With a record-breaking winter/FALL storm TWO days before Halloween, making a snowman just didn't seem quite right...
Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts
Friday, November 4, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Halloween Math Idea: Make a CANDY Bar Graph!
Here's another idea from last year that was a lot of fun (and a sneaky way to reinforce those math skills):
When I was a kid, I loved sorting through my stash of Halloween candy after a night of trick-or-treating. I'd count out all of my Snickers, Crunches, lollipops, etc...and then try to hide my bucket in my bedroom so I could dip into anytime I wanted to. Oh, that sweet tooth of mine. Must be in the DNA because now those childhood traditions have been passed on to my kids. Sure enough, as soon as we walked in from our Trunk-or-Treat on Weds. night, Abby dumped out her bucket in the middle of the living room floor and took inventory. She even counted Noah's loot. Then my inherited-sweet-tooth boy hid his bucket in his closet for two days before I realized it was missing. No wonder Noah was spending so much time in his room. Geez...
Since we're doing the homeschool thing this year, I thought I'd use the candy to our "educational advantage" and do a math activity with Abby. On Thursday morning, I had her sort through her candy again, create categories, and helped her make a simple bar graph on large tablet paper. As she sorted through those 67 pieces (which she counted exactly), we talked about words to describe the candy & wrote them on index cards for our "Adjective Word Wall" - chewy, sticky, sweet, hard, crunchy... - a little twist on the Savoring Food activity from Fishful Thinking that helps promote Emotional Awareness and Optimism:
Select various food/snacks... Eat one of the items you selected and notice all the different tastes and textures. Take turns naming out loud something you notice...Repeat this with the other foods. Take an index card and list as many attributes of the food as you can.
An activity using Halloween candy that builds math, language, and positive-thinking skills all at the same time, and it was fun too! If only all of our school activities could be like this...
Next up, I think we may need to do a lesson about SHARING Halloween candy. I swear, it was like pulling teeth to get the kids to give Mom and Dad a measly little Hershey bar.
*As for the sharing issue - this year I'll be stashing away a handful of snack-size Snickers from our candy bowl just for me!
When I was a kid, I loved sorting through my stash of Halloween candy after a night of trick-or-treating. I'd count out all of my Snickers, Crunches, lollipops, etc...and then try to hide my bucket in my bedroom so I could dip into anytime I wanted to. Oh, that sweet tooth of mine. Must be in the DNA because now those childhood traditions have been passed on to my kids. Sure enough, as soon as we walked in from our Trunk-or-Treat on Weds. night, Abby dumped out her bucket in the middle of the living room floor and took inventory. She even counted Noah's loot. Then my inherited-sweet-tooth boy hid his bucket in his closet for two days before I realized it was missing. No wonder Noah was spending so much time in his room. Geez...
Since we're doing the homeschool thing this year, I thought I'd use the candy to our "educational advantage" and do a math activity with Abby. On Thursday morning, I had her sort through her candy again, create categories, and helped her make a simple bar graph on large tablet paper. As she sorted through those 67 pieces (which she counted exactly), we talked about words to describe the candy & wrote them on index cards for our "Adjective Word Wall" - chewy, sticky, sweet, hard, crunchy... - a little twist on the Savoring Food activity from Fishful Thinking that helps promote Emotional Awareness and Optimism:
Select various food/snacks... Eat one of the items you selected and notice all the different tastes and textures. Take turns naming out loud something you notice...Repeat this with the other foods. Take an index card and list as many attributes of the food as you can.
An activity using Halloween candy that builds math, language, and positive-thinking skills all at the same time, and it was fun too! If only all of our school activities could be like this...
Next up, I think we may need to do a lesson about SHARING Halloween candy. I swear, it was like pulling teeth to get the kids to give Mom and Dad a measly little Hershey bar.
*As for the sharing issue - this year I'll be stashing away a handful of snack-size Snickers from our candy bowl just for me!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Halloween Tradition: Nutter Butter Ghosts!
When it comes to cute and clever holiday treats, my bff (of 20+ years) Diana knows her stuff. She told me about these Nutter Butter Ghosts (yum!) awhile back so I asked if she would share the recipe. Thanks, Diana!
I am not sure exactly when my mom started making her Nutter Butter Ghosts but I always remember them being a part of Halloween at our house. When I had my own family I knew it would be part of our Halloween traditions too!
These are EXTREMELY easy to make. All you need is:
- Nutter Butter cookies
- Chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
- White baking chocolate or vanilla candy coating.
- Wax paper
1. Set out 2 cookie sheets with wax paper covering them. (I like to tape the wax paper so it does not slide around.)
2. Melt the one package of white baking chocolate in a med size pan on the stove top. I suppose you could microwave it, but it does need reheating occasionally, and I find it easier and faster to do this on the stove. Use low heat and stir constantly. It usually makes enough for one package of Nutter Butter cookies with some left over.
3. Once the chocolate is melted, simply dip half of the Nutter Butter cookie in chocolate, and place it on the cookie sheet. Immediately, place two chocolate chips on it for the eyes. Repeat until you run out of cookies (or chocolate). Reheat the chocolate if it begins to harden.
4. Once you have all of your cookies dipped, place them in the refrigerator to set.
2. Melt the one package of white baking chocolate in a med size pan on the stove top. I suppose you could microwave it, but it does need reheating occasionally, and I find it easier and faster to do this on the stove. Use low heat and stir constantly. It usually makes enough for one package of Nutter Butter cookies with some left over.
3. Once the chocolate is melted, simply dip half of the Nutter Butter cookie in chocolate, and place it on the cookie sheet. Immediately, place two chocolate chips on it for the eyes. Repeat until you run out of cookies (or chocolate). Reheat the chocolate if it begins to harden.
4. Once you have all of your cookies dipped, place them in the refrigerator to set.
5. After the chocolate has set, you can take them off the wax paper. I still store them in the refrigerator to keep the chocolate firm.
My oldest son is not able to have wheat, dairy or eggs, and I could not let him feel left out so I made him a fun Halloween treat too.
My oldest son is not able to have wheat, dairy or eggs, and I could not let him feel left out so I made him a fun Halloween treat too.
I made Rice Krispie Treats as directed from the Rice Krispies box. I made them in a 9x13 pan, but when I do it again I will use a cookie sheet so they are a little less thick. Then I used a ghost cookie cutter and cut out the treats in that shape.
I found a new item in the baking aisle that got me all excited. I knew that I could make frosting for the
treats, but when I found this gem, I knew it would save me a lot of time - Betty Crocker Brownie Toppers– Marshmallow Icing. I spread this on the tops of the Rice Krispie treats, and then we used chocolate chips for the eyes.
Treats for the whole family! I hope you enjoy these as much as we do! Happy Halloween!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Halloween Flashback: No Sew Superhero Capes!
Need a super easy, super cheap, last minute costume for your kiddos?
This awesome Family Fun idea that we used a couple of Halloweens ago is sure to save the day!!! (It only cost me $8 for two capes and no sewing is required. Now that's my kind of costume!)
I used adhesive velcro tabs to attach the Ss to their shirts (which I pulled out of their closets) and some glitter glue (which I already had in my art supply stash) to make them stand out. The whole process took me less than an hour (with kiddo interruptions) and then some time to let the glue dry.
My kids (then ages 3 and 5) thought their costumes were SUPER COOL!
*Head on over to FamilyFun for all kinds of costume ideas - I tried to convince Abby to go as a "Smartie Pants" this year...may have to use that one myself. :o)
*Head on over to FamilyFun for all kinds of costume ideas - I tried to convince Abby to go as a "Smartie Pants" this year...may have to use that one myself. :o)
Friday, October 21, 2011
Halloween Flashback: "Crabby Apples"
Instead of bobbing for apples at this year's fall festivities, transform them into these crabby-lookin' creatures -
The kids decorated these at our friends' house last Halloween and had a finger-licking good time! They loved squirting the icing on the apples to make the jelly bean eyes, gummy worm hair, and candy corn teeth stick...oh, and eyebrows - that was Abby's idea. Too funny...er...I mean, scary.
We may do this activity after Halloween this year - have to do something with all that candy!
The kids decorated these at our friends' house last Halloween and had a finger-licking good time! They loved squirting the icing on the apples to make the jelly bean eyes, gummy worm hair, and candy corn teeth stick...oh, and eyebrows - that was Abby's idea. Too funny...er...I mean, scary.
We may do this activity after Halloween this year - have to do something with all that candy!
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