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Sunday, August 5, 2012

Storytime Snacks: Yummy Moons and Stars

Sometimes snacks for a storytime theme can be found in unusual places ~ when you aren't even looking! ;o)


Awhile back, I found some cute fruit-shaped marshmallows (jumbo size!) at Wal Mart


Aren't they fun?
I thought my storytime friends would get a kick out of their fruit shapes and bright colors so I picked them up. I was thinking I could use them for a garden theme or a food theme. I never even thought about using them for an outerspace theme. But that is just what I did!


This past week, I used the yellow and orange marshmallows from this package to represent crescent moons in our Adventures with Ernie storytime series based on the book:

I Don't Want to Live on the Moon
written by Jeff Moss




After doing a song entitled "Moon Play" during our Family Storytime, I wanted to reinforce the name and shape for the Crescent moon phase. In the song, the children are instructed how to make 4 different moon phases with their hands and "float them in the sky". For the crescent moon phase, they are instructed to cup one hand like a "C".




 Well ~ guess what! The banana and orange shaped marshmallows were perfect for reinforcing the shape of a Crescent moon!




I didn't have enough marshmallows for all of my space adventures storytimes  so I came up with another snack that is also yummy and fun while helping to reinforce a different moon phase.

In a small plastic cup, I combined a little star-shaped cereal (Dora the Explorer cereal)


with a donut hole covered in powdered sugar.



While both of these snacks are good for reminding the little ones about the different phases of the moon, they are a little heavy on sugar. :o{ 

If you are looking for a more nutritious way to learn about the moon during snacktime, you can always try cheese and crackers. (Picture coming soon.) 

It is very simple to cut out different shapes from your cheese and serve them on round crackers. I recently bought star-shaped cookie cutters and have used them several times already ~ and I haven't even made cookies with them yet! ;o)

No need no round cookie cutters ~ at least not at my house. I just use a trick I learned from my Mom. She always looked around her kitchen for a glass to cut out round cookies or biscuits. This trick worked for her and is now working for me ~ I always seem to find the perfect size glass for what I need!

Well, there you go! I have shared a few ideas for simple, yet yummy snacks for any space adventure. I hope you get a chance to try one or two with your child/ren as you explore the moon and stars and beyond...

And, as always,


HAPPY READING TOGETHER!

2 comments:

  1. How fun!! Jet Puffed does fun seasonal ones, too. I've seen bunnies in the spring, hearts in February, and I know they had red and green Christmas shapes. I'm wondering if they do Halloween, too?!

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    Replies
    1. Lori, they do have Halloween shapes, too! I have used them the past few years as giveaways at our library trick or treat events. They come in regular packages and also in individually packaged bags. I believe the shapes are ghost, bats, moons, and maybe cats.

      I also saw star-shaped marshmallows around July 4th but I didn't think to pick them up since I wasn't doing a patriotic theme this year. The stars were in the small size and also in the jumbo size.

      My storytime friends love getting marshmallows as treats at the end of storytimes so I always keep an eye out for new, fun shapes! They are good for sorting games, too!

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