by Elizabeth Cossick, M. Ed.

Comment on this post and be entered to win a $20 School Box gift card! (Which you could use to buy…building sets! :)

Legos and Lincoln Logs used to rule the roost when it came to building sets. Not so these days, my friend. Magnets, gears and pulleys make today’s building sets more engaging–and mind-bending–than ever. Whether you’re looking for sets for a classroom, birthday gift, or just a rainy day, here are our top picks for kiddie-approved, creativity-inspiring building sets, followed by some ways to incorporate them into your classroom.

Gears, Gears, Gears!

The fun Gears, Gears, Gears! sets allow young builders to construct buildings, vehicles, factories and the like. There are a variety of sets, from beginner to themed kits (like this cute Movin’ Monkeys set), but all are interchangeable. Sets include spinning gears, pillars, connectors and cranks to set creations in motion–plus interlocking plates for limitless building.

Magneatos

I first discovered these magnetized balls, rods and plates when my son received a Magneatos set from his Popi. Three years later, they’re still a favorite. No wonder why Magneatos have garnered so much praise: recipient of 2005 & 2006 OPPENHEIM AWARD WINNER; featured on NBC’s Today Show and Featured in MONEY magazine; recipient of Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award (Top Honor); recipient of Oppenheim SNAP (Special Needs Adaptable Product) Award Winner.

Thistle Blocks

Thistle Blocks are an oldie but goodie– a cousin to the Bristle Blocks from my own childhood. Guess what? These stick-to-each-other squares, rectangles and rods are still tons of fun. 

Flexiblocks

What set allows children to build movable bridges, creatures, vehicles and reptiles all with the same blocks? Flexiblocks! These wonder blocks, shown below, can be configured into a limitless variety of critters and formations: a boredom buster for sure. 

In the Classroom

Here are three ideas for using building sets in the classroom to encourage critical thinking and creativity, while practicing  hands-on geometry, public speaking, measuring, graphing and writing.

• Hold a Building Challenge.

Break students into groups or pairs. Give each group the same number of blocks (or have pairs bring in building sets from home) and set the clock. Give the groups 15 or 20 minutes to build. Then, have each group present their creation to the class. The class can vote on which structures win Most Creative, Most Impressive, Most Blocks Used, Most Movable, etc.

Skills utilized: critical thinking, cooperative learning, oral speaking/presenting

• Create (and Write About) a Fantasy World.

Allow students (individually or in small groups) to build a fantasy world with sets of blocks, including buildings, creatures, people, vehicles, bridges–whatever their imaginations hold. At the end of a set building period (around 20-30 minutes), students will then write either fiction stories, descriptive narratives or poems about their fantasy world, explaining what it looks like, who lives there, and how life works within the world of their imagination.

Skills utilized: critical thinking, cooperative learning, writing, grammar

• Have a Race and Chart the Results.

Lots of building sets have circle or disk components that make great wheels. Allow students to build vehicles and then hold a race. Make predictions about which vehicle will go farthest. Create a starting line with tape, line up students two-at-a-time to race their creations. Then, use a ruler or yard stick to measure the distance traveled. Chart or graph the distances as a class on a piece of a bulletin board or chart paper. Be sure to note which are creative and aesthetic, even if they don’t go the distance! :)

Skills utilized: critical thinking, predicting, math, graphing, measuring, comparing/contrasting

For more great building sets, click here and here and here.

Build on!

by Elizabeth Cossick, M. Ed.

Comment on this post and be entered to win a $20 School Box gift card!

Science is one of those subjects that, when done right, is just as fun on a Friday night at home with the kids as it is in class. This is part three in a three-part series on fun science projects for home or school.

While the supplies under your kitchen sink make for great science experiments (as shared in Part I and Part II of this series), there are also some fabulous (affordable) science kits that you can purchase at specialty toy stores to provide hours of exploration and discovery.

Here are our favorites, which would also make welcomed birthday and Christmas gifts. Think of them as toys that pack a one/two punch. ONE: They’re tons of FUN. (Seriously, who doesn’t want to make a robot?) And TWO: They teach and reinforce critical thinking skills (cause and effect, reading and pre-reading strategies, direction following, synthesis, analysis, prediction…).

Now doesn’t that sound like a better gift than the usual overpriced plastic thingymajig that will become toy box fodder in two days? We thought so, too.

Five Rockin’ Science Kits

• Tin Can Robot

Description: Recycle a soda can by turning it into a silly robot that can wobble around! Kit includes all working parts, motor, wheels, arms, googly eyes, and fully detailed instructions. Requires screwdriver and empty soda can (not included). Great way to recycle! Ages 6+.

Price: $14.99

Available at: The School Box store or online here: http://www.schoolbox.com/Tin-Can-Robot-Kit

• Electromagnet Science Kit

Description: Build a doorbell, telegraph system and even a catapult using a true electromagnet! Kit includes: disc, latch and neodymium magnets, compass, straws, wires, sand paper, switch plates, wood screws, nails, light bulbs, battery holders, iron filings and more. An instruction booklet walks young scientists through an array of project options and experiments for hours of captivating fun.

Price: $26.99

Available at: The School Box stores or online here: http://www.schoolbox.com/ProductDetail

• Big Bag Of Science

Description: This giant kit is designed to whet the appetites of budding young scientists of all ages. With more than 70 unique, fun, hands-on science activities, this kit guarantees hours of science fun. Amaze your friends and family with such activities as making water disappear, having liquid flow uphill, making a 30’ soda geyser, growing fake snow instantly, balancing 6 nails on the head of one nail – and much more. Store all components in the reusable zipper bag. Ages 8 and up.

Price: $39.99

Available at: The School Box stores or online here: http://www.schoolbox.com/Big-Bag-Of-Science

• Solar Rover

Description: Learn how regular sunlight converts to energy as it powers this rover to roll along the floor. All you need is a recycled soda can! Ages 8 and up.

Price: $19.99

Available at: The School Box stores or online here: http://www.schoolbox.com/Solar-Rover-Kit

• Weird Slime Laboratory

Description: Create green jelly worms, tadpoles and leeches, invisible jellyfish and more! Learn about the properties of matter, wet spinning, hydrated crystals and cross-linked polymers. Kit includes eight activities, each of which builds on the skills learned in the previous one. Ages 10 and up.

Price: $19.99

Available at: The School Box or online here: http://www.schoolbox.com/Weird-Slime-Laboratory

For more hands-on science kits, check out these other awesome ideas and kits (erupt a volcano, anyone?): http://www.schoolbox.com/Science-Fair-Projects-And-Kits.aspx

Comment on this post and be entered to win a $20 School Box gift card!

The long, lazy days of summer are done and gone. Ease your child (and yourself) into the new school year by establishing routines both at the beginning and ending of the day. Here are a few tips on how to make August easier for everyone. (Read them now, thank us later!)

1. Opt for a high-protein breakfast.

While you may not eat a lot of food for breakfast, little tummies need food more frequently. They also need something to jump start their bodies and brains in the morning. Look for high-fiber, high-protein foods, such as peanut butter on a whole-wheat waffle or toast, eggs or yogurt. For more healthy, easy (and fast!!) breakfast-on-the-go combos, check out this list from Real Simple.

A good general breakfast rule: avoid simple carbs (see ya later, PopTarts), which are metabolized quickly (long before lunchtime) and can cause sluggishness when the “sugar high” wanes. If your kid loves Frosted Flakes, let them have it…but for dessert after dinner! Fortified cereals (even the sugary ones) are better than most other options.

2. Create—and post—routines.

The summer-to-school transition is hard on everyone. Make it easier by establishing routines early on in the year. Like:

• Require your child to make his bed and brush his teeth before coming down to breakfast.

• Change into school clothes before eating breakfast.

• Lay out the next day’s clothing AND pack book bags the night before.

Consider posting your decided-upon routines (as a checklist) on the fridge or other conspicuous area where you are all sure to see it everyday.

3. Get active!

Okay, so there’s not time for a full-fledged yoga class before school. But even mild activity, such as stretching or taking the dog for a short walk, synchronizes the brain and body and helps prep your child’s neurons for learning. Homeschooling parents especially should remember that traditional schools have a break or recess time, so let your child get up and stretch or play outside from time to time to keep his mind working at top performance.

4. Go to bed on time!

According to WebMD.com, children ages 3 to 6 should get 10 to 12 hours of sleep per night, children 7 to 12 years old need 10 to 11 hours, and students 12 to 18 years old need 8 to 9 hours. Since it may be difficult for children to go to sleep while it’s still light outside, make the room as dark as possible. Purchase black-out liners for the windows (available inexpensively at most national big-box stores), or switch the position of your child’s bed so it is farther away from the bright window.

The bottom line:

Healthy habits and a set routine help ensure a smooth slide into the new school year—for you and the kiddos.

Diane Burdick, M. Ed. holds a masters in elementary education and a bachelors in history, and is currently pursuing her specialists degree with a concentration in teaching and learning. A homeschooling mother of three, she also enjoys freelancing for online publications.

by Elizabeth D. Cossick, M. Ed.

Comment on this post and be entered to win a $20 School Box gift card!! We’ll draw some winners in a couple weeks.

We’ve all heard it–as parents, as teachers, as passerby in the aisles at Wal-Mart. Anyplace a child might be stranded without a digital device, “I’m bored” is destined to be uttered. At least 17 times.

Here’s an idea adapted from The Simple Mom that is definitely worth sharing–and implementing. It could easily be used both at home and in the classroom.

The “Boredom Busters” Jar

1. First, have your children sit down and make a list of everything they could do completely on their own.

2. Then, gather input from other moms and teachers, to add ideas to the list.

3. Transfer your now-long list of activities onto individual strips of paper. You can type them…or have children hand-write and decorate them (in and of itself a boredom busting activity!).

4. Then, whenever you hear the dreaded phrase, pass the jar. Children pull out two or three strips and decide which one they want to do. Voila! Boredom=busted!

200+ Boredom Busting Activities

Here’s The Simple Mom’s ingenious list of over 200+ activites, to give you (and your kids) some ideas. (She says that the chores on the list were suggested by her kids themselves, by the way. Can I please trade children with her?)

• ride bikes
• roller blade
• basketball
• play board games
• make a tent out of blankets
• squirt with hoses
• run through the sprinkler
• jump rope
• read books
• blow bubbles
• make homemade play dough
• play with play dough
• press flowers
• do crafts with pressed flowers
• write a letter to a relative, friend or pen pal
• clean bedroom
• vacuum living room
• clean bathroom
• make a craft
• draw
• color
• paint
• pull weeds
• watch a movie
• write stories
• use binoculars
• use magnifying glass
• use microscope
• bird watching
• write a play
• act out a play
• invent circus acts
• perform a circus
• play card games
• make art on the front walkway with sidewalk chalk
• play catch
• play baseball
• collect rocks
• collect leaves
• collect feathers
• play Frisbee
• make Frisbee’s out of old plastic lids, decorate with markers
• dust the house
• brush the pet
• write letters
• read a magazine
• play dress-up
• play Cowboys
• pick vegetables
• play outside with the pet
• build a fort in your rooms
• build a fort in the backyard
• do a jigsaw puzzle
• play on the Geosafari
• play on the computer
• listen to a story or book on tape
• do extra schoolwork to get ahead
• do brain teasers (ie: crosswords, word searches, hidden pictures, mazes, etc.)
• cook
• prepare lunch
• surprise a neighbor with a good deed
• play store
• prepare a “restaurant” lunch with menus
• hold a tea party
• have a Teddy bear picnic
• play with toy cars
• play dolls
• play house
• chase butterflies
• collect caterpillars and bugs
• plant a garden or a pot
• collect seeds
• hunt for four-leaf clovers
• learn magic tricks
• put on a magic show
• plant a container garden
• sprout seeds or beans
• make sock puppets
• put on a puppet show
• make Christmas presents
• make homemade wrapping paper
• make homemade gift cards
• make picture frames from twigs glued onto sturdy cardboard
• crochet or knit
• make doll clothes
• sew buttons in designs on old shirts
• run relay races
• make bookmarks
• take a quiet rest time
• take a shower or bath
• bathe a pet
• feed the birds or squirrels
• watch the clouds
• organize a dresser drawer
• clean under the bed
• empty dishwasher
• vacuum under the couch cushions and keep any change found
• write these ideas on pieces of paper and pick out one or two to do
• whittle
• whittle bars of soap
• practice musical instruments
• perform a family concert
• teach yourself to play musical instrument (recorder, harmonica, guitar)
• fold laundry
• sweep kitchen or bathroom floors
• sweep front walkway
• sweep or spray back patio
• sweep or spray driveway
• wash car
• vacuum car
• vacuum or dust window blinds
• clean bathroom mirrors
• clean sliding glass doors
• clean inside of car windows
• wash bicycles
• clean garage
• play in the sandbox
• build a sandcastle
• work with clay
• copy your favorite book illustration
• design your own game
• build with blocks or Legos
• create a design box (copper wire, string, odds-and-ends of things destined for the garbage, pom-poms, thread, yarn, etc.)
• plan a neighborhood or family Olympics
• have a marble tournament
• paint a picture with lemon juice on white paper and hang it in a sunny window and see what happens in a few days
• finger paint with pudding
• make dessert
• make dinner
• give your pet a party
• paint the sidewalk with water
• start a journal of summer fun
• start a nature diary
• have a read-a-thon with a friend or sibling
• have a neighborhood bike wash
• play flashlight tag
• play Kick the Can
• check out a science book and try some experiments
• make up a story
• arrange photo albums
• find bugs and start a collection
• do some stargazing
• decorate bikes or wagons and have a neighborhood parade
• catch butterflies and then let them go
• play hide-and-seek
• create a symphony with bottles and pans and rubber bands
• listen to the birds sing
• try to imitate bird calls
• read a story to a younger child
• find shapes in the clouds
• string dry noodles or O-shaped cereals into a necklace
• glue noodles into a design on paper
• play hopscotch
• play jacks
• make up a song
• make a teepee out of blankets
• write in your journal
• find an ant colony and spill some food and watch what happens
• play charades
• make up a story by drawing pictures
• draw a cartoon strip
• make a map of your bedroom, house or neighborhood
• call a friend
• cut pictures from old magazines and write a story
• make a collage using pictures cut from old magazines
• do a secret service for a neighbor
• plan a treasure hunt
• make a treasure map
• make up a “Bored List” of things to do
• plan a special activity for your family
• search your house for items made in other countries and then learn about those countries from the encyclopedia or online
• plan an imaginary trip to the moon
• plan an imaginary trip around the world, where would you want to go
• write a science-fiction story
• find a new pen pal
• make up a play using old clothes as costumes
• make up a game for practicing math facts
• have a Spelling Bee
• make up a game for practicing spelling
• surprise an elderly neighbor or relative by weeding his/her garden
• fingerpaint with shaving cream
• collect sticks and mud and build a bird’s nest
• write newspaper articles for a pretend newspaper
• put together a family newsletter
• write reviews of movies or plays or TV shows or concerts you see during the summer
• bake a cake
• bake a batch of cookies
• decorate a shoe box to hold your summer treasures
• make a hideout or clubhouse
• make paper airplanes
• have paper airplane races
• learn origami
• make an obstacle course in your backyard
• make friendship bracelets for your friends
• make a wind chime out of things headed for the garbage
• paint your face
• braid hair
• play tag
• make a sundial
• make food sculptures (from pretzels, gumdrops, string licorice, raisins, cream cheese, peanuts, peanut butter, etc.) and then eat it
• make a terrarium
• start a club
• take a nap outside on your lawn
• produce a talent show
• memorize a poem
• recite a memorized poem for your family

Elizabeth D. Cossick, M. Ed. has a bachelors in education from The University of Georgia and a masters in curriculum and instruction from Lesley University, Cambridge. In addition to being the editor of A Learning Experience, she publishes Little Black Dress | Little Red Wagon Magazine. She resides in Atlanta with her husband, two young children, and a frisky Westie named Munson.

Centers… Revised!

by Kelli Lewis, M. Ed.

Whether you’re a parent looking for some fun summer learning activities to keep your children’s skills sharp, or an early elementary teacher who wants to breathe new life into your centers next year, this article is for you!

Rhyming Picture Pairs

Create picture cards for your students to match with words that rhyme. For example, print two cards: one with a picture of a house and the word house printed on it, and another with a picture of a mouse and the word mouse printed on it. Make about 10 sets of word-pair cards, and then scramble them in a box or bag for your students to sort through and pair up.

Here are some rhyming word pairs to get you started: (1) mouse, house (2) bear, chair (3) fan, man (4) moon, spoon (5) horn, corn (6) pie, fly (7) box, fox (8) crown, clown (9) snake, cake (10) car, jar (11) hat, cat (12) hose, nose (13) duck, truck (14) bed, sled (15) ant, plant (16) key, tree (17) soap, rope (18) farm, arm (19) zero, hero (20) check, wreck.

Build-A-Sentence

Purchase or create word magnets for your students to group into sentences. Don’t forget punctuation! Students can use pie pans, dry erase boards, or even the front of metal teachers’ desks to place their sentences on. When a student creates a sentence, have them record their sentence by writing it down in a Magnet Journal (a binder filled with lined paper that stays in the center with the magnet words).

For a set of 200 sight word magnets, click here.

Poetry Pages

Familiar students with the great poets and poetic language while allowing them to practice their writing skills. Make a binder of poems (one poem per page), and then have students select a poem of their choice to copy onto paper, illustrate, mount on construction paper and display in the classroom (or on the fridge, if you’re doing this at home).

For an online resource of childhood poems, click here.

Now I Know My…

Create ABC cards (one letter per card) and allow students to put their ABC’s in order. You can also create picture cards that go along with each letter. Then, allow students to place the picture cards on the letter that shows their beginning letter. For an extra challenge, they can also group the cards by their ending letter.

ABC Bag

Fill a paper lunch back with random things (a paper clip, yo-yo, a small toy car, small toy animals, etc.). Allow students to choose an item from the bag and draw it on their paper. Students should then write sentences about the object. Encourage them to describe their objects using as many adjectives as possible: How would you describe this item to someone from Mars who had never seen it before?

Reading

This center is an oldie-but-goodie. What child doesn’t like to sit on a fun pillow or comfy couch and look at books? Set out comfy chairs, stuffed animals, pillows, and of course, books on book shelves or in baskets. This will be the perfect place for students to build positive associations with reading!

Computer

You may already use the computer in your center rotation, but have you visited www.starfall.com, yet? It covers early reading skills/phonics and is great for ages 3 through first grade. It’s the perfect way to make learning to read fun and techy.

For more computer programs that balance educational goals with entertainment, click here (for math activities) and here (for reading CDs).

Whether you use these ideas at the kitchen table or in the classroom, hopefully they’ll make learning fun for your little ones!

Kelli Lewis, M. Ed. recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a Masters in Education and will begin teaching in a third-grade classroom this fall. Congratulations, Kelli! And thanks for sharing all of your great ideas on A Learning Experience.

Okay, so you just have to know about this event: This Saturday, January 29, is the biggest sale at The School Box all year. Did you hear that? ALL YEAR, ladies and gents. I am more than a little excited.

But, wait, don’t tune out if you’re not a teacher. The School Box is also the PERFECT place to get craft supplies, kiddie room decor and furniture, the best book titles for all ages, tutoring & extra practice materials for home…and (my personal fave) birthday and baby shower gifts. Have you seen their awesome toy and game aisles? Quality stuff sans the lead paint (like Melissa & Doug). And now it’ll all be ON SALE!!! “Stock up” is the golden rule for a balanced birthday budget.

The Details:

Date: January 29, 2011

Where: At *every* School Box location. To find one near you, check out www.schoolbox.com.

Discounts: Available for parents, teachers, home-schoolers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, third cousins twice removed…everyone! Draw an apple at checkout, and the apple will determine the discount on your total purchase (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%).

Oh Goody Goody: The first 40 customers will receive special goody bags.  Drawings will also be done for $50 prizes, and one lucky duck will win a $250 Gift Certificate!!!

This is one of the best (and most fun!) sales for quality children’s games, supplies and the like. Just thought you should know about it!

by Elizabeth Cossick, M. Ed.

Whether you’re headed to the beach soon and want to anticipate the fun–or you’ve already come home and want to recreate the experience with your little ones–I’ve got a great book for ya!

It’s called Sand and Water Play, by Sherrie West and Amy Cox. It contains easy, creative activities to do at home with a sand and water table, as well as fun ideas for creative play using household items like birdseed, shaving cream, ice cubes and rock salt. Activities include questions to ask during play, to reinforce the educational benefits of the activities. Recipes for homemade silly putty and bubbles round out the ideas and promise many afternoons of summertime fun–even without a trip to the beach.

To get you inspired, here are some questions to ask while children are playing with sand and water:

• How does the sand feel when it’s dry?
• What happens when we add water to the sand?
• Now how does it feel?
• What can you build out of the sand?
• What tools can you use/find to move the sand around?
• What items (rocks, small toys) can you hide in the sand?
• What would happen if you closed your eyes and tried to locate the items in the sand?
• What would happen if we filled a zip-top bag with water?
• How does the bag feel?
• Now, what would happen if we poked a small hole in the bag?
• What if we poked several holes?
• If we fill a bowl with water, what can we get to float in it?
• What will sink?
• Why do you think some things float while other sink?

Want a free copy? Comment on this post, and you could win a $20 School Box gift card. Since School Box carries the book for only $12.95, you could get a copy…and have money for some other fun gizmos and books, too!

This is part 3 in our series on fun Summer Learnin’ ideas! Click here and here for part 1 and part 2.
by Elizabeth Cossick, M. Ed.

Comment on this post to receive a $20 School Box Gift Card!!

Nothing says summer quite like…BUBBLES! So, pull out the kiddie pool and strap on the water wings. It’s time for a wet romp in the backyard, with the highlight being giant homemade bubbles! Below is our favorite bubble recipe, along with three fitting books about bubbles (to make it all educational, of course!).

First, here’s how to make some rockin’ homemade bubble stuff:

Homemade Bubble Stuff

1 cup water
4 Tablespoons dishwashing liquid
2 Tablespoons light karo syrup (or 2 Tablespoons glycerin)

Mix all of the ingredients together. That’s it!

For more bubble recipes, see bubbleblowers.com.

Now, it’s time to find a bubble wand. Be creative with household items! A few to try:

cookie cutters
funnels
fly swatters
a metal coat hanger bent into a circle (watch for sharp ends)
a silicone steaming basket
mason jar lid rings
a funnel
a potato ricer
the plastic rings that come around a 6-pack of soda

And, here are some of our favorite books about bubbles, to drive home those great text-to-life connections:

Pop! A Book About Bubbles. Available here at amazon.com.
Bubble Trouble. Available here at amazon.com.
Benny’s Big Bubble. Available here at amazon.com.
There you have it: everything you need for a fun-filled day of summer fun, with just enough learning thrown in to make you happy (and solidify your title as World’s Greatest Mom).

This is Part 2 in our series on engaging (and easy!) Summer Learnin’ ideas. To read Part 1 (Fractions in the Kitchen), click here.

Comment on this post and you could win a School Box gift card! Two comments win each week.

by Elizabeth D. Cossick, M. Ed.

It’s hot. The kids are bored. And you’re at your wits’ end. You need a fun activity to pass the afternoon, and you’d prefer one that’s educational…and FREE, right? Well, we’ve got a ringer for ya. Take your kids on a library scavenger hunt! Here’s how it works:

1. Print this list (click here for a printable version) of books and items to find at the library.
2. Head to the library and help your kids scour the shelves for all of the items on the list.
3. When they’re done, they can check out the titles that interest them.
4. If they successfully find all of the items on the list, reward them by letting them check out a DVD, too. Now you have free entertainment for tonight after dinner!
5. Leave the library, feeling proud of yourself for providing a summer learning opportunity…in air conditioning…for no cash. You go, Super Mom.

Do you like this idea? Do you have your own good ideas for summer activities? If so, e-mail them to editor@schoolbox.com. If we publish them on A Learning Experience, you receive a $35 School Box gift card!

Comment on this post to receive a $20 School Box Gift Card!!!

by Elizabeth Cossick, M. Ed.

So, the kids are out of school. NOW what do you DO with them??

How about brushing up their math skills while having a blast in the kitchen? Cooking is one of the best ways to reinforce abstract math skills like fractions, greater than/less than, counting and measuring. So, go preheat the oven and grab the kiddos. It’s time to make something tasty while doing some summer learnin’.

The first step is to involve your kids in selecting a recipe that they’re motivated to make. Let them have a choice. (Choice is the best motivator! That…and chocolate. :) Below are some great online resources for children’s recipes…followed by a great recipe for blueberry muffins, just to get your creative juices flowing.

1. Kidshealth.org ~ Includes a recipe index for kids, including children with special dietary needs. There’s even an auditory component, so pre-readers can listen to the recipe read aloud as they cook.
2. Disney Family Fun ~ This site lists scores of kid-friendly recipes, all with photographs!
3. Childrensrecipes.com ~ Cute site with some really yummy recipes, including some made for the good ol’ Easy Bake oven!

Berry Tasty Muffins

Recipe adapted from Kidshealth.org

Prep time: about 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 c. flour
• 1 c. oatmeal
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 c. blueberries, washed
• 1 egg
• 1 c. milk
• ¼ c. vegetable oil
• nonstick cooking spray

Utensils:

• oven (you’ll need help from your adult assistant)
• mixing spoon
• 2 large bowls
• fork
• muffin/cupcake tin
• paper muffin/cupcake liners
• wire rack for cooling muffins
• measuring cups and spoons

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C).

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oatmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

3. Mix in blueberries.

4. In another bowl, break the egg and use a fork to beat it just a little bit. Then add the milk and vegetable oil, and mix.

5. Add egg mixture to the dry ingredients in the large bowl.

6. Using a mixing spoon, mix about 25 or 30 times. Don’t mix too much! Your muffin mixture should be lumpy, not smooth.

7. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly spray with nonstick spray. Spoon in the muffin mix. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 of the way up.

8. Bake for about 20 minutes.

9. When muffins are finished baking, remove from muffin tin and cool them on a wire rack.

10. Enjoy your berry tasty muffins!

Serves: 12

Serving size: 1 muffin

Nutritional analysis (per serving):
136 calories, 3 g protein, 6 g fat, 19 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 18 mg cholesterol, 344 mg sodium, 86 mg calcium, 0.9 mg iron
Note: Nutritional analysis may vary depending on ingredient brands used.

This is part one in a multi-part series on Summer Learnin’ projects to do with the kids at home!