EARTH DAY 2010

Today we celebrate Earth Day but what exactly does that mean and why should we care, especially as mothers and fathers? 

Earth day is a day designed to inspire awareness of the need to protect and preserve our Mother Earth and appreciation for the environment.  After 40 years since the first Earth Day  our world is in the worst shape ever.  Now is the time to get serious about doing our part, each of us to NOT leave our footprints behind for future generations to deal with!  It’s important for our children…it’s more then important…it’s CRUCIAL!

We must all learn and educate ourselves as to how we can do our part but as “mothers” and “fathers” it’s especially important that we educate our children and teach by example.  School age children, this very day are celebrating Earth Day in their class rooms but if we don’t encourage a daily involvement at home, it won’t be real to them and therefore, just another day that they learned about in school.

 Our children look up to us for advice and guideance, we spend lots of time making sure all of their needs are met on a daily basis to ensure a good, long, happy & healthy life.  We worry about what foods they are eating, how they are doing in school, saving for their college educations, etc, etc, gosh the list just goes on and on but…ensuring they actually have a world to live in someday should be a top priority for all parents as well.

 Envirionmental Tips set forth by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)states that there are many ways we can work to reduce or elimate our footprints on the environment.

Here are some ways you can help them learn about the earth and get involved in making it a better place.

Play

• Funschool is a collection of online games and crafts that entertain while teaching children about recycling, the earth sciences and the environment.
• Primary Games is another excellent site full of Earth Day games and stories for kids.
• Environmental Kids Club Game Room is sponsored by the EPA and features games that teach about everything from air quality to the water cycle.

Read

• Earth Book for Kids is packed with great ideas for crafts, projects and experiments that encourage young children to become active participants in healing the earth.
• A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids explores climate change and what kids can do to make a difference.
• 365 Ways to Live Green for Kids: Saving the Environment at Home, School or at Play — Every Day! offers practical ideas for things kids can do each day to live ecologically friendly lives.

Watch

• Holiday Facts & Fun: Earth Day features students participating in Earth Day activities and learning about the importance of maintaining the health of our planet.
• Planet Earth — The Complete BBC Series includes all five discs of the amazing 11-part nature and wildlife documentary.
• Planet Earth — The Future reveals the vulnerability of the earth through astonishing images and the stories behind them.

Act

• Environmental Kids Clubis sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and includes lots of educational information, as well as links for middle and high schoolers who want to get involved and go green.
• Earth Day Networkis packed with information on Earth Day and provides a searchable database of events and activities around the world.
• Earth Hour Kids is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund and and provides information on conservation and ideas for kids who want to take action.

Any of us lucky enough to have spent time in the kitchen with our own mother or grandmother most likely hold those times in our hearts as one of our most fond childhood memories.  The aroma of chocolate cookies in the oven or licking the batter from a yummy cake mix and the time spent chatting with the one who made us feel so special and so loved remain in our minds still today.

Children are natural little born helpers and love being creative…and especially love spending time with you.  Nothing creates a warmer feeling of love when you bake up some warm scrumptious cookies or a cherry pie together.  Memories are made in the kitchen and as your child grows, the time you spend together teaching and learning, (really a life long and worthy skill), will remain sweet in their hearts forever.

Children also love to be creative and baking is just one form of letting them express their creativity. Children as little as 2-3 years old can help bake a simple recipe by performing some of the more simple tasks such as pouring ingredients, stirring and decorating.  As they grow to around age 5 or 6,  they begin to enjoy more involved task such as measuring, using cookie cutters to create shapes and forms and using the rotary mixer.  At 9 or 10, they are old enough to learn to operate electrical appliances such as the oven, blender and microwave and are able to read through recipes themselves.

Beside the bonding factor, baking with your baby is also educational as children also love to learn and love to absorb all the information you are willing to share and teach.

Educational Skills Learned from Baking

Reading lessons

• Improving their reading skills
• Vocabulary through new words

Chemistry and Science lessons

• Discovering food groups
• Making predictions
• Experimenting
• How food grows
• How food changes while cooking
• Five senses
• Sensory exploration-with hands on and feeling the ingredients while cooking

Geography lessons

• Cultural recipes
• Where food grows

Art lessons

• Creating
• Creativity-make their own unique recipes

History lessons

• Recipes through generations
• Family recipes/family history

Health lessons

• How to eat healthy
• Good nutrition

Social Skills

• Responsibility
• Safety and Cleanliness
• Working together
• Sharing
• Building self esteem

Fine motor skills

• Chopping, whisking, kneading, pouring, mixing, cutting, rolling

For this baby girl, it’s all about the fun! 

 BASIC KITCHEN RULES

• Get permission to use the kitchen.
• Wash your hands with soap and water before starting your kitchen preparations. Continually wash hands as needed like touching the trash can or picking up items from the floor.
• Re-read the recipe several times.
• Make sure you have all of the necessary ingredients. Put them out on the counter.
• Get out all of the equipment like pans and measuring cups.
• Follow the recipe exactly.
• Use oven mittens or pot holders when taking food in and out of the oven.
• Clean as you go along.
• Share your wonderful dessert creation with your friends and family.

BASIC KITCHEN TIPS

• Use newspaper or wax paper on counter-tops to minimize mess and make for easier cleanup.
• Wear apron or old clothing
• Teach children SAFETY FIRST Rules
• Teach children to clean up as they go.
• Keep your cool at all times…have fun!

SAFETY TIPS for Baking with Children

  Worrying about safety when it comes to kids cooking in the kitchen is a normal concern for many parents but with a little help and direction from you, baking can be both fun and safe!  Talk to your kids about safety and set a good example.

• Sharp Knives – Children under 8 should not be allowed to handle sharp knives.  Children between the ages of 8-10 should be supervised when using sharp knives.
• Burns – Baking in the oven requires heat and can cause burns.  Never allow children under 10 to operate the oven or handle hot baking sheets. Older children, with supervision, can be taugh to use oven mitts and pot holders.  Running and horse play of any kind should not be allowed around a hot stove or appliance.
• Basic Hygiene – A must in the kitchen – hands should Always be washed before beginning to bake and periodly washed if touching anything off the floor or waste baskets during cooking.
• Falls – Small children may not be able to comfortably reach the counter top so make sure a sturdy stool or chair is used.  If flour or other spills happen, make sure they are cleaned up immediately so no one slips on it (flour can be especially slippery on a kitchen floor).

Easy Pie Baking Recipes

Easy Cobbler Cherry Pie Recipe for Younger Children

Ingredients

2 21 oz, Can Cherry Pie

Filling

1 Box Yellow or White Cake Mix

1 Cube Margarine

DIRECTIONS

In a 9 x 13 Pan pour pie filling.

Sprinkle Cake mix on top of pie filling

Slice Margarine and place slices evenly over top cake

Put in 350 oven and cook

35 to 40 minutes

Apple Pie Recipe for Older Children

Pie Crust

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 tbsp. cold vegetable shortening
8 tbsp. ice water

Directions

Ask your child to measure the flour, sugar and salt into a gallon-size sealable plastic bag. Seal and shake the bag to combine.

Add the chilled butter pieces and shortening to the bag, then have your child press down on the bag with their palms.

The goal is to flatten the butter and shortening and coat them with flour to produce a flaky, layered crust.

Open the bag and add the ice water. Reseal, then press and shake until the dough holds together (add more water, if necessary).

For mess-free cooking with kids, mix up pie crust and other doughs in a seal-able bag instead of a bowl.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it together, then divide in half.

Flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out one of the disks on a lightly floured surface until you have a circle that’s about 12 inches in diameter.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough, trimming any extra from the edges with a sharp knife (parents only). Return it to the refrigerator until you are ready to make the pie. Makes 1 double crust.

KIDS’ COOKING SKILLS: Use this recipe as an opportunity to teach your child how to measure and mix ingredients.

This recipe shows kids how to make a sweet cinnamon pie filling with a creative upper crust.

Ingredients

6 to 8 apples, such as Granny Smith, Cortland, Rome or a local variety of tart apples
Juice of half a lemon
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. butter, cut into chunks
Milk (for glaze
Flaky pie-crust

Directions

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, show your child how to peel the apples.

An adult, or an older child who can handle a paring knife, can then core and slice the apples into 1/4-inch pieces. Place the apples (about 6 cups) in a large mixing bowl.

Next, pour the lemon juice over the apples and add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour. Toss well.

Spoon the spiced apples into the lined pie-crust and dot with the butter.

A pie’s top crust is as much art as food. For a lattice-style crust, roll out the second disk of dough, cut it into 14 strips about 1/2 inch wide, and lay 7 of the strips across the pie, 1/2 inch apart.

Working from the middle of the pie toward one side, fold back every other strip, then lay a cross strip across the remaining flat strips. Return the folded strips, then fold back the alternate strips and lay in the next crosspiece.

Continue, creating a weave pattern. When one half of the crust is woven, repeat with the other side. Finally, use your thumb and index finger to crimp the edges.

For a top crust, place the rolled-out dough loosely on top of the apple mixture. With the tines of a fork, make a decorative pattern around the edges.

Next, cut pie dough ornaments. Place these on top of the pie and cut slits in the dough to allow steam to escape. Brush the top with milk for a glaze.

Place the pie in the preheated oven and lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the rack below to catch any juices.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown, and you can see the juices bubbling. If the crust begins to brown before the pie is fully baked, cover it with foil.

Let the pie cool, then slice it into wedges. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a slice of cheddar cheese.

Serves 8.

KIDS’ COOKING SKILLS: Use this recipe to teach your kids how to slice apples (older kids only), measure spices, roll pie dough and crimp and decorate piecrust.

 More Top 10 Recipes for Baking with Kids

This is one of my most favorite tunes.  Thought it was appropriate for this article.  Great little song to sing with your baby while spending quality time baking together…enjoy and let’s get baking!

 Baby Gift Suggestion: Lil Sweetie Gift Set (Lil’Bakery Gift Set)

Resources: Kids Cooking Activities, Family Fun

Sleeping Beauties

A newborn baby is already so precious but somehow manages to exuberate even more preciousness while sleeping!  These snoozing babes will steal your heart!

Check out this gallery of 24 Sleeping Beauties photographed by Tracy Raver and Kelly Ryden , twin sister photographers from Omaha Nebraska.  They are mothers themselves and professionals at capturing what newborns do best…sleep.  Some are wrapped in cocoons, curled on blankets, draped from hammocks – all wearing not more than their birthday suits.  Some are shots with twins. Some infants curled in bowls. Some with that half-drowsy smile at some secret dream, and others with lips pursed as if pondering deep, philosophical theories. All are simply adorable!

Their work can be compared to that of their famous predecessor photographer Anne Geddes with their lighting and focus on expression, but using fewer props.  In order to get the right kinds of shots, mom’s bring babies to the studio when they are nine or ten days old, well fed and sleepy and the studio temperature is kept at a toasty 90 degrees in order to keep them that way for about 3 to 4 hours at a time for six or seven setups.  The resulting pictures are enough to make your heart melt and portray the complete and pure innocence of a newborn baby off in dreamland.

A first book  by the duo was released last month and they appeared on the Today Show on April 8th and are currently working on a 2nd book.  A portion of the proceeds from the book sales will be donated to a world children’s charity. 

Sleeping Beauties: Newborns in Dreamland
Sleeping Beauties: Newborns in Dreamland 2011 Mini Wall Calendar (Calendar)

Apparently, this video has received over 6 million views since it’s release last July!  Wow, and I just came across it for the first time tonight…anyone else out there a little behind the video times (like me)?  These skating babies are just too Darn Cute!  Just had to share…let me know if this is your 1st view of them so I don’t feel so left out!

In case you have heard the latest baby buzz…”Babies” The Movie is due to arrive in theatres near you in May. Baby lovers all over will be flocking to see this adorble new movie featuring four beautiful babies from different parts of the world. You’ll meet babies “Bayar from Mongolia, “Ponijao” from Namibia, Hattie from San Francisco, and “Mari: from Japan. Capturing precious first moments from birth through first steps, captivating, emotional and stunning, this movie is sure to capture your heart! 

 Hmmm…being released at the same time Spring arrivess and Love is in the air…I’m sensing a possible baby boom about nine months later!

Scrap booking for Baby or anything else for that matter is not only a fun hobby and creative past-time, it’s a way of preserving special memories that serves as a special keepsake for a lifetime.  It’s similar to a photo book or baby book but can be more detailed by adding your thoughts and feelings and personalized to your featured subject or your own personality which is why I love it.  First, lets talk about scrap-booking in general and then I’ll share some of my own personal scrap-booking I’ve created.

Scrapbook Themes

What’s really great about scrap booking is that you can do one on any theme your heart desires.  Pregnant? Why not start a scrapbook on your pregnancy recording 1st doctor visits, pictures of your self as your belly starts to grow, ultrasound pics of baby, you can feature a month to month progress up until the day your baby is born. Then of course, you’ll want to start another theme featuring baby himself.  You can also create scrapbooks on baby’s pre-school years, then school years, college days and any other special events that he encounters growing up.  You can scrapbook about special family vacations and just about anything else that means something to you that you may want to remember and look back on some day and show to your future grandchildren! 

I actually did a scrapbook on my son’s Karate experiences.  It was my first attempt at scrap booking.  I only wish I had started one years ago but I plan to still do a baby scrapbook for him soon.  Luckily, I’ve been saving special pictures and other pieces of his history safely tucked away in a keepsake box, that will make perfect additions to his book.  I have found my scrapbooking experience so far to be a  lot of fun and even though I’ve never considered myself to be very creative, I have discovered that I can be if I try.  More on my scrapbook later, let’s talk more about details on getting started if your a first timer too.

How to Get Started With Scrapbooking

Of course, after you’ve selected your theme, you’ll need to purchase a scrapbook and materials that will assist you in your creative venture.  You’l also want to gather some pictures that you have of your featured guest.  There are lots of sites online where you can purchase your items or visit your local crafts store, which is what I did, because I’m a hands on kind of person, I wanted to actually hold and examine everything I was considering.  Plan at least a couple of hours to browse the aisles because there is so much too choose from and you don’t want to rush into buying things that you might not need or at least not need right away.  I started out with just a few items to get me started, then once I actually sat down to begin, more ideas came to me, so I made of list of what I wanted to do next and what I might need to purchase.  Trust me, it can be an expensive hobby so be careful if you don’t want to break the bank on your creativity, and by going slow, you can spend a little at a time vs. alot all at once.  I can easily get over excited and purchase things I might end up not using if I’m not careful because everything is so cute, especially the baby and kids stuff. Also, watch for sales and special discounts being offered on scrapbooking supplies, this could help cut down on the cost tremdously.

Suggested Materials List

• Photos
• Scrapbook ( Any size you like)
• Ribbons
• Embellishments (Buttons, Stickers, Brads, etc.)
• Stickers and Scrapbooking Rub-Ons
• Art Supplies (glue, hot glue gun, 2 way sticky tape, markers, pens, etc.)
• Tools (Scissors, Rulers, Paper Punch, Die-Cutters, etc.)
• Organizers (For storing supplies)

View this great video by APieceofCraft.com…She makes scrapbooking look like a Piece of Cake! 

Some Pictures of My Own Scrapbooking Venture

 As you can see, I’m no expert and this was my first attempt so with that said, I think it turned out pretty darn good!  Since my son attends ”The All American Karate”, I chose an all american theme and as you can see, I chose to display each of his certificates on it’s own page with an actual piece of his belt he received on each graduation.  I plan to set this out on a table at his high school graduation party some day, along with other future scrapbooks I create of his life, I’m so looking forward to showing off his accomplishments over the years!

If you’ve never tried scrapbooking, I hope this article has inspired you to give it a try! If you consider yourself an expert scrapper then by all means, share! Let’s Get Srappin’!

For Great Tips & Ideas

Visit Scrapbooking101.net for great articles on baby scrapbooking, general information, supplies, basic techniques, using patterned paper and more!  They do a great article on ideas on how to make a baby book and include suggestions on layout and things to include to make your baby’s scrapbook extra special and memorble!

Suggested Online Scrapbooking Retailers

Scrapbooking Warehouse

Michaels