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!
It’s Winter! By: Renee Kurilla
Ages: Pre-school through First Grade
This beautiful book is the perfect review of the many wonderful activities of the winter season. The story is done in rhyming verse and describes the fun of playing the in snow, celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas and the New Year. The illustrations are perfect!
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading the story, ask the child to tell you what they like the most about winter.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you some of the activities that the children in the story did in the snow.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you about the holidays that they enjoy during the winter.
- After reading, ask the child to answer the question on the last page of the book.
Additional Books:
- The Mitten By: Jan Brett
- A Snowy Day By: Ezra Jack Keats
- Dream Snow By: Eric Carle
- Snow By: Uri Shulevitz
- Snowmen at Night By: Caralyn Buehner Illustrated by: Mark Buehner
Cooking Time:
Snowman Rice Krispie Treats
Most children love these sweet treats and they will really enjoy making them into snowmen. Children can help by measuring and decorating the snowmen.
Will need a 3 or 4 inch round cookie cutter and parchment paper.
6 tablespoons butter
15 ounces (1 1/2 bags) mini marshmallows
8 cups Rice Krispies
Orange M & M’s for the nose
M & M’s for the muffs
Mini brown M & M’s for the eyes and mouth
Red string Twizzlers
Chocolate icing (canned)
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
- Add the marshmallow and stir until they are fully coated with butter.
- Cook and stir for 5 to 8 minutes or until the marshmallows are completely melted.
- Remove from the heat and add the Rice Krispies.
- Stir until fully combined and all of the cereal is coated.
- Place the round cookie cutter onto the parchment paper.
- Scoop rice mixture into the cutter and press down to form a round disc. May need to butter the inside of the cookie cutter.
- Remove the cutter and continue making the rice cakes.
- Pull strings from the Twizzlers and press onto the rice cake.
- Press an orange M & M sideways onto the rice cake to form the nose.
- Place a dab of chocolate icing onto the regular M & M’s to form the ear muffs.
- Place a dab of icing onto the mini M & M’s to form the eyes and mouth.
Makes 12 to 16 treats.
Christmas Pretzels
These treats are the perfect combination of salty and sweet. Children can help by putting the pretzels on the parchment paper and adding the sprinkles.
Waffle pretzels
Melting chocolate of choice
Christmas sprinkles
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange the pretzels onto the baking sheet.
- In a microwave-sage bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals, stirring after each.
- Transfer the chocolate into a zip-lock bag.
- Cut a very small piece off of the corner.
- Pipe the chocolate onto the middle of the pretzels making sure to leave a rim.
- Immediately, put sprinkles onto the chocolate.
- Place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes or until the chocolate has set.
Make as many as you would like.
Snowman Donuts
These are beyond easy and children will love helping you make these.
Mini powdered sugar donuts
Mini chocolate chips
Candy corn or orange starbursts
- If using candy corn, cut off the white tip and stick in the center of the donut. If using starburst, cut in half and mold into a nose shape.
- Press the point of the mini chocolate chips into the donut to form the eyes and mouth.
Make as many as you would like.
