Ring Around The
Pumpkin
Place
three
large
pumpkins with stems in
a line several feet apart.
Gather four hula hoops. To
play, children should take
turns standing behind the
designated tossing line and
try to ring the pumpkins with the hula hoop. The child with the
most rings wins.
Seasonal Snacks
Food is more fun when kids are involved in the preparation
process. Stick with things children like to eat and add a seasonal
twist to it.
Popcorn Pumpkins
Pop 2 quarts of popcorn. Set aside. In a medium saucepan,
combine 1 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of light corn syrup, 1/3 cup of
water, ¼ cup of butter and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil,
stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and cook until the
mixture reaches approximately 270 degrees. Remove from heat
and stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla and orange food coloring. Pour
mixture over popcorn and stir until thoroughly coated. Grease
hands and form popcorn into pumpkin-shaped balls. Break a
few thin twisted pretzels to form an arch and push them into
the top center for the stem. Makes approximately 12 pumpkins.
Itsy-Bitsy Caramel Apples
Cut lollipop sticks in half.
Use a melon baller to scoop little
balls out of medium-sized apples,
making sure each ball has a section
of the apple peel. Push a lollipop
stick into the peel of each apple
ball. Blot apples dry with a paper
towel. Melt a 14-ounce package of
caramel candies with 2 tablespoons
of water. Have children dip and
swirl their apple balls in caramel then roll in crushed Oreo
cookies, nuts, sprinkles, nonpareils or mini-chocolate chips.
Place on waxed paper to cool for 15 minutes.
Pumpkin Pancakes
Mix dry ingredients: 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar,
2 teaspoons baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon
cinnamon. Set aside. Separate two eggs. Mix yolks with ½ cup
of plain pumpkin puree, 1 cup milk, and 2 tablespoons canola
oil. Add dry ingredients. Beat egg whites until fluffy then fold
into the batter. Pour ¼ cup of batter onto a greased griddle; flip
when bubbles form on top. Kids can make jack-o-lantern faces
using raisins, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate chips and whipped
cream.
Denise Morrison Yearian is a former educator and editor of two
parenting magazines, and the mother of three children and four
grandchildren.
October 2018 WNY Family 7