Dear Readers,
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!
Love From the Crayons By: Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers
Ages: Toddlers through Kindergarten
The Crayons are back! This is a great book to read around Valentine’s Day, but is good for any time of the year. The Crayons use color to describe the many forms of love with perfect pictures to match. This is a great book to review colors with younger children and color words for preschoolers and children in kindergarten.
Reading Tips:
- As you read the story, ask older children to point to the color words.
- After reading the story, ask younger children to identify the colors of the crayons.
- After reading, ask the child what their favorite color of “love” was.
Additional Books:
- Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse By: Laura Numeroff Illustrated by: Felicia Bond
- Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day is Cool By: Kimberly and James Dean
- Clifford’s First Valentine’s Day By: Norman Bridwell
- The Day it Rained Hearts By: Felicia Bond
- The Littlest Valentine By: Brandi Dougherty
- Llama, Llama, I Love You By: Anna Dewdney
- Love, Splat By: Rob Scotton
Cooking Time:
Valentine Party Mix
This wonderful mix of flavors is perfect for family or a kid’s party to celebrate Valentine’s Day. You can follow our recipe, or add ingredients that you prefer. This mix could also be put into bags for a party favor. Children can help by pouring in the ingredients and stirring them together.
1 1/2 cups Valentine M & M’s
1 cup whole cashews or your favorite nut
1 cup yogurt covered raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup mini pretzels
1 cup chocolate flavored bear shaped graham crackers
1/2 cup dark chocolate coated almonds
- Put all of the above ingredients into a large bowl.
- Mix all of the ingredients together.
Makes approximately 7 cups.
Sweetheart Strawberries
You will never buy chocolate covered strawberries again after you make these. They are easy, fresh and delicious and you can decorate them any way that you prefer. Children will love adding the sprinkles!
7 ounces of milk or dark melting chocolate
18 large red strawberries
White melting chocolate for drizzle
Valentine sprinkles
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Clean strawberries, leaving on the stems.
- Make sure that the strawberries are completely dry.
- Place the melting chocolate into a microwave safe dish.
- Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each session until the chocolate is melted. Do not over heat.
- Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip each one 3/4’s of the way into the melted chocolate.
- Place the strawberry onto the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle each strawberry with Valentine sprinkles and/or drizzle with melted white chocolate.
- Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
Makes 18 servings.
Valentine Hearts
This jello dessert is amazingly delicious and very easy to make. Children will enjoy helping to cut out the heart shapes once the mixture is cooled.
Using non-stick cooking spray, spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
2 packages (6 ounces each) strawberry, cherry or raspberry jello
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding
1 cup cold milk
- In a large bowl, place the 2 packages of jello mix.
- Add the boiling water and stir until the jello is dissolved.
- Allow the mixture to cool for 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, place the instant pudding mix.
- Add the milk and whisk together for 1 minute until it thickens.
- Immediately, add the pudding mixture into the cooled jello mixture.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Place into the prepared baking dish.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.
- Cut into heart shapes using a cookie cutter.
Makes 8 to 10 servings, depending on the size of the cookie cutter.
