subhead: recipe idea

Fruit Kabobs
Cut different kinds of fruit into small pieces, and help your child spear several pieces onto a toothpick or popsicle stick. Name each kind of fruit as you put it on the kabob, and also point out colors.

Strawberry Tarts
1 qt strawberries
Prebaked tart shells
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup heavy cream

Let the children wash and drain the strawberries. Then you slice them lengthwise. Help the children arrange the strawberries in the tart shells. Meanwhile, you boil the honey and water until syrupy. Beat the heavy cream until whipped and thick. Pour the honey and water syrup over the berries. Garnish with whipped cream and serve immediately.

Fingerplays are children's poems and songs that have motions. They help your child learn more words, understand more ideas, and have better control of her hands and fingers. Even a small baby learns from watching and listening to someone do rhymes and songs over and over! Best of all, they are fun!

Five Little Flowers (fingerplay)
Five little flowers standing in the sun (hold up five fingers)
See their heads nodding,bowing one by one (bend fingers one at a time)
Down, down, down comes the gentle rain (raise hands, wiggle fingers, lower arms)
And the five little flowers raise their heads again. (hold up five fingers)

My Little Birdie

My little birdieÕs one day old,
She can do what she is told!
Sleep, little birdie, sleep, sleep, sleep!
Sleep, little birdie, sleep, sleep, sleep!
My little birdieÕs two days old.
She can do what she is told!
Tweet, little birdie, tweet, tweet, tweet!
Tweet, little birdie, tweet, tweet, tweet!I

Jell-o Jigglers

Mix Jell-O according to package directions and pour into a shallow tray. Place tray in refrigerator and let it set. Cut into blocks and place a couple of blocks on your babyÕs tray. SheÕll love watching the Jell-O jiggle and move.

TIPS: Try saying this rhyme while the baby plays with the Jell-O:

Jelly in the bowl,
Jelly in the bowl,
Wibble wobble,
wibble wobble,
Jelly in the bowl.

For your toddler, collect fun-shaped cookie cutters, like animals and trees. After the Jell-O is set, help him cut the shapes into the Jell-O to make a great tasting nature snack. These are perfect for a springtime picnic!

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