Monday, November 10, 2008

Purple Cow Time

A quick, easy and nutritious snack that fits well with a book about farm animals, harvest time, farmers, and Thanksgiving.

Purple Cow Milkshake

1 cup cold milk 1/3 cup cold grape juice
2 – 4 small scoops of vanilla ice cream

Measure and pour milk and grape juice together. Let your child stir and admire the color! Add the ice cream and a straw. Enjoy!!

Conversation - Where do we get milk?
How is ice cream made?
Name some things that are hot, cold.
Why do we keep milk or ice cream cold or frozen?
What does melted ice cream taste like?

The Color Purple

Take a field trip to a Farmer's Market or grocery store to find purple fruits and vegetables. Take pictures with a digital camera and use them to make a book about the color purple. Write the names of fruits and veggies that are purple.

Read the book, Harold and the Purple Crayon. Use a magazine to find things that are purple. Cut them out and paste in a notebook. Label the items with a purple marker.



Let's Sing

The Getting Ready Song (sung to the tune of Mulberry Bush)

First we need to wash our hands, wash our hands, wash our hands.
First we need to wash our hands and make sure we are ready.

Then we have to make our snack, make our snack, make our snack.
Then we have to make our snack and put it all together.

Next we get to eat it up, eat it up, eat it up.
Next we get to eat it up. Yum! Yum! It’s so tasty.

Snack time with your child should be a no stress fun time to enjoy each other and a tasty snack. Keep it simple, easy and flexible.
Your child might request the same snack several times. This is great. Children like repetition. That is one way they gain confidence in themselves. You as a parent are your child’s first teacher. Make learning a fun time. Take time to listen to your child and encourage conversation as you learn.
Use the song above to begin snack time. Then while you eat together talk about what you did. What was first? Next? Etc. Be accepting and try to see what was important to your child. Listen to the answers and guide accordingly. The one right answer is not the only answer. Your child’s perception might be different.
When asked, “What was first?” The answer might be, “I got the peanut butter.” Not “I washed my hands.” Start where your child is. Develop a good attitude toward learning while you build confidence.