bears and invite children to draw what they see. These samples are by first grade children-Clay and Jonathon. Source: Michal Austin-TechyTeacher

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COFFEE GROUND SCENTED BEARS
1. Cut a teddy bear shape from heavy cardboard or cardstock. (You may want to make templates for the children to trace.) 
2. Cover the bear with glue - sprinkle fresh coffee grounds. Shake to remove extra grounds.

ALTERNATIVE SCENTS FOR ABOVE...
Use spices such as: nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, whatever smells good! Proceed as above.

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HONEYCOMB NECKLACES OR BRACELETS
Simple! Bears love honey so just string Honeycomb cereal! Put cereal on string and tie when complete--be sure to make long enough to get over the head. After wearing awhile, it makes a good snack!

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*CINNAMON DOUGH TEDDY BEAR TO HANG (Or use as ornaments)
Need:
Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Apple Sauce
Teddy Bear Cookie Cutters
Optional: Ribbon, Cloves, Drinking Straw

1. In a bowl mix the cinnamon and apple sauce together. If the mixture is too hard, add more apple sauce, if too thin, add more cinnamon.
2. Roll mixture on wax paper until it is about 1/4 " thick.
3. Cut our shapes with the cookie cutter.
4. If you will be hanging as ornaments, put a hole in the top area of the shapes. (Use a straw to cut a perfect size hole.)
Option: Add clove to decorate the bears. Gently apply pressure to push the cloves into the ornaments.

5. Dry the bears for one to two days. After bears are dried, tie a ribbon or yarn through the hole.

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FURRY (PUFFY PAINT) BEAR...

Make  bear-shaped templates for children to trace. (This project is best done on card-stock type paper) After bears are drawn-just follow one of the puffy paint recipe directions below...(Recipes are from KA's Paint/Coloring Recipe Category)

QUICK AND EASY  MICROWAVE PUFF PAINT
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon self-rising flour
Few little drops of food coloring
1 tablespoon salt
Add some water till it a smooth paste.
1.  Use this to paint on a thick sheet of cardboard.
You can also use Q-Tips if not enough brushes...
Microwave the design on high for 10 - 30 seconds until the paint puffs and it is dry.

PUFF PAINT #2
1 c. water
1 c. flour
1 c. salt
Separate into different squirt bottles and add POWDERED TEMPERA PAINT to create a rainbow of colors.

PUFF PAINT #3
Salt, Flour. Water, Tempera Paint
Mix equal amounts of flour, salt and water. Add LIQUED TEMPERA paint for color. Pour mixture into squeeze bottles and paint. Mixture hardens in a puffy shape.

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PANDA NOISEMAKER 

(This sample is child made)
   • Cut a circle the size of a paper plate out of a piece of white craft paper.
   • Cut two oval shapes for the ears and two small circles for the eyes out of black craft paper.
   • Cut one medium-sized circle out of white craft paper for the nose. Glue cutouts onto paper plate sized circle.
   • Cut out a small black triangle and glue onto nose.  Cut out two small white circles and glue onto eyes.
   • Glue face to the backside of a paper plate.
   •Fill paper plate with a handful of macaroni or beans and staple another paper plate to the reverse side to close.
   • Shake to make noise.

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MAKE A PLATE TEDDY BEAR FACE: Another easy paper plate idea...

Draw eyes. Draw nose and mouth on a cupcake liner (The muzzle). Glue the cupcake liner'paper-holder onto the plate. Add two cupcake liner ears. That's it! Plate will be as sophisticated or simple child's development.

The plate can then be glued/taped to a large craft stick and used as a puppet or mask.

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 *HONEY PLAY DOUGH FOR 'BEARS' (Not only art--but making play dough is also 'science'.)
Tip: If play dough is too sticky, butter child's hands before starting...

PLAYDOUGH #1  
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup oatmeal

Mix ingredients in bowl with spoon or hands until well blended. Place playdough on wax paper. Make something and then eat it! (Be sure hands are washed well before starting.)

PLAYDOUGH #2 
1 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. honey
1/2 c. powdered milk

Mix together to make a playdough.
Optional: Wheat germ, coconut, decorations: raisins, nuts.
Use as regular playdough, then eat!

#3 PLAYDOUGH FOR LACTOSE INTOLERANT  
Ingredients:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
4-6 oz. corn flour or corn meal

Combine together peanut butter and honey. Add the corn flour until it reaches the desired consistency.
Note: Corn muffin mix (Such as Jiffy-Mix) can be substituted for corn meal.

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GAMES and PHYSICAL ACTIVITY...

GUESS THE SCENT
Cut three bear shapes from a medium grade sand paper. 
Rub the sandpaper bears with different scents and have children guess what the scent is!

Scents that work well: cinnamon, orange, lemon or lime peel, peanut butter, garlic, etc. 

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PASS THE BEAR
Children sit in a circle.
Play music and when the music stops, the child left holding the bear is out. Reward the child with small treat.
 
If children are very young--have players clap for the child holding the bear instead of going out.

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*STICK THE HEART ON TEDDY 
This is a variation of Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

Draw a large bear on craft/roll paper.
Give each child a paper heart with their name or a number on it.

Blindfold each child when it's their turn. Turn them around and then have them place their heart on the bear's chest.

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*Honey, Bees and Bears...
TOSS THE BEES INTO THE HONEYPOT
 
Decorate small flower pots or buckets to look like honey pots.
Use small plastic bees or make some using yellow circles of cloth

which you have stuffed with dried beans--and then tied.(Much like bean bags) Another option is to use colored baby socks and fill them with dry beans and tie them closed with a piece of ribbon. Choose yellow socks for bees.

OPTIONAL:
Cut a large bee hive shape from construction paper. It should be large enough for a child to stand on with both feet. If necessary, cut two hives - one for each foot. If possible-laminate for repeated use.

If playing the game outdoors, use sidewalk chalk to draw a 'hive shape' on the hard surface.

Have each child take a turn standing on the hives and tossing the bees into the honey pots. Award one point for landing in the closest pot, two points for the middle pot, and three points for the farthest pot. If not using bee hives to stand on--mark a line to throw from.

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*TEDDY BEAR RELAY RACE
Play like a traditional relay race.

1.Form two or more teams. Each 'team' is given a stuffed bear.
2. Children line up and one by one run from one end of the course to the other while holding their bear. When they return to the staring point, they give the bear to the next child.
3. If the bear is dropped during the run, the player must return to the beginning and start over. The first team to have all players finish the race wins.

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*GUMMY BEAR RACE
Materials:
Gummy Bears
Paper plates
Corn flakes or Whipped cream

Hide one gummy bear on each paper plate in a pile of corn flakes or in a blop of whipped cream. (Older kids love the whipped cream-and it makes a great photo-op!) 
Children stand or sit in front of the plate with their hands behind their backs.
On the "GO" signal, each player finds the gummy bear in the corn flakes (whipped cream) using only their mouth & teeth...
The first player to lift their head with the gummy bear between their teeth is the winner!

Variation: Hide several gummy bears and set a time limit; those who find the most gummy bears wins! This can be done as an individual or 'Team Count' event.

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Instead of playing Duck, Duck, Goose--Play 'BEAR, BEAR, GOLDILOCKS'!

Or... 
PLAY TEDDY BEAR TAILS (Also played like Duck, Duck, Goose)
Object of game: Teddy bear is looking for his tail!

Give each player a tail made from brown felt or construction paper. Have children tuck or tape the 'tail' on their lower back. Except for the bear, players sit in a circle--Teddy Bear walks around the circle until he/she sees 'the tail'. After grabbing a tail, Teddy runs around the outside of the circle--and back to the empty spot--before being caught by the 'tail-less' player.

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*Instead of Simon Says...play 'TEDDY  SAYS'...

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TEDDY BEAR HUNT  (A version of Hot and Cold)

Hide a small teddy bear in your program room- or a section of your outdoor area. (Make sure the children know what they are looking for.)

• Have children come into the room and search for the bear.
• As they get closer call out "Warmer, warmer" until you get to "Hot!" As they get further away call out "Cooler, cooler" until you get to "Cold".
• The first player to find the bear then gets to go and hide it for the next round.

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 PARACHUTE BEAR TOSS...

Place all the Teddy Bears in the center of a parachute or large blanket. With all players firmly holding the edges, toss them up into the air. Whose Bear is going to go the highest? (See 'Parachute Game Category' for other games)

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MUSICAL BEARS
Played like traditional musical chairs...
Set out chairs, one for each child minus one.
While each child holds a bear, they move/dance to  music.
When the music stops, they move quickly  and put their bear on a chair. The bear that doesn't have a chair is out but children are given a treat/prize as they are out.

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GOING ON A BEAR HUNT SURPRISE!
Make large 'paw prints' using card stock. Numer each paw print--from 1 to 10.

Place the numbered paws around the garden/house. Children must find the prints in numbered order. When they get to number 10 they'll find a bear with a bowl of treats. Treats can be 'goody bags', candy or cookies, etc.

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DRAMATIC PLAY GAMES...

WALK LIKE A BEAR...
• Papa bear takes big steps
• Mama bear takes medium steps
• Baby bear takes baby steps
• Brother bear hops on both feet
• Sister bear hops on one foot
• Polar Bear walks on all fours

You can also play music of your choice and encourage  children to move like:
Big bears, little bears, tired bears, happy bears, scared bears, etc. Make it more interesting by choosing music based on the movement you'd like!

BEAR SOUNDS...GROWL LIKE A BEAR
• Growl softly
• Growl loudly
• Growl fiercely
• Growl gently
• Growl to yourself
• Growl a big, wide growl

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*BEAR TOSS
Divide  children into two or more teams.
Each team member is given a teddy bear and lines up in a straight line in front of their "basket". (If there are not enough bears-give the first person in each team line a bear. The team will then share this bear.)

The team who gets the most bears in their container wins!

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MISCELLANEOUS TEDDY BEAR FUN

 

*Visit the Jokes Category about Bears!

 

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*TEDDY BEAR VACATIONS (Good for Pre-K thru Grade School)
This project can be done a number of ways.

Method #1
Pack up your group's teddy bear and send him/her to another program, school classroonm day care, hospital,  or _______. Teddy bear will go on a trip and return with pictures and a journal about  adventures and experiences on the vacation. Teddy's host will photograph and record his adventures. (Learning, Reading, Napping, Playing, Visiting children's homes, etc)

It would be helpful to also send a disposable camera, blank diary with identification-- and other things that one would need for a trip. (A small backpack to put everything in)

Method #2

1. Preparation is the same as above; however, Teddy starts out with a person that is going on vacation. A diary/journal with photographs is kept.
2. Upon return, Teddy is then given to another person that is going on a trip.
3. Set a certain time frame-such as 60 to 90 days. Indicate in documentation --when and where the bear is to be returned.
4. Oh what adventures Teddy will have! Lessons and discussions can then be build around Teddy's adventures! Be sure to keep track of the miles and map each place Teddy has visited.

One traveling bear that I've read of (known as Snicks) slowly collected clothing from places he visited (including teddy-patterned socks, a personalized T-shirt, shoes and 2 caps) as well as pins and badges from his various travels. He also had a backpack containing knickknacks from along the way. (He visited many of the States, Australia, Cape Town, and Czechoslovakia.

Photos were posted online to the Snickerdoodle MacBear flickr page. He also had his own 'Facebook page' where he updated friends on his adventures. (One year I did this with a group of children-and we really had a good time with it! Barb)

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TEDDY BEAR SHARING DAY...

Invite children to bring in their teddy bears or a teddy bear 'friend'-- if  their favorite stuffed animal isn't a bear.

• Compare bears...
• Talk about what kinds of bears the children have. Do the children remember when/where they got their bears?
• Create a graph based on the color of the bears.

Extension Idea:
AWARD CERTIFICATES TO EACH AND EVERY BEAR!
Each category can have seveal winners...

Example:
•Funnies names of bears
•Happies looking bears
•Most unique bears
•Most colorful bears
•Most huggable bears
•Fuzziest bears
•Softest bear
•Well-dressed bears
•Smallest bears
•Biggest bears
•Skinniest bears
•Widest/chubbiest bears
•Loved well bears
•Oldest bears

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TEDDY BEARS VS. REAL BEARS
Talk about the differences between teddy bears and real bears.
    • Where do they live?
    • What do they eat? etc.

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FOR OUR DOCTORS, NURSES, AND VETERNARIANS OF TOMORROW...
'BOO-BOO BEAR' MEDICAL CLINIC...

 

Set up your dramatic play center with a 'medical clinic area/table for 'Teddy Bear and Friends' that are ill or need attending!
Make sure young 'doctors and nurses' have all the supplies they need. Usually toy doctor kit/bags have the essentials.
Include : Doctor bag, stethoscope, reflex hammer, thermometer, play syringe, auriscope, laryngoscope, bandages, plastic gloves, wraps, cold compresses, gauze pads, surgical tape, tongue depressors,  pager (some have realistic sounds, and battery operated cell phone. Maybe add a microscope and magnifying glass? Besides an examing table--is there a bed where the 'patient (s) can recooperate? (Homemade bed-boxes work out great for this...)

Also look for deals on scrubs, caps and lab coats...quite often the time after Halloween will have sales.
Want to make your own as an activity to go with the center?

MAKE LAB COATS (Taken from KA's Mad Science Category)
#1  Lab Coats: Cover  table with newspapers or freezer paper. Lay out fabric markers. Give each child a plain white shirt to decorate as a lab coat. You can use T-shirts, or look for used front-buttoning shirts at thrift shops
Idea #2
Use white kitchen sized garbage bags to make lab coats.
Cut a half circle hole for the head, and half circles for the arms. With a black permanent marker, draw a line down the front and buttons next to it. You can also draw a pocket on the side with a pen in it; write the children's names on them (Example: Professor Smith, Dr. Susan, etc.

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*BEARY DELICIOUS SNACKS...

Bears eat with their paws--so the snacks of course should be finger foods and nibbles!

 

MAKE BEAR SHAPED COOKIE-CUTTER SANDWICHES
Make Peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches (or other fillings)
Cut out in the bear shapes.

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BEAR PUNCH
Fill bear-shaped molds with juice and freeze. Fill a  punch bowl with juice or simple punch recipe. Add bear cubes before serving.

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Bears like ants and insects and bears also like logs...so make your favorite versions of ANTS/BUGS ON A LOG!

MAKE 'LOGS'  from any of these foods:  

• Celery Stalks (cut to about 3 inches long)
• Apples (cut in halves or quarters with cores removed)
• Carrots (cut to about 3 inches long)

FILL THE 'LOGS' WITH A SPREAD

• Cream Cheese
• Cream cheese and pineapple
• Cheese and pimento
• Peanut butter
• Egg salad

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SPRINKLE 'ANTS' ON THE SPREAD:
• Raisins
• Golden raisins
• Dried cranberries or cherries
• Raisenettes candy
• Unsweetened cereal
• Sunflower seeds
• Chopped peanuts of finely chopped walnuts
• Mix in chopped apple

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TEDDY BEAR CUPCAKE

Ingredients:
1 cupcake per person
Frosting (Any color/flavor you'd like)
2 Nilla Wafers
1 Junior Mint or large spice/gumdrop 
2 black or dark brown M&Ms

After frosting the cupcake, place a Nilla wafer cookie (for a muzzle) toward the bottom of the cupcake.
Stick a Junior mint 'nose' about 2/3 down the cookie muzzle.
Add M&M eyes.
To make the ears, cut the second Nilla Wafer in half; place halves at the top of cupcake.
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MAKE FISH IN A STREAM
If Bears live near the sea they catch fish.
Fill celery with cream cheese and top them with goldfish crackers!
 
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WHAT DO 'BLACK BEARS' EAT?
Bears eat berries, nuts, tubers, roots, honey, worms, buds, leaves, fruit, twigs, grubs, fish, and insects/ants. In the spring, black bears even eat the inside layer of young trees. They must eat between 11 and 18 pounds of food each day to stay healthy.

SO...SERVE fruit, berries, nuts and honey. Gummy worms can substitute for worms!

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WORMY SNACK MIX

 Ingredients:
1 cup miniature pretzels
1 cup miniature Teddy Grahams snacks
1 cup dry roasted peanuts (If no allergies)
1 cup m&m's
1 cup gummy worms
Mix together and enjoy

See other 'Worm Snacks' in the WORM THEME! (Scroll down to the middle of the page)

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COOKIE OR CUPCAKE~TEDDY BEAR HOLDING A BALLOON

Frost a large round cookie or cupcake as desired. Place a gum drop --or half a large gum drop --at the upper side of the cupcake. Place a large Teddy Graham or Gummy Bear at the opposite lower side of the dessert. Connect the 'balloon' with the bear with a slender string of licorice. (In this image, two cupcakes have gummy bears with ballons--and one has a very large gummy bear on it. Sprinkles are added) Image by KidActivities.net

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MAKE AN ANT FARM... with Peanut Butter, Graham Crackers and Raisins

• On a plate spread peanut butter.
• In the middle erect a tunnel from the broken graham crackers.
• Next, place the raisins on the peanut butter to look like Ants.
• Children can eat the raisins and peanut butter with either the graham crackers or pieces of celery.
  (You can use canned chocolate frosting if you have peanut allergies in your group)

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Yumm...MAKE POLAR BEAR CUPS

First put ice cream and then a layer of your choice of candy--- M&M's, Kisses, Chocolate or Peanut Butter Chips.

Cover candy layer with Cool Whip...Decorate with Gummy Bears.Serve in small-clear plastic cups for individual servings ..or one big vat that everyone shares. Usually, kids like to have their own :-)

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Bears like Honey so have...APPLES AND HONEY...

Take an apple and slice a thin piece from the bottom so that it stands up without support. Cut the top off and core the center out. Fill with honey.

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QUICK IDEAS: Serve Teddy Graham Bear Cookies, Honeycomb Cereal, Gummy Bears...

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*COMMUNITY SERVICE

No theme is complete without a Community Service effort!

1. Consider holding a TEDDY BEAR AND FRIENDS (Stuffed Animals) DRIVE!
Donate  collected animals to a Homeless Shelter for new arrivals.

2. Another idea--check with your local police station or fire station. Many are happy to take Teddy and Friends; a teddy bear can be a comfort to children in times of distress.

3. ADOPT A BEAR ( or lion, tiger, whale, or other animal.) Many zoos, aquariums, and animal sea habitats have adoption programs. In exchange for financial support, you often get a photo and biography of your new adoptee.

4. HELP THE PLIGHT OF ASIAN 'MOON' BEARS! For ideas visit the Kids' Page at AnimalsAsia...Animal Asia has extensive list ideas for children and teachers. There is information regarding...
What is a Moon Bear; Why do Moon Bears need help; What is the 'Bear Rescue'; How to help; Info for Teachers; Games and Quizzes; Downloads.
Spend some time in different areas of the site and learn about the plight of Asian Bears and how we can help.

5. ADOPT A POLAR BEAR, PANDA or one many other animals.
Visit World Wildlife Fund; donations start at 25.00 (Donations are used in general support of WWF's efforts around the world. 82 cents of every donated dollar goes toward conservation. WWF has been recognized by Charity Navigator, and meets the BBB Wise Giving Alliance's Standards for Charity Accountability.)

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SONGS, POEMS, & FINGER PLAY...

*TEDDY BEAR, TEDDY BEAR (Younger children say and do--older can jump rope)
 
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Turn around. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Touch the ground. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Shine your shoes. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Skidoo. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Go upstairs. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Say your prayers. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Turn out the light. 
Teddy bear, teddy bear, 
Say good night. 

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LITTLE BROWN BEAR
 
A little brown bear went in search of some honey,
Isn't it funny, a bear wanting honey?
 
He sniffed at the breeze, (Sniff air)
And he listened for bees, (Cup hand to ear and listen)
 
And would you believe it?
He even climbed trees!
(Fingers of one hand climb the opposite arm.)

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THE BEAR WENT OVER THE MOUNTAIN
Tune: For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
 
The bear went over the mountain, 
The bear went over the mountain, 
The bear went over the mountain, 
To see what he could see. 
And all that he could see,
And all that he could see,
Was the other side of the mountain, 
The other side of the mountain, 
The other side of the mountain, 
Was all that he could see.

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THREE BROWN BEARS
Sing to tune of Three Blind Mice (Good song to go along with a version of 'Goldilocks & The Three Bears' Story)

Three brown bears
Three brown bears
See all their beds
See all their chairs...

The mommy cooked in
A big brown pot
The daddy's porridge
Was much too hot
The baby bear
Always cried a lot...
Three brown bears

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POLAR BEAR
To the tune of My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean

The polar bear lives in Alaska,
He never gets cold in a storm,
He swims in cold icy water,
His heavy coat keeps him warm.
Warm, warm, warm, warm,
His heavy coat keeps him warm.
Warm, warm, warm, warm,
His heavy coat keeps him warm.

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BEARS EVERYWHERE

Bears, bears, bears, everywhere!
(Point in all directions)
 
Bears cimbing stairs,
(Pretend to climb)
 
Bears sitting on chairs,
(Pretend to sit)
 
Bears collecting fares,
(Reach out for fares) 

Bears giving stares,
(Stare at group)
 
Bears, bears, bears, everywhere!

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THIS LITTLE BEAR FINGER PLAY
 
This little bear has a fur suit. (Thumb)
This little bear acts very cute (Pointer finger)
This little bear is bold and cross. (Middle finger)
This little bear says, "You're not boss." (Ring finger)
This little bear likes bacon and honey. (Little finger)
But he can't buy them, he has no money!!!

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TEDDY BEAR'S PICNIC (Complete lyrics below)

If you go down to the woods today,
You'd better go in disguise.

If you go down to the woods today,
You're in for a big surprise.

For every bear that ever there was
Is gathered there for certain because..
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

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TEDDY BEAR PICNIC
Lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy -1932 (A Celtic song)

If you go down to the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.

For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

Ev'ry teddy bear who's been good
Is sure of a treat today.
There's lots of marvelous things to eat
And wonderful games to play.

Beneath the trees where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
Cause that's the way the teddy bears have their picnic.

If you go down to the woods today
You'd better not go alone.
It's lovely down in the woods today
But safer to stay at home.

For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

Picnic time for teddy bears
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today
Watch them, catch them unawares
And see them picnic on their holiday.

See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout;
They never have any care;

At six o'clock their mummies and daddies,
Will take them home to bed,
Because they're tired little teddy bears.

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*BEARS IN BOOKS...

(For ages Pre-K to Adult)

•Baloo from The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
 
•The Berenstein Bears
 
•Brer Bear, from the Uncle Remus stories by Joel Chandler Harris
•Paddington Bear
 
•The Three Bears from Goldilocks and the Three Bears
 
•Winnie-the-Pooh (The Winnie-the-Pooh Collection) by A. A. Milne

•Rupert Bear (also known as Rupert the Bear) from the children's books by Mary Tourtel (also became featured in comic strips and a TV series)
 
•Corduroy by Don Freeman

•Little Bear by Maurice Sendak
 
•Crow of the Bear Clan, barbarian comic book bear
 
•Old Bear, from the Old Bear series of books
 
•Old Ben, around which revolve the events of William Faulkner's short story The Bear.

•Shardik, the ursine protagonist of Richard Adams' novel of the same name

•Theadore Rosebear, Teddy Roosevelt's best friend in Edward Summer's novel Teefr and The Legend of Teddy Bear Bob (aka "Bear Bob's Story").
 
•Henisz Teddy Bear who went on the Trip around the World.
 
•Beorn, from 'The Hobbit,' by J.R.R Tolkien, was a man with the ability to transform into a bear

•The Three Bulgy Bears in 'Prince Caspian'
 
•Teddy Robinson, from Joan G. Robinson's books 'Dear Teddy Robinson' and 'More about Teddy Robinson'.
 
•Ursaline B. "Bear" Bruin, a Chevy Suburban-driving grizzly from the fantasy novel 'Collinsfort Village' by Joe Ekaitis.

•Teddy Bears' Picnic (Aladdin Picture Books) by Jimmy Kennedy

•Winnie-the-Pooh (The Winnie-the-Pooh Collection) by A. A. Milne

•The Million-Dollar Bear by William Kotzwinkle

•Holt Collier: His Life, His Roosevelt Hunts, and the Origin of the Teddy Bear by Minor Ferris Buchanan

•That's Not My Teddy (Usborne Touchy-Feely Board Books) by Fiona Watt

•Teddy Bear Encyclopedia by Pauline Cockrill

•The Teddy Bear by David McPhail

•The Teddy Bears' Picnic Board Book and Tape (My First Book and Tape) by Jerry Garcia

•Sign and Sing Along: Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear! by Annie Kubler Favorite nursery rhymes and songs

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FYI: HOW MANY TYPES OF BEARS ARE THERE?

There are eight species in the bear family: The Asiatic Black Bear, Brown Bear, North American Black Bear, Panda Bear, Polar Bear, Sloth Bear, Spectacled Bear, and the Sun Bear. 

For many years scientists wondered whether the panda was more like the raccoon family or more like the bear family. DNA studies have shown that that giant panda is more closely related to the bear. Books published before that time may still list only seven species of bear, because the giant panda was not included in the list.

The koala is not a bear, it's a marsupial. It gets the nickname 'koala bear' from its resemblance to a teddy bear, not from any relationship to actual bears. 

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What is fall and late summer without sunflowers?! Below are some activities to brighten up your program and late summer and autumn days!

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ART & CRAFTS

 

START WITH A SUNFLOWER SEED 

• Glue a sunflower seed (or any kind of seed) onto paper.
• Next paint an imaginary plant with the roots growing FROM the seed UNDERGROUND........and paint the leaves, and flowers or fruit of the plant above the ground level.
• Match the drawing of the flower/fruit to the kind of seed you have "planted."

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SUNFLOWER MASKS

• Cut the centers out of paper plates.
• Have children make and glue yellow paper petal shapes around the plate rims--- to create "sunflower masks."
• Staple a jumbo craft stick handle to the bottom of each mask.
• Have  children hold their masks so that their faces show through the open centers.

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Sunflower Necklace 
Need:
  •Sunflower seeds
  •Nylon string
  •Thin needle

 
What to do:
1. Once a sunflower head has gone to seed and started to dry, harvest the seeds to make a pretty necklace.
2. Thread a length of nylon string onto a thin needle and carefully push the seeds onto it, one by one. Push the needle through the fat end of the seed, from edge to edge. watch your fingers !
3. Tie 2 lengths of nylon to the ends of the necklace so that you can tie it around your neck. If you have the clasps from an old necklace, sew these to the ends of the string.

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PAPER PLATE SUNFLOWERS
Need:
Paper Plates, Construction Paper, Glue, Yellow Paint, Sunflower Seeds
Have children cut out several yellow petals and paste on small paper plate previously painted yellow. Fill the centers with sunflower seeds.

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SUNFLOWER CLAY POT WINDCHIMES
Materials :
5 mini, 2 1/2" clay pots
Yellow, green and brown acrylic paint
10 round wooden beads 
10 yd. spool of plastic cord
Paintbrush
Scissors
Packet of sunflower seeds

  
Directions:
1. Paint the sunflower designs on the pots first before assembling and let dry.

2. Cord must be at least 3 times the length of the 5 clay pots.  This will allow enough cord to make knots when attaching the pots to one another.

3. Fold cord in half and tie a knot leaving the loop long enough for the hanger.  Thread the two ends of the cord through a large bead.  Beads must be large enough so that they will not fit through the hole in the bottom of the clay pot.

4. Thread the ends of the cord through the upside down clay pot that you want to be on the top.  The top pot is the most decorated, with painted sunflowers.

5. Thread another bead on, inside the pot.  This will secure the pot.  Tie the cord at least five times after the bead.  (Beads and knots become the spacers, to keep the pots apart.)

6. Repeat step 5 until all pots are threaded together. Be sure to knot cord sufficiently to keep them in place and separated on the cord.

7. After all five pots are attached, end it by threading on the packet of sunflower seeds.  You will need to punch a hole in the packet first.  Tie a knot in the cord, allowing enough space so that the seed packet when attached will be able to blow in the wind.  Thread on the seed packet and tie a bow. (Source: Kansas City Library)

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MAKE SUNFLOWER STICK PUPPETS

• Paint small paper plates yellow.
• Cut triangle shapes out of the plate rims--- all along circular edge. This will give the "sunflower look"...
• Paint craft sticks green; glue or tape them to the back of the plate.
• You can either glue sunflower seeds in the middle...or have the kids draw/paint eyes, nose, moth, etc., to make sunflower faces for their stick puppets!

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ART with VAN GOGH (Oil pastels)

Also see bottom of page Van Gogh Bulletin Board/Display Idea

You can't think of a sunflower without thinking of Vincent Van Gogh's famous Sunflower series  and his impressionist style.

• Purchase a big and beautiful sunflower for the kids to do a still life. Show them examples of the artists' work, so they have a grasp of what the artist is about. There are many Van Gogh books and poster to be found.
• Set the still life with the giant sunflower in a plain vase. Use  9 X12 drawing  drawing paper; instruct children to lightly pencil sketch the still life. When they are ready to start coloring, encourage them to use a little bit of pressure, to release the oil pastel's  color.
• Always allow children to adapt art to their own unique vision! Encourge them to be creative with their vases, so they don't come out the same. As a final touch, have each sign their vase, just like Van Gogh did. The sunflower paintings were made by third grade children.
  

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*Idea: CREATE MOSAICS with sunflower seeds.
You can arrange sunflower seeds in patterns and glue to cardstock to make cards and other crafts.
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SUNFLOWER PUZZLE PIN

by Ms. Brenda

Supplies:
1 Puzzle piece approximately 2" x 3"
Black acrylic paint
Paintbrush
Scissors
Picture of a sunflower
White craft glue
3 Sunflower seeds
Hot glue gun and glue stick
Clear glossy acrylic sealer with or without gold glitter
1 - 1" pin back fastener
 
Directions:
This is a great way to recycle an old puzzle.
Find your puzzle piece and paint the front with black acrylic paint. Let it dry thoroughly.
Select a picture of a sunflower that will fit nicely on the puzzle piece. A picture may be found in an old magazine, seed packets, greeting card, stationery, stickers, etc.

Cut out and glue the picture on the puzzle piece using the white craft glue. With the hot glue gun attach the 3 sunflower seeds to the puzzle piece. Let it dry thoroughly.
 
Apply the acrylic sealer to the entire pin coating the flower and the sunflower seeds. Let this dry thoroughly.
Turn the puzzle piece over and hot glue the pin fastener to the back.
Source: Kansas Public Library

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SCIENCE

HANG SUNFLOWERS IN A BIRD FEEDER for the birds. A lot of birds such as blue jays and gold finches love sunflowers and will thank you with their presence if you put out some for them.

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KEEP SUNFLOWER SEEDS TO PLANT NEXT YEAR
Store the sunflowers in a dry cool place (such as a seed saver or plastic baggie). Make sure the sunflower seeds are completely dry before storing to be sure no mold grows on the seeds.

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PLANTING SUNFLOWERS
Celebrate sunflowers by planting several varieties and sizes.
Cut up seed catalogs to visually plan the garden.
Turn the  garden into a bird-feeding haven for the fall. Add a bird bath, bird ornaments, and birdhouses.

FYI: In a warm temperate climate sunflowers grow from seed to flowering stage in about three months and another six weeks until the seeds mature in the flower head. This relates to the giant flowering types-some of the smaller varieties are quicker to mature.

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ROASTING SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Sunflower seeds are fun to pick off the heads and roast in the oven for a quick snack. It will take a little over three months to get sunflower seeds. You can harvest the sunflower seeds when the middle of the flower starts to turn brown. You have a couple options at this point. You can either fight wildlife and leave the seeds to dry naturally on the stalk or cut the head, keeping about six inches of stem, and hang it up somewhere safe to dry. Put a piece of pantyhose or a bag on the head to catch any drying seeds that might fall out.

Once you have the seeds, you can roast them.
Preheat an oven to about 300 degrees. Lay out the seeds on a cookie sheet. Make sure they are evenly spaced for better roasting. You can add salt, pepper and other herbs to taste, but it's not necessary. Add a little cooking oil if you want to get them browned quicker. Olive oil works well because it will not brown them as fast and tastes good with the sunflower seeds' naturally nutty flavor.

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SNACKS

A SUNFLOWER SNACK
Ingredients:
Small paper plates
Peanut butter
Sunflower seeds,  chocolate chips or raisins
Mandarin Orange slices
Bread slices

• On a small plate, take a round of bread and spread it with peanut butter; this makes the sunflower center.
• Have  children sprinkle on sunflower kernels in the very center. (You could also use raisins or chocolate chips to resemble the seeds)
• Last have children place mandarin orange slices around the sunflower centers for petals.

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 STUFFED APPLE SUNFLOWER Seed Snack
Ingredients:
1 apple
2 1/2 teaspoons sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon flax seeds (optional)
2 Tablespoons raisins
Dusting of ground cinnamon (to taste)
1 Tablespoon orange juice concentrate (thawed)
Peanut butter (to coat)

• Wash apple. With a sharp paring knife, cut the top off horizontally (so that it makes a lid). Hollow out the apple, and keep all pieces that do not have core or seeds.
• Cut all the usable apple (from the hollow process) into small pieces. Put them into a small bowl.
• Mix in the sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and raisins. Dust with cinnamon to taste. Add the orange juice concentrate, mix well.
• Next, coat the inside walls and bottom of the apple with peanut butter. Spread some peanut butter over the inside of the "lid" as well.
• Stuff the apple with the filling mixture and then cover with the lid. It may not all fit back into the apple
  You can either eat your stuffed apple right away or keep it in an airtight container or baggy and eat later. It does not require refrigeration if eaten within 12 hours. These would also be delicious baked…

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FYI: DID YOU KNOW...
Sunflower seeds are packed with polyunsaturated fats, essential linoleic acid, and vitamin E, all of which are heart healthy. Sunflower seeds also contain zinc and potassium!

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MAKE SUNFLOWER SHAPED COOKIES or CUPCAKES

 

1. Buy or make your favorite round cookies/cupcakes.
2. Frost your cookies with yellow frosting/icing. (KidActivities sample used white but it still looks good!)
3. Add candy corns (pointing outward) around the edge of the cookies or cupcakes.This will create the petals of the sunflowers.
4. Last, put chocolate chips in the center for the sunflower seeds.

The image shown are 'Sunflowers' made using cupcakes. (Made by KidActivities.net)

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 CHOCOLATE COVERED SUNFLOWER SEEDS (These come from the Josolyn House B&B in Little Rock, Arkansas and are said to be very good; guests rarely guesing sun flower seeds are the main ingredient!) 

Ingredients:
Chocolate-flavored bark coating (Package containing 12 squares)
1/2 cup Roasted sunflower seeds
Directions:

• Melt 2 squares of chocolate in microwave oven.
• Stir in 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds. (Consistency should be that of a cookie, only you don't want these flat.)
• Drop in dollops onto wax paper. Let chocolate set up for approximately 20 minutes.
  Makes: 6 to 7 (medium size). Preparation time: 3 minutes. Set-up time: 20 minutes.
• Tip: Chocolate coved sunflower seeds can also be purchased on stores and are great in may recipes including muffins!

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MAKE A SUNFLOWER CAKE!
Ingredients:
1 round cake
Yellow frosing
Twinkies
Chocolate hershey kisses candy

1.Bake 9" round cake.
2. Frost the cake yellow and place it in the center of a serving dish. Put mini Hershey Kisses or other roundish chocolate candy on top. These are the "sunflower seeds." Start in the center and work in circles to the outer edge.

Frost about 16 Twinkies (yellow)-- and place them along the outer edge of the cake for "petals."

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SUNFLOWER PITA POCKETS
 
1. Mix toether cream cheese, raisins, grated carrots, and raw sunflower seeds.
2. Spread the cream cheese mixture inside half of a small pita.
You could also first spread the cream cheese in the half-pocket --and then add the other food items as desired.

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GAMES

HARVEST DASH (OUTSIDE GAME)
Set up a fall relay with the kids. Fill large containers with SUNFLOWER SEED bird feed. Have smaller, clear containers at the opposite end.

• Kids fill up a cup with seed and race to dump it into the empty container. They sprint back to the start and hand-off the cup to the teammates. Goal of the race is to be the first team to fill up the small container with the seeds.
• As an extra challenge, give the kids an over-sized soup ladle instead of a cup. Don't worry if the seeds spill; that's part of the fun! The birds will easily find them later.
  Tips: Try a dollar store for inexpensive clear containers. They usually stock plastic ones in apple or pumpkin shapes in the fall.
  Popcorn or candy corn also can be used in place of seed.

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PLAY MUSICAL SUNFLOWERS (A version of musical chairs)

Make pictures of sunflowers out of construction paper. Also make a picture of a bug out of construction paper. (To be able to use game props more than one time--laminate all pictures.)

1. Just as in musical chairs, place the pictures in a circle. Each child stands on a picture. When the music stops, the child standing on the insect/bug is out.
2. As each child is out-- remove a sunflower from the circle-- until one child is left standing on a sunflower.

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MISCELLANEOUS

*Guess the closest number of seeds in a live sunflower. The number can exceed 1000! Just put out the sunflower head---and pieces of paper and pencils. The children guess and---the closest is the winner!

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*Idea: If you have very young children and use a SENSORY TABLE---you can fill it with unshelled sunflower seeds. Provide measuring cups, spoons, pie tins, etc....

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 SUNFLOWER ART DISPLAY BOARD

For this bulletin board/display-- paintings, collage and color mixing work were based around the theme of Van Gogh's Sunflowers. Photograph by Mrs. P on Display Photos

 

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BULLETIN BOARD IDEA...
SUNFLOWER CHILDREN

1. Have each child make a sunflower. Cut out a circle out of brown construction paper. Cut long petal strips out of yellow paper.  
2. Glue one end of each strip to the back of the brown circle.
Wait until the glue dries a bit and then pull the other edge of the paper strip and glue it down on the circle.
3. Cut leaves and stem out of green paper and glue on.
4. In the middle of the sunflower write the child's name out; around it glue down a few sunflower seeds.
Display the sunflowers on the bulletin board and in the middle place the the following poem. (Idea from CanTeach)

The sunflower children
Nod to the sun.
Summer is over,
Fall has begun!

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Some other pages that may interest you are:

 

• Gardening Theme
• Worm Theme
• Flower Theme
• Sunflower Theme
• Bird Theme 
• Insects/Bugs

Back to top of page

KidActivities would like to include more with 'Sunflowers'--If you have an idea, please share via the 'Contact Page'! Thank you, Barb

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 DECORATE SNOWMEN CUPCAKES

On a white frosted cupcake...this cute little guy sports a blue decorator gel cap... topped with a mini marshmallow. He's completed with a candy corn nose, M&M's eyes and mouth made from small chocolate chips. (Image by KidActivities.net)

 

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SNOWMAN SOUP 
Put hot chocolate mix in a cup. Add hot water and mix. Put in two Hershey kisses…stir again. To cool off add an ice cube and then two or three marshmallows for the snowballs. A Candy cane would a nice touch as stirrer. Visit the Hot Cocoa page (page botttom) for three Snowman Soup poems...

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 POPCORN SNOWMEN

Ingredients:

2 ½ quarts popped corn
¼ Cup butter
1 pkg. 10 oz. Marshmallows
1 teaspoon Vanilla

• Pop popcorn and set aside. (Caution-be sure to get ALL unpopped seeds out of the popped corn!)
• In a saucepan over low heat melt butter and marshmallows. Stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
• Pour over popped pop corn and mix until well coated.
• With buttered hands form into snowball shapes. (It will be VERY sticky--and easier to handle when cooled and set a bit)
• Make one large ball for the bottom, one medium ball and a smaller ball for the head.
• Decorate with pretzel sticks, candy, raisins, or nuts for the eyes, nose, mouth and buttons.

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EASY SNOWMAN CAKE

 

• Prepare a cake mix and bake in two round cake pans. One cake pan smaller than the other. One will be the bottom of the snowman one will be the top.
• Allow to cool and frost with white frosting.
• If desired, sprinkle shredded white coconut over all of frosting or leave without.
• Add gumdrops or other candies for eyes and a nose and licorice whips for a smile.
• Add chocolate candies for buttons.
• You can add pretzels rods or licorice whips for arms. Click here for original Flickr recipe and photo.
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MAKE AN ICE CREAM SNOWMAN

Start out with two or three scoops of vanilla ice cream. Have the kids decorate their snowmen with M&Ms for the nose and chocolate chips for the buttons and the eyes, long pieces of black licorice could be used for the top hat.

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 RICE KRISPY SNOWMAN #1 Makes: 5
3 tablespoons butter
1 package (10 ounces) marshmallows (about 40)
6 cups crispy rice cereal

 
You can decorate with ANYTHING-the Treats in photo uses:
5 round red peppermint candies
8 red jelly beans
10 semisweet chocolate chips
25 miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 fruit roll-up, cut into 3/4-inch strips
15 red-hot cinnamon candies and 10 pretzel sticks

1. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and coat with nonstick cooking spray. 

2. Melt the butter in a soup pot over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and add the cereal; stir until completely coated. 

3. Using a 3/4-cup measure of the mixture for each, form five balls and place on the baking sheet. Using a 1/3-cup measure for each, form five more balls. Place the smaller balls on top of the larger ones, forming snowmen. Decorate with the candies, chips, and pretzels as shown. 

4. Serve, or cover loosely with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
TIP: Coat your hands with nonstick cooking spray or butter to keep the marshmallow mixture from sticking to them when forming the cereal balls.

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SNOWMEN DECORATING IDEAS:
   • Raisins (eyes, nose, mouth, buttons, etc.) 
   • Red Hots (eyes, nose, mouth, buttons, etc.) 
   • M&M's (eyes, nose, mouth, buttons, etc.) 
   • Chocolate Chips (eyes, nose, mouth, buttons, etc.) 
   • Tiny Jelly Beans (eyes, nose, mouth, buttons, etc.) 
   • Large Gum Drops (hat) 
   • Pretzel Sticks (Arms)

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RICE KRISPIES SNOWMEN #2

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups KELLOGG'S® RICE KRISPIES® cereal or KELLOGG'S® COCOA KRISPIES® cereal
Prepared chocolate and vanilla frosting
Green and black candy pieces
Note:
For best results, use fresh marshmallows. 1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme can be substituted for marshmallows.Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended. Store no more than two days in airtight container.

• Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
• Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.
• Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly in 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Using a 4-inch snowman cookie cutter, cut into snowman shapes when cooled. If a snowman cookie cutter is not available, use 1 1/2-inch, 1 3/5-inch and 2-inch round cookie cutters. Using prepared frosting, connect each circle to make a snowman and decorate as desired with remaining ingredients. Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In a microwave save bowl, heat margarine and marshmallows at HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary. Source: Safeway Stores

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RICE KRISPY SNOWBALLS
6 cups Rice Krispy cereal
1/4 cup margarine
10 oz package marshmellows
Powdered sugar
Follow microwave directions for making RICE KRISPY treats. Allow mixture to cool but not harden. Have children mold into snowballs; shake the balls in baggies filled with powdered sugar

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BANANA SNOWMAN

For each child you need:
1/2 banana per child
1/2 cup milk
1 tb. honey per child
1/3 cup shredded coconut (optional) 
Small pieces of carrots or cancy corn and raisins
Toothpicks and pretzels

 

For each Snowman use one large, one medium, and one small piece of banana. Stir honey into the milk and then dip the pieces of banana into the minture.

Optional-roll in the coconut. If desired, stack the pieces onto the toothpick--or build a snoman on a plate with the bananas. Decorate with raisins and carrot pieces or candy corn. Add pretzel arms if desired. (Image by KidActivities.net)

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SNOWMAN COOKIES
1 box white cake mix
2 eggs
1 stick butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Red and green candies
Red and brown icing gel

• Mix eggs, butter and vanilla.
• Slowly mix in cake mix.
• Chill dough at least 1 hour.
• Roll dough into one inch and 3/4 inch balls.
• Put smaller ball beside larger ball on cookie sheet, press together slightly.
• Use green candy for eyes on smaller ball; use red candy on larger ball for buttons.
• Bake at 350 degrees on a ungreased cookie sheet, for 8-9 minutes. Remove and cool.
• Use red icing gel to make mouth and brown to make a broom.
  

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MARSHMALLOW SNOWMEN

BASIC RECIPE: Give each child 2 marshmallows, 3 pretzel sticks and a few raisins.
Take a pretzel stick and put it into the middle of one of the marshmallows and then place the other marshmallow on top. Now take the other two pretzels and use them for the arms. Use the raisins for eyes, nose, and mouth.
Now EAT!

Get creative and try some other ways! As Tricia at Craft Addict made with her children- take three mini marshmallows, dip in white chocolate and then decorate with assorted sprinkles. Her children also made the snowmen using three large marshmallows on sucker sticks and last--rolled miniature marshmallows in white chocolate and then shredded coconut. Yumm..the kids will love this one! (Photo is courtesty of Craft Addict )

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SNOWMAN TOAST: Ingredients: Toast, softened cream cheese, fruit roll-ups, carrots, raisins, round cookie cutters

• Make toasted bread; make circles from the toast using the cookie cutters.
• Spread cream cheese on the toast to create the snow.
•  Decorate the 'Snowman" with the carrots and raisins. 
• Fashion a scarf with thin strips of the fruit roll-up. Fun!

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RICE CAKE 'SNOW PEOPLE' SNACK

Give each child a rice cake and have them spread cream cheese or white frosting on the rice cakes.
Decorate the faces with M&M's, raisins, raisenettes, red liquorish, and baby carrots.

This sample by KidActivities.net uses cream cheese on the rice cake. It is competed with a baby carrot nose, mini-chocolat chip mouth, and M&M's eyes...

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SNOWMAN COOKIE
Nice after snow play...this gives 1 Snowman Snack
Ingredients:
3 vanilla wafers,
1 tablespoon vanilla icing,
Raisins/sprinkles/candy corn/other garnish
1. Place vanilla wafers on plate so they are in a vertical line.
2. Coat each wafer with vanilla icing.
3. Decorate snowman however you like. Some ideas: Round sprinkles for eyes and mouth, raisins for buttons, candy corn for the  nose.

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 QUICK SNOWMAN TREATS...

• POWDER DONUTS (Snowballs)

• CARROT NOSES with snowman dip (ranch dressing) 

 • SNOWMAN FACE...Using cream cheese, crackers and imagination--create snowmen faces! (Use olives, veggie pieces, raisins, etc. for facial features)

• SNOWMAN SANDWICHES  cut bread into different circle shapes and placed together to make a snowman!  Add pretzel stick arms and raisin buttons eyes! A srip of fruit leather can be fashioned into a scarf. (The above child-made sample is courtesy of Rowecrew)  

• 'Hostess' White SNOWBALLS

• Rice Krispie Treat SNOW BALLS (See recipe above)

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POWDERED SUGAR 'SNOWMAN DONUT FACE'

 

These are easy and fun! Simply dab a bit of white frosting to a candy corn and place it in the center of the donut (where the hole is)...This sample (made by kids as well as the below snowman) has regular chocolate chips for the eyes and mini chocolate chips for the mouth.

M&M's or gum drop candy could also be used for the eyes and mouth--and a gum drop for the nose. (Image by KidActivities.net)

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'POWDERED DONUT HOLE' SNOWMAN

Ingredients:
White Donut Holes and small white donuts
Trimming choices: Candy corn, M&M's, mini M&M's, chocolate chips, mini-chocolate chips, etc. 
Tooth Picks
Optional: Pretzel ring and chocolate kiss candy for hat; Pretzel sticks for arms

Directions:
1. In this sample...two donut holes are joined together by a toothpick and secured on a mini powdered sugar donut. (You can use one donut hole on one donut if desired... and then preceed with the same directions). The head is topped first with a round pretzel and then an unwrapped candy kiss to make a hat.
2. The eyes and buttons are chocolate chips. The nose is a candy corn piece. There are no arms in this image.

NOTE: Each decoration is secured with small amounts of white frosting. Making this little guy would be easier for young childen using two donuts and not three. (Image by KidActivities.net)

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SNOW COVERED DONUTS

Take 1 tube unbaked biscuits and separate. Cut or split crosswise. Heat oil in small pan. Fry the little biscuits like donuts until golden brown. After frying drain and then roll in powdered sugar 'snow.' (Image by KidActivities.net)

TIP: Consume these the same day they are made. The sugar melts into the 'donut' and they can become sticky. They also taste good when first rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and then the powdered sugar...

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MAKE SNOW PEOPLE and Sculptures! A snack and craft in one...

Ingredients: Both Large and Mini Marshmallows, Pretzel Sticks, Raisins, Small Candies and Chocolate chips-- Frosting to use as a 'Glue'.

Just put out goodies and allow children to create snow people and sculptures. Insert pretzel sticks into the marshmallows and build from there...Of course put out extras for the kids to munch on as they build!

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SNOWMAN MILKSHAKE IN A CUP/GLASS
 
Materials and Ingredients
Clear glasses or cups
Milk chocolate candy bar
Clean, unused paint brush
Ribbon or yarn
4 cups vanilla ice cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups milk, less for thicker milkshakes

1. Melt the chocolate bar in the microwave 15 seconds at a time until soft.
2. Using a paint brush--paint eyes, nose and mouth on the inside of the glass.
3. Put the glass in the refrigerator so the chocolate can harden.
4. Mix the ice cream, vanilla and milk together in a blender. Pour into the glasses.
5. Add ribbon or yarn to the base of the glass for a scarf. Enjoy your snowman!

NOTE: I made this drink and you need to be very careful when painting on the face! Our 'faces' looked more like they were ready for Halloween (but still were yummy!)~  I now make orange shakes/smoothies with Jack-O-Lantern faces in October!

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PEANUT BUTTER (Nutter Butter) SNOWMEN

Ingredients:
2 (16-ounce) bags white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
1 (16-ounce) package peanut butter sandwich cookies (recommended: Nabisco Nutter Butters)
For decorating:
Chocolate sprinkles
Candy buttons (dot candy on paper)
Colored sprinkles
Red nonpareils
Large sugared gum drop jellies
Red string licorice ((recommended: Twizzlers Pull-n-Peel)

1. Place white chocolate chips and shortening in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. If necessary, microwave on high for additional 30 second intervals until mixture is smooth. If you prefer, place in double boiler over low heat, stirring until completely melted and smooth.

2. Meanwhile, pierce 1 end of each cookie with a toothpick. Use the toothpick to dip entire cookie into the white chocolate mixture. Let excess drip back into bowl and lay cookie on wire rack. Before the white chocolate has a chance to cool, decorate the cookie with various candies into a playful snowman.

 3. Place chocolate sprinkles as eyebrows, blue or green dots for eyes, an orange sprinkle placed vertically for the nose and several red nonpareils for a mouth. Cut a gumdrop in half, slice a sliver from each half lengthwise to form a crescent shaped brim to the hat. Top off the hat with a gumdrop half and reserve the other half for another snowman. You may have to flatten the gumdrop a bit to fit the snowman.

After the snowman has completely dried, tie a red string licorice around the neck as a scarf. Using a rolling pin to flatten the licorice will make it easier for the scarf to stay tied and look natural. Recipe source Sandra Lee Food Network Specials

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HAVE FUN WITH OTHER WINTER PAGES!

• Winter Arts and Crafts
• Hot Cocoa Recipes and Fun
• Winter Inside Games
• Winter Outside Snow Games
• Winter Outside Fun
• Random Winter Ideas
• Snowman Themed Games...
• Snowman Themed Arts and Crafts
• Miscellaneous Snowman Ideas (Jokes, poems, songs, fun ideas)
• Snowman Themed Snacks 
• Reindeer Theme
• Snowflake Theme

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After school or a day of play... one of the first things you'll hear is "What's to eat?!" Whether you're working in a children's program or you're a parent at home -- snack and cooking with kids is near the top of the list. Many of the following are sure to be a hit!

QUICK AND HEALTHY KID FRIENDLY SNACKS!

• Bagel or English muffin pizza
• Peanut butter on a mini bagel or English muffin
• Shaker pudding. Pour 2 cups of milk into a jar with a lid, add 1 small box instant pudding mix, and shake for one minute.
• Tortilla rollups. Roll a tortilla with shredded cheese, microwave until cheese is soft, and dip in salsa.
• Cereal topped with fruit and milk
• Cheese and crackers
• String Cheese
• Whole grain crackers
• Crackers with peanut butter or jelly
• Yogurt cups
• Fruited yogurt topped with granola
• Cut-up vegetables dipped in low-fat ranch salad dressing
• Sunflower seeds
• Banana pops. Peel a banana, dip it first in yogurt and then in crushed breakfast cereal or granola; freeze.
• Celery with low-fat cream cheese
• Peanut butter on graham crackers
• Fresh fruit (cut up and ready in a bowl, easy to grab and eat)
• Breakfast bars
• Banana or apple topped with peanut butter
• Fruit shake-up. Put ½ cup low-fat yogurt and 1/2 cup cold fruit juice in an unbreakable, covered container. Shake it up and pour it in a cup.
• Pudding cups
• Applesauce cups
• Fruit roll-ups or fruit leather
• Raisin boxes or other dried fruit
• Unfrosted strawberry or blueberry Pop Tarts
• Cereal/small cereal boxes
• Animal crackers
• Fig bars
• Vanilla wafers
• Pretzel sticks
• Mini bagel chips
• Flavored rice cakes
• Nuts
• Trail mix

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MORE SNACKS...

SNACK FISHING
For each child, fill a small cup with goldfish crackers.
Supply pretzel rods for fishing poles and peanut-butter to put on the ends to use as bait to snag the fish.

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CHEESE HAMMERS & TOWERS
1. Cut a variety of cheese into small squares.
2. For a hammer, poke a pretzel into each one.
3. Children can connect their cubed cheese with the pretzel sticks to make cheese towers.

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PRETZEL AND FRUIT KABOBS
1 bag thin stick pretzels
2 cups pineapple, mango, apple, pear, strawberries banana, grapes and other seasonal fruits...
Cut the fruit into bite-size pieces and sprinkle with lemon or orange juice to keep from browning.
Skewer the pretzel sticks with the fruit and eat right away!

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GREAT STUFFED VEGGIE  SNACKS

BUGS ON A LOG...

 
MAKE 'LOGS' from any of these foods:

 •CELERY STALKS (cut to about 3 inches long)

 •APPLES (cut in halves or quarters with cores removed)

 •CARROT STICKS (cut to about 3 inches long)

FILL THE 'LOGS' WITH A SPREAD

• Cream Cheese

• Cream cheese and pineapple

• Cheese and pimento

• Peanut butter

• Egg salad

SPRINKLE 'BUGS' ON THE SPREAD:

• Raisins

• Golden raisins

• Dried cranberries or cherries

• Raisenettes candy

• Unsweetened cereal

• Sunflower seeds

• Chopped peanuts of finely chopped walnuts

• Mix in chopped apple or crushed pinapple

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CELERY WITH REESES PEANUT BUTTER CHIPS
4 stalks celery, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips
1 (8-ounce) container light cream cheese product, softened
1/4 cup nonfat milk
Optional: 1/8 teaspoon bon appétit seasoning (or dash each of celery seed, onion powder and salt)
Snack crackers (Optional)

• Place peanut butter chips in small microwave-safe bowl.

• Microwave at HIGH (100%) 30 seconds to 1 minute or until chips are melted when stirred; cool slightly.

• Beat cream cheese product and milk in small bowl until fluffy; beat in melted chips and seasoning.

• Place or pipe rounded teaspoon peanut butter chip mixture in hollow of each celery piece.

• Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve.

• Spread 1/2 teaspoonful peanut butter mixture on snack crackers, if desired; place prepared celery pieces on top. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen snacks.

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FISH IN THE STREAM
Fill celery with cream cheese and top them with goldfish crackers!

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SNACKS TO TAKE OUTSIDE...

 #1 CHEERIO/FROOT LOOP NECKLACES...A snack and craft in one!

 String Cheerios or Fruit loops onto a piece of yarn, string or licorice string.

Tie ends together so that they slip easily over a child’s head.
Children can munch on them while playing. For an extra treat-they can also be strung on very long and thin red licorice candy such as KidActivities did! (Image by KidActivities.net )

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#2 MARSHMALLOW STICKS Let children make their own snack.

Set out some small or large marshmallows (your choice) and some thin pretzel sticks.Have children stick a pretzel in each marshmallow. Store in a  zip-lock bag if not eating after made.

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 #3 BASIC TRAIL MIX

 
This is a great "take-along field trip snack" or "take it outdoors snack"... It will also help you clean out those "little leftovers" in your food storage.

Good all year long...
1.  In a large bowl, add any type of cereals (Cheerios, Kix, Rice Krispies, etc.)
2.  Mix in pretzel sticks, fish crackers, small snack crackers, raisins, oyster crackers, M&M's, etc.
3.  Almost anything that is left-over in the pantry.
4.  Mix well, and place in individual sandwich baggies or paper cups.

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 #4 ANTS IN THE SAND
2 Graham crackers
Chocolate sprinkles
1.  Place graham crackers in a plastic sandwich bag and crush with a rolling pin.
2.  Add a few chocolate sprinkles to make ants, then seal the bag.
3.  Give the bag to the kids to take outside to eat; they can also pour it into a small bowl and eat at the table (Using their fingers, of course.)

Variations:
Add raisins (Call them beetles)
Red Hots candy (ladybugs)
Mini chocolate chips (spider eggs).
1 Serving

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#5 SPRING AND SUMMER TIME CHICKEN FEED
Make a bowl of Chicken Feed by tossing together crisp, shoestring potatoes, salted corn nuts, shelled sunflower seeds, pistachios, dried blueberries and unsweetened coconut flakes for a crunchy, nutty treat.
(Leave out whatever you don't like)

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• SUNBAKED S'MORES- Solar-Made S'Mores

  • Have children place one graham cracker sheet in a foil pie plate
  • Sprinkle with chocolate chips, and miniature marshmallows.
  • Cover the pie plate with tin foil, and label tins for each child.
  • Place outside in a sunny hot place, check after 20 minutes.
  • They are done when the sun has melted the chocolate and marshmallow. Yummy! 
  • (You need to do this experiment when it is at least 85° F. If it isn’t hot enough outside, wait for a warmer day.)

  Note: When KidActivities made this recipe-it took longer for the marshmallows to soften-however-we topped the marshmallows and chocolate chips with another cracker before covering it will foil. Will try again and report...

  • MAKE SOLAR OVENS…

  • Take a shoe box and line the inside with foil (shiny side showing).
  • Then take a kabob skewer and put it through the long way.
  • Put plastic wrap over the top and you have an oven.
  • The most successful things you can cook are marshmallows and hot dogs.
  • Just set outside on a sunny afternoon!!!
  • The kids will find it great fun (Also, you get science and snack all in one).

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  No Bake Cookies are Great in the Summer!!!

  PEANUT-BUTTER No-Bake Cookies
     • 1/2 cup butter
     • 2 cups sugar
     • 1/2 cup water
     • 2 tablespoons cocoa
     • 1/2 cup peanut butter
     • 3 cups oatmeal or 1 cup coconut
  Mix butter, sugar, water and cocoa together, bring to a boil and let boil for no longer than 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and your choice of oatmeal or coconut. Drop on wax paper using EITHER a heaping teaspoon or tablespoon -- let harden.

  ***For 25 other NO BAKE COOKIE RECIPES click here 

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  A VARIETY OF SNACK IDEAS...

  MUFFIN PIZZA (Good all year long!)
  1 English muffin or bagel, split and toasted
  4 teaspoons pizza sauce or tomato puree
  3 tablespoons shredded part- skim mozzarella cheese
  Place English muffins on clean work surface.
  Spread each toasted muffin with 2 teaspoons pizza sauce
  and 1-1/2 tablespoons cheese.
  Spread with topping choices.
  Place on baking sheet or place in toaster oven and bake at 350°F, about 10 minutes or until hot and cheese has melted.

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  SANDWICH ON A STICK

  Bread  
  Cheese
  Lunch meat
  Grape tomatoes
  Lettuce
  Pickles
  Olives
  Ingredients can be put out in bowls and children take what they like to  slide onto skewers.

  1. Cut up cubes of bread, cheese, and lunch meat (1/2-inch-thick cubes of ham and turkey are good).
  2. Slide the cubes onto a skewer with other foods the children like, such as a grape tomato, a piece of lettuce, a pickle, or an olive.
  3. Set out a side of mayo or mustard for dipping.
  sarah/oakbrook

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  MAKE A 'FLOWER' SNACK
  1.  Soften a large package of cream cheese and ¾ pound of shredded American cheese.
  2.  Mix together.
  3.  Put a round scoop in the center of a paper plate.
  4.  You could also use Peanut butter or cream cheese mixed with drained crushed pineapple!
  5.  Have each child arrange five round shaped crackers around the "flower" center.
  6.  Eat now or---cover with clear plastic wrap and chill.

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  TURKEY ROLLUPS

  Satisfy your salty, crunchy and savory cravings in one punch with this quick snack!
  

  Ingredients:

  4 slices deli turkey breast (about 2 ounces total)
  8 teaspoons honey mustard or mango chutney
  Optional: Freshly ground pepper to taste
  8 sesame breadsticks
  Spread each slice of turkey with 2 teaspoons mustard (or mango chutney)
  Wrap each prepared turkey slice around 2 breadsticks

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  MINI WRAPS
  Lightly spread a tortilla with a little cream cheese and place one or two slices of thin ham or turkey over the cream cheese.
  Roll tightly and cut into small rounds.

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  FRUIT SALAD CONES
  Mix together:
  1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
  1 sliced banana
  1 (11oz) can Mandarin oranges (drained)
  1 (8 oz) can pineapple chunks (drained)
  ¼ c miniature marshmallows
  Spoon into 3-4 ice cream cones.
  

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  SWEET TORTILLA SHAPES

  • Using small fun shaped cookie cutters-- cut shapes out of a flour tortilla.
  • Place on non-stick cookie sheet and lightly brush with a little butter.
  • Lightly sprinkle (you only need a little) with a mixture of 1 part cinnamon and 3 parts brown sugar.
  • Bake in a moderately hot oven for 10 minutes for a sweet and crispy treat.

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  FROM THE FREEZER IDEAS...

  

   

  ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES

  Ingredients:

  Graham crackers any flavor
  Ice cream
  Plastic wrap
  Let the ice cream get to a soft consistency.
  Take the graham crackers and spread one half with about half cup ice cream.
  Put another graham cracker on top and wrap with plastic wrap. Freeze for about 3 hours.

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  HOMEMADE ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES
  All you need is chocolate graham crackers and cool whip. (any flavor) Spread cool whip on top of graham crackers.
  Put another graham cracker on top and cover them with saran wrap or put in freezer bags.
  Freeze for an hour or more...enjoy!

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   Spread a layer of FROZEN YOGURT over graham crackers (similar to an ice-cream sandwich) and put in to the freezer until snack time. Delicious and nutritious warm weather snack...

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  FROZEN S'MORES

  Want a fun treat to make with the kids that involves absolutely NO cooking or baking? These yummies are perfect for the warm days or nights!
  Ingredients:
      • 1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips
      • 2/3 cup mini-marshmallows
      • 2 cups whipped topping
      • 1 box of graham crackers, any flavor
  Directions:
  In a large bowl with a wooden spoon, stir together first three ingredients (chocolate chips, mini marshmallows and whipped topping). Mix well.
  Scoop mixture onto a graham cracker square, sandwich with another square.
  Continue making sandwiches until all of the mixture has been used up. Put sandwiches into the freezer for approximately 1 1/2 hours, or until frozen. Serve frozen.

  _________

  TRY TO FIND 'mini' ice cream cones and fill them with yogurt.
  Your kids may like them this way… or poke holes in an egg carton and stand them up so they can go in the freezer. A big hit and even the youngest ones can hold it themselves.

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  EASY SNOW CONES
  1.  To make each cone, place crushed ice in a paper cup.
  2.  Mix one part unsweetened frozen apple or orange juice concentrate with one part water.
  3.  Pour the diluted concentrate over the ice.

  GENERAL GUIDE TO JUICE SNOW CONES (Good for Home)

  • Freeze orange juice (or any other flavored juice) in ice cube trays. When frozen put frozen juice cubes in a plastic bag to store.
  • Put three to six of these cubes at a time in a blender.
  • Pulse the blender -on then off, on then off, until cubes have a snowy consistency. Pile into a cup to serve.

  TIP: If you blend the entire batch at once, it will keep its carnival consistency stored in a container in the freezer. Kids can serve themselves. Adding a little water makes it “slush". Even kids who don't care for orange juice like it this way!

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  MAKE JELL-O following the directions. BUT...
  Instead of putting in cold water, use vanilla or plain yogurt.
  Pour into individual cups; put into the refrigerator or freezer till set. Yummy and good...

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  FIVE HOMEMADE POPSICLES

  

   

  #1 WATERMELON POPSICLES

  I cup seedless watermelon chunks
  1 cup unsweetened orange juice
  1 cup water.
  Blend all ingredients together in a blender.
  Pour into small paper cups.
  Place in freezer and, when partially frozen, insert Popsicle sticks or small plastic spoons for handles.
  When completely frozen, unmold by pouring hot water over bottoms of cups.

  #2 FRESH FRUIT POPSICLES
  Take fresh fruit juice (except pineapple juice which does not freeze well) and pour it into small paper cups or ice cube trays.
  Insert Popsicle sticks.
  Freeze until solid.
  Remove Popsicle from cup by running under hot water for about 10 seconds.

  #3 HOMEMADE FROZEN POPS
  1 6-oz. can softened frozen juice concentrate softened
  Try orange, grape, or fruit punch
  1 juice can water
  2 containers of plain yogurt
  Popsicle sticks and/or cups
  .....Process in blender.
  .....Pour into cups and insert sticks.
  .....Freeze.
  .....Small paper cups work  well as molds for these recipes.

  #4 JUICE CUBES
  You'll need an ice cube tray that makes larger size ice cubes
  Popsicle sticks
  Cling wrap
  Fruit juice
  .....Pour the juice into the tray.
  .....Cover it with the wrap.
  .....Poke the sticks through the plastic into each cube section.
  .....For an extra special treat, put a grape or strawberry into each section before covering.

  #5 MAKE YOUR OWN PUDDING POPS
  1 small pkg. instant pudding mix--any flavor
  1 3/4 cup low fat milk
  Mix as directed on package.
  Pour into molds and add sticks.
  Freeze

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  Cool off and MAKE POLAR BEAR CUPS...

  First put ice cream and then a layer of your choice of candy--- M&M's, Kisses, Chocolate or Peanut Butter Chips.
  Cover candy layer with Cool Whip...Decorate with Gummi Bears.

  Serve in small-clear plastic cups for individual servings ..or one big vat that everyone shares. Usually, kids like to have their own :-)

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  MAKE AN ANT FARM... with Peanut Butter, Graham Crackers and Raisins

  • On a plate spread peanut butter.
  • In the middle erect a tunnel from the broken graham crackers.
  • Next, place the raisins on the peanut butter to look like Ants.
  • Children can eat the raisins and peanut butter with either the graham crackers or pieces of celery.
    (You can use canned chocolate frosting if you have peanut allergies in your group)

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  HEALTHY HOME MADE POP!
  Need:
  100% frozen concentrate juice (and flavor)
  Carbonated water (amount required on juice can)
  Small cups
  Pitcher
  Make frozen concentrate juice by the directions on can, substituting carbonated water for the regular water.
  Pour into cups and enjoy.
  Serving size 6 oz.

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  REMINDER...THIS IS THE TIME  OF YEAR FOR YOUR ICE-CREAM SUNDAE BAR OR ICE-CREAM SOCIAL!
  Put out... Ice cream, assorted ice cream toppings, sprinkles, cool whip, cherries, crushed Oreo cookies, M&M's...

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  HOMEMADE BAGGED ICE-CREAM

  Need:
       Large resealable bags
       Small resealable bags
       1 Clean Gallon Milk Jug
       Measuring Cups and Spoons
  Ingredients: 
  ½ tsp. salt, 2 cups sugar, Milk, 2 tsp. vanilla, 4 cups half & half (dairy cream), Crushed ice,  

  Optional: Crushed fruit -strawberries, peaches or raspberries 

  1.  In one clean milk jug add the salt, vanilla, sugar, and half & half...
  2.  Fill the rest of the milk jug with milk so that it’s almost full.
  3.  You’ll need some space at the top so that you can shake up the mixture. Place the cap on the top and carefully shake the mixture until all the ingredients are well mixed.
  4.  If you have a pull off cap always keep your hand over the cap. 

  • Once the mixture is completely mixed, pour one cup of mixture into a small resealable bag.
  • The mixture will give you about 16 cups so you can give each participant one bag or assign two participants per bag to share one cup of mixture. At that time they can decide if they would like to add fresh fruit.
  • Add 1 to 2 tablespoons for fresh fruit. 
  • Place the small bag of mixture into one large resealable bag filled half way with crushed ice.
  • Have the participants add about ½ cup of salt over the ice and seal the large bag.
  • They will take turns shaking and moving the mixture around in the crushed ice.
  • You can add additional salt if need.
  • Once mixture has become frozen ice cream, divide it up and enjoy your rewards.
    Makes about 16 cups or 32 (½ cups) of ice cream. 

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  CUPCAKE CONES...

   Ingredients: 
  Flat bottom ice cream cones
  Cake mix
  Cupcake tin
  Frosting
  1. Follow the directions to make your favorite cake mix.
  2.  Have the kids spoon the batter into the ice cream cones.
  3.  Be careful not to fill them more than 3/4 full.
  4.  Put the filled cones into the cupcake tin.
  5.  Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes.
  6.  Insert a toothpick to check that they are baked through.
  7.  Have  kids frost and decorate their cupcake cones.
  8.  You can use different colored icing/frosting, multi-colored sprinkles or candy as decorations

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  "DOMINOES"
  Spread peanut butter (or frosting) on graham crackers (broken into the small rectangles) and top with either chocolate chips or raisins so that they look like dominoes.

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  SANDWICH FACE

  Just put out the ingredients and let kids get creative making faces...

   

  Ingredient suggestions: Peanut Butter, Cream Cheese, or Nutella 
  Bananas -sliced
  Raisins
  Bread or Rice Cakes (1 slice)
  M&M's candy or spice drops 

  • Spread the peanut butter or _______ on the slice of bread or Rice Cake.
  • For a healthy version put 2 banana circles on the bread to look like eyes...and a mini- carrot  for the nose.  Last, make a mouth out of M&M's candy. If not using the bananas and carrot, complete the face with candy and/or raisins.

  The KA sample spread peanut butter on a large rice-cake. M&M's make the mouth and nose. A chocolate kiss makes the nose. (Image by KidActivities.net)

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  Click here for Page 2 of WARM WEATHER SNACKS~FUN FRUIT AND VEGGIE IDEAS!  Some reeeeaaaaly nice ideas!

   Return to top of page 

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 CANCEL SALES CATALOGS!

Read about a school that started "The Catalog Canceling Challenge" in 2007 and since then other schools and scouts have joined the fun. So far 5,000 kids in fifteen states have canceled almost 40,000 unwanted sales catalogs! It saves trees, water, energy, and our climate. In fact, these kids have saved over 600 trees so far!

It's a pretty straightforward idea that kids enjoy. Click here if your program would like more information. (Also, please see comment box at page bottom from the Catelog Cancelling Challenge.)

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ANIMAL SAFETY

This is good reminder to include in a newsletter or at an Earth Club meeting...

Sometimes plastic ring-type holders found on six-packs of aluminum cans can end up in the water... fish and other animals that live there can get caught in them. Help your child make these holders less hazardous by using scissors to cut through each ring in the holder before throwing it away.

I was in Traverse City one summer; at the Hotel's water edge was a duck with plastic ring wrapped around his beak. I was told that it was there for at least a day. The duck was frantic and trying to remove it. Several hours later...someone was finally able to get it off...(Photo is of duck with six-pack rings caught on head)

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OLD SHOES...

For information visit their website. To keep recycling equipment running smoothly, there are guidelines:
• Athletic shoes only (any brand)
• No shoes containing metal
• No cleats or dress shoes
• No wet or damp shoes

Put out notices and containers—and start collecting!!!
Ever thrown out a pair of worn-out athletic shoes? Did you know that IT TAKES ABOUT 1,000 YEARS for those sneakers to biodegrade? Wondering what to do with the ones you've already got? RECYCLE THEM.
 
Every year, millions of pairs of athletic shoes are thrown away, not only wasting landfill space, but wasting tons of reusable material. Since 1993 Nike has been running a program called Reuse-a-Shoe. So far they've used 24 million pairs of athletic shoes to create sports surfaces. It’s part of the "Let Me Play" campaign, one of Nike’s longest-running environmental and community programs, where worn-out athletic shoes of any brand are collected, processed and recycled into material USED IN SPORT SURFACES like basketball courts, tennis courts, athletic fields, running tracks and playgrounds for young people around the world.

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 BE SURE TO READ THE LORAX BY DR. SEUSS!

It's MUCH more than a children's book!!! It's a GREAT LESSON for all ages! (Beside the movie, there is also a 25 minute video!!!)
The Lorax appears and speaks for the trees, since they have no voice of their own. The Lorax warns of the dangers of raping the land for the Truffula Trees, but the Once-ler is so greedy, he pays him no heed. As you can guess, the land soon dies, and all that is left is destruction and pollution. The Lorax sadly flies off, never to be seen there again. But, as it should be, the story ends with hope. He entrusts to you a seed, the very last seed, to start again for the Truffula Trees.
 
BUILD A THEME AROUND THE LORAX
SOME Activities to supplement "THE LORAX" for a Theme...

1. Discuss the IMPORTANCE OF TREES for people and animals.
With the children...list all the ways the forest is helpful.

• The trees hold the water in the soil with their roots.
• The forest keeps the surrounding area cool with its shade.
• The forest provides homes for many animals.
• Forests clean and enrich the air we breathe. Their leaves and needles take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen through the tree's bark.   

2. MAKE A MURAL with trees, etc.
 
3. PLANT a small tree.
 
4. Make ENVIRONMENTAL COLLAGES
Have children cut out magazine pictures of trees, flowers, birds, sun, clouds, etc. They then glue them on sheets of construction paper to make a collage about their environment. Post collages on wall... talk about the world they live in... And how we can help take care of the trees and birds.
 
5. DO TREE RUBBINGS
Give children a piece of paper and a large crayon with the paper off. Show them how to use the crayon sideways to make a rubbing.

6. MAKE A TREE: Give each child a cardboard toilet tissue tube for a tree trunk. Help each child make several hand shapes out of green construction paper for palm fronds (leaves) have children tape the leaves to the inside of the top of their tree trunks. Before they glue the leaves on--they can color or paint the tubes.
 
 7.  MAKE PLAY DOUGH and make it different colors of the earth! The children can make trees, worms, and flower shapes. (There are more than 40 recipes in the Goop, Gak Category and 40 in the Play Dough Category...even one for fossils and dough that looks like mud!)

8. NATURE/FOREST SCAVENGET HUNT (With Pictures for those that can't read) Normal otherwise...

• Make a scavenger hunt list with pictures you have drawn on a sheet of paper.
• Some ideas: a feather, small stone, acorn, various leaves in your area, small twig or stick, dead bug (draw him with legs up, pine cone, flower (only if they can pick one), worm, pieces of grass, clover leaf …and any other ideas you can come up with.
• Make sure that you go over the list with the children just in case your not the world’s best artist.

9.  PARACHUTE WITH LEAVES FALLING
Place pre-cut leaves (lots of them on a parachute. Put on some music and play games with letting the leaves gently fall. 

10. HELP THE BIRDS! See Bird Theme for other ideas for Birds!

     Lend a helping hand to the birds by supplying them with simple nesting materials.

• All you need to do is fill a mesh bag (like the kind onions are packaged in ) or a berry basket; use dried grass, short lengths of yarn and string, stuffing from old furniture or a feather pillow---also hair from brushes.
• Loop the strands outside of the mesh or basket so birds can grab them.
• Hang the bag in a location that the birds can safely access; watch the birds collect--hunt to see if you can find one of "your" nests!

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YOU CAN ALSO...

• If the weather is nice -- READ OUTSIDE under a tree! Have a picnic or a snack there! 

• Get a "Sounds of the Rain forest" or woodsy and animal-sounds CD to play .... It will be soothing for the kids (and you) as well as enriching.

• Do a COMMUNITY SERVICE project. Litter spoils the woods and can hurt the animals and visitors. As a special project, have the students pick up litter in your area (with plastic gloves on)--and then dispose of it properly. Make a list of the things that were found. Contact the media to do a story on the children's concern for their environment.

• SNACKS: See below...

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SNACKS FOR EARTH THEME...

 TASTE THE RAINFOREST

Buy food found in the Rainforest: Bananas, star fruit, coconut, chocolate, papaya, bananas, mangoes, etc.
Have children try all the different flavors. You can add dimension by adding a graphing of who liked what best.
When you do things like this, be sure to indicate the treat on your snack and daily activities calendar –
Example: Snack Today: We’re tasting the Rainforest!

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EARTH COOKIES:

Make or purchase round cookies. To resemble the Earth, have children spread cookies with green and blue frosting. (Put green, blue and a bit of yellow frosting on cookes in horizontal lines. With a tooth pick-swirl the colors together.)

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NATURES BOUNTY

Have children snack on a variety of foods that come directly from nature: Apple slices, orange segments, fresh berries, and sunflower seeds.
Remember to write ...SNACK TODAY FROM NATURE'S BOUNTY!
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TRASH SNACK
Ingredients:
Flat bottom ice cream cones, Cheerios, miniature marshmallows, pretzel sticks, and peanuts.

• Take 4 lunch bags and put a different food item in each one.
• Write “old tires” on the bag of Cheerios
• “Styrofoam” on marshmallows bag
• “Sticks” on the bag with pretzel sticks
• “Stones” on the bag with peanuts
• Serve the “trash” in trash cans (Ice cream cones)

When serving the snack the kids can take a scoop from each bag or they can combine and mix the ingredients in a large bowl.
Nice that there is NO trash when the children have finished eating!
Idea adapted from practicalkindergarten in answersyahoo...
This idea would be nice combined with a project related to litter and trash!

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  Two recipes for DIRT CUPS. One mixes cookies into the pudding and one doesn't.
#1 version

Canned or Pre-made Chocolate Pudding Mix
Milk (If making pudding)
Oreo Cookies
Gummy Worms
Cool Whip
Cups, Spoons,  Zip Lock Bags
   • Place Oreo cookies in a zip lock bag; have children break them up by banging the bag. Cover the bottom of cups with crumbled Oreos.
Use canned pudding or Combine pudding mix and milk to make your own pudding, pour into the cups--leaving 1/2 an inch of space at the top. Refrigerate pudding until set. Add crumbled Oreos to the top of each cup and garnish with a gummy worm.

 #2 DIRT CUP version
2 cups of cold milk
1 package (4 serving size) JELL-O Instant Pudding (chocolate flavor)
3-1/2 cups (8 ounce container) COOL WHIP whipped topping, thawed
1 package (16 ounces) chocolate sandwich cookies (like OREOS) (crush them into tiny pieces in a plastic bag)
Gummy worms or insects
Measuring cup
Medium mixing bowl
Wire whisk
Rubber scraper or large spoon
Measuring spoons
8-10 paper or plastic cups (8 ounce size)

• Pour the milk into the mixing bowl and add the pudding mix. Beat with the wire whisk until well blended (about two minutes).
• Let pudding stand for five minutes.
• Stir whipped topping and 1/2 of the crushed cookies into the pudding (very gently) with rubber scraper until mixture is all the same color.
• Place about 1 tablespoon of the remaining crushed cookies into the bottom of each cup.
• Fill cups about 3/4 full with pudding mixture.
• Top each cup with the rest of the crushed cookies. Add gummy worms and insects to decorate.
• Put cups into the refrigerator for about one hour to chill them-- and enjoy!
  

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FOUR 'BIRD SNACKS' FOR HUMANS

#1 PIDGEON POOP SNACK

4 cups peanut butter crunch cereal
3 cups rice krispies
2 cups pretzel sticks broken in 1/2
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 bags white chocolate chips
Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl and melt white chocolate chips in microwave and cover and mix, then lay on wax paper until cooled. Break into pieces.

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#2 BIRD'S NEST SNACK
1/3 cup butterscotch morsels
1 cup chowmein noodles
Candy bird eggs (jelly beans)

• Melt butterscotch morsels in a medium microwave safe bowl.
• Add chow mein noodles to melted morsels and mix.
• Shape into a circle on wax paper.
• Use a large spoon to make indention in center.
• Let nests harden. Add jelly beans or chocolate eggs.

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#3 CHOCOLATE BIRD NESTS

Make the above version, but instead of butterscotch chips, use chocolate chips! (Image by KidActivities.net)

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#4 BIRD'S NEST SNACK 

Melt 1/2 cup of butter in a saucepan.
Add 1 cup of brown sugar. Boil and stir for one minute.
Add a 3 oz. can of chow mein noodles.
Put the mixture in 12 paper baking cups in a muffin tin. Use your thumb to press noodles into the nest while still warm. DO NOT BAKE.
Give children jelly bean eggs to put in their nests.
*You can also put MELON BALLS in the nests...

Return to top of page

Other Earth Themed Pages

• Earth Theme: Art, Crafts and Games
• Earth Theme: Litter, Recycling and Coins
• Earth Theme: Nature and Science Activities
• Earth Themed Snacks and Variey of Ideas
• Earth Themed Music Activities
• Seasonal Earth and Green Ideas!
• Earth Friendly Ideas for Middle and High School
• Garden/Gardening Theme
• Worm Theme
• Insects/Creepy Crawlies

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