Dear Reader,
This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children. Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills. You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story. Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.
*Read to the children in your life every day. You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!
I Am A Dragon! By: Sabina Hahn
Ages: Toddler through Kindergarten
This fun book is about the importance of really listening to each other. In our story, the frogs all believed that their new friend was a frog and NOT a dragon. The dragon tried to tell them many times. Finally, all of the frogs realized that they needed to listen. The book also highlights the importance of questioning and not always believing everything that you hear. What a good lesson for children.
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading the story, discuss with the child what “imaginary” means.
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you what the frogs thought that the dragon was and why.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you what the frogs said that made the dragon so angry.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you what lesson the frogs learned.
Additional Books:
- Dragons Love Tacos By: Adam Rubin Illustrated by: Daniel Salmieri
- There’s NO Such Thing as a Dragon By: Jack Kent
- Monkey Needs to Listen By: Sue Graves Illustrated by: Trevor Denton
- Listening Ninja By: Mary Nhin
Cooking Time:
Kiwi Frogs
These fruity frogs are fun to make and delicious. Children can help by assembling the frogs.
Kiwis, peeled
Strawberries, sliced
Toothpicks
Mini marshmallows
Raisins
Chocolate frosting or Nutella
- Slice the peeled kiwi into thick slices.
- Stack the slices on top of each other to form the body.
- Put a slice of strawberry between 2 slices of kiwi for a tongue.
- Secure with a toothpick.
- Use icing or Nutella to attach the raisins to the mini marshmallows for each eye.
- Put the marshmallows on top of the frog.
Make as many as you would like.
Frog Sandwiches
These fun sandwiches from Pinterest, are beyond cute. Children can help by adding the meat, cheese, tongue and eyes.
Small buns
Turkey or ham slices
Choice of cheese
Pickle slices
Olives with pimento, sliced crosswise
- Place slices of meat and cheese onto the bun.
- Add pickle slice to form the tongue.
- Add two slices of the olive to the top of the bun. Attach with toothpicks to form the eyes.
Make as many as you would like.
Frog Cookies
Continuing with our frog theme, we had to have something sweet, and these cute cookies filled the bill. Children can help by dipping the cookies and pretzels in the chocolate and adding the eyes and sprinkles.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Oreo cookies
Mini twist pretzels
White chocolate
Coconut oil to thin chocolate
Green food coloring
Candy eyes
Black sprinkling sugar, optional
Red icing in tube
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, stirring after 30 second intervals.
- Add enough coconut oil to thin for dipping.
- Add green food coloring to get the color of a frog.
- Dip two pretzels in the chocolate and place on the prepared baking sheet. The bottom of each pretzel should be touching.
- Dip a cookie into the chocolate and cover completely.
- Place the cookie on top of the pretzel legs.
- Add the candy eyes.
- Use the red icing on the mouth to form the tongue.
- Sprinkle a little black sugar on the head of the frog behind the eyes (optional).
- Place tray in the refrigerator to set.
Make as many as you would like.
