The Museum Blog
Category: Parenting
Everyone Counts!
By Paula Rais, CMNH VP of Development and Community Engagement
Once every 10 years, the US Constitution mandates that every person in the United States is counted. Census data guide how more than $675 billion of federal funding is distributed to states and communities for schools and education, healthcare and services for families, children and older adults. The results of the census also inform funding decisions for programs like Head Start, SNAP, and Medicaid. Young children are often undercounted, which can affect important programs in your community.
Make sure you and your family get counted! Find out how here >>
The Census Bureau is required by law to protect your information; so all your answers are confidential and private.
FoodWorks - Fall Harvest Snacks Featuring Apples
by Colie Haahr, CMNH Educator
September is a great time of year to make the most of the summer harvest, and to start enjoying classic fall flavors. For the September Food Works recipes, we tried two different kid-friendly apple recipes. The Food Works program is a partnership between Hannaford Supermarkets and the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire that allows us to share healthy, family friendly recipes!
Today we are sharing two recipes for Fall treats: Apple “Donuts” and Healthy Caramel Yogurt Dip. Both recipes are easy to make, and are perfect for making the most of healthy and tasty fall apples! The caramel yogurt dips tastes so much like real caramel, and it’s made from yogurt with less sugar and fat than a typical caramel dip. The apple donuts allow kids to choose their own toppings for apples, and can add a few other food groups and some protein to a healthy after school snack.
Both of these recipes allow kids to take part in creating them, but it is helpful if a grownup does most of the prep work, especially cutting up the apples. For the Apple “Donuts” you will need apples, yogurt or nut butter, and various toppings such as fruit, nuts, and granola. For the Caramel Yogurt Dip you will need yogurt, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt and vanilla extract.
APPLE “DONUTS*
**note, these are NOT donuts, and you can always opt to call them something else if this will cause confusion and/or require you to provide real donuts out of thin air! We have also seen these called “apple cookies,” but this could create a similar problem with kids! Apple Frisbees?? You decide on the best name!!
- Core apples, and cut into slices so that the shape is similar to a donut with a hole in the middle
- Prep toppings ahead: blueberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, granola, nuts, and set up for kids to portion out
- Prep yogurt for kids to spread with a spoon or spatula
- Use the yogurt to “frost” the apple donut. You can also use a nut butter of your choice, or both
- Add the toppings to the apple donut, and enjoy! These can be stored in the fridge, but are best eaten fresh
A variety of other ideas for this recipe from the Food Network: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/apple-donuts-3838711
HEALTHY CARAMEL YOGURT DIP
(Makes about 1 cup)
Ingredients:
One container yogurt (We used So Delicious coconut milk yogurt) (170g)
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Put maple syrup, salt and brown sugar in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high in 10-second intervals until brown sugar starts to dissolve (If you do not have a microwave, heat in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves—or you can skip this step and just add the additional ingredients!)
- Stir in vanilla extract and yogurt
- Allow to cool
- This will get thicker if you leave it in the fridge overnight
- Slice apples to dip in the caramel dip and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to four days.
Original Source: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com
First Friends at Home: Our Favorites!
By Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator
This week I shared some tried and true Baby Storytime favorites! I hope you enjoy!!
Hello Song:
Hello it’s time to play
Let’s have some fun today!
Let’s clap our hands
And wiggle our toes
A hug...and a kiss...and away we go!
Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
We’ll have so much fun...hooray!
Open Them/Shut Them (action song)
Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Give a little clap-clap-clap
Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Lay them in your lap-lap-lap
Creep them, creep them, creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin-chin-chin
Open up your little mouth…
But do not let them in!
Sugar Babies (action rhyme)
Roll, roll sugar babies
Roll, roll sugar babies
Push! Pull! Clap-clap-clap!
“ “
Hot! Cold! Clap-clap-clap!
“ “
Up! Down! Clap-clap-clap!
Little Bird (action song/bounce)
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
I saw a little bird go hop-hop-hop
I asked that little bird to stop-stop-stop
I went to the window to say: How do you do?
He wagged his little tail at me and away he flew!
Popcorn (bounce)
Popcorn, Popcorn
Sizzling in the pan
Shake it up, shake it up
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Popcorn, Popcorn
Now it’s getting hot
Shake it up, shake it up
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Colors in the Air (prop song)
Colors, colors
Colors, colors
Floating in the air!
Floating in the air!
Red, Orange, Yellow
Green, Blue, Purple
Floating in the air!
Floating in the air!
Goodbye Rhyme (action rhyme)
This is big, big, big
And this is small, small, small
This is short, short, short
And this is tall, tall, tall!
This is fast, fast, fast
And this is slow, slow, slow
This is yes, yes, yes
And this is no, no, no
This is hi, hi, hi
And this is bye, bye, bye!
First Friends at Home: Farm Animals
By Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator
This week featured songs & rhymes all about farm animals!
Hello Song:
Hello it’s time to play
Let’s have some fun today!
Let’s clap our hands
And wiggle our toes
A hug...and a kiss...and away we go!
Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
We’ll have so much fun...hooray!
Open Them/Shut Them (action song)
Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Give a little clap-clap-clap
Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Lay them in your lap-lap-lap
Creep them, creep them, creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin-chin-chin
Open up your little mouth…
But do not let them in!
This is the way the ladies ride (bounce)
This is the way the ladies ride
Trit-trot, trit-trot
This is the way the gentlemen ride
Jiggity-jog, jiggity-jog
This is the way the farmer rides
Hobbildy-hoy, hobbildy-hoy
And this is the way the hunter rides
Gallopy, gallopy, gallopy, gallopy
Oooooooover the fence!
Five Clean & Dirty Pigs (action song)
Five pigs so squeaky clean
Cleanest you’ve ever seen
Wanted to go outside and play
Oink! Oink!
One jumped into the mud
Landed with a big thud
Then there were four squeaky clean pigs…
Four pigs…
Three pigs…
Two pigs…
One pig…
To Market, To Market (Bounce)
To market, to market to buy a fat pig
Home again, home again
Jiggity-Jig!
Buy a fat hog/ Jjiggity-Jog
Buy a fat cat/ Jiggity-Jat
Buy a fat sheep/ Jiggity-Jeep
Buy a fat hen/ Jiggity-Jen
Popcorn (prop song)
Popcorn, popcorn (Wave your scarf!)
Popcorn, popcorn
In the pot, in the pot (Hide your scarf in your hands)
Shake them, shake them, shake them (shake shake shake!)
Shake them, shake them, shake then
‘Til they pop! ‘Til they pop! (Throw scarf in the air!)
Scarf Peekaboo (prop song)
We wave our scarves together
We wave our scarves together
We wave our scarves together
Because it’s lots of fun!
We wave them up high!
We wave them down low
We wave them over you...peekaboo!
Because it’s lots of fun
We throw our scarves together
We throw our scarves together
We throw our scarves together
Because it’s lots of fun!
We throw them up high!
We throw them down low
We throw them over you...peekaboo!
Because it’s lots of fun!
Goodbye Rhyme (action rhyme)
This is big, big, big
And this is small, small, small
This is short, short, short
And this is tall, tall, tall!
This is fast, fast, fast
And this is slow, slow, slow
This is yes, yes, yes
And this is no, no, no
This is hi, hi, hi
And this is bye, bye, bye!
First Friends: BIG and small
By Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator
Hello Song:
Hello it’s time to play
Let’s have some fun today!
Let’s clap our hands
And wiggle our toes
A hug...and a kiss...and away we go!
Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
We’ll have so much fun...hooray!
Open Them/Shut Them (action song)
Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Give a little clap-clap-clap
Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Lay them in your lap-lap-lap
Creep them, creep them, creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin-chin-chin
Open up your little mouth…
But do not let them in!
Five Little Kittens (action rhyme)
Five little kittens standing in a row,
They nod their heads to the children so!
They run to the left,
They run to the right
They stand and stretch in the bright sunlight!
Along comes a dog who’s looking or some fun…
ME-OW! See those little kittens run!
Sugar Babies (action rhyme)
Roll, roll sugar babies
Roll, roll sugar babies
Push! Pull! Clap-clap-clap!
“ “
BIG! Little! Clap-clap-clap!
“ “
Up! Down! Clap-clap-clap!
The Royal Duke of York (bounce/movement rhyme)
The royal duke of york,
He had 10,000 men,
He marched them up the mountainside
And marched them down again!
Oh, when you’re up you’re up
And when you’re down you’re down
And when you’re only halfway up…
You’re neither up nor down!
Hurry, Scurry, Little Mouse (action rhyme/tickle)
Hurry, scurry, little mouse
Starts down at your toes…
Hurry, scurry, little mouse
Past your knees he goes...
Hurry, scurry, little mouse
Past where your tummy is…
Hurry, scurry, little mouse…
Gives you a mousey kiss!
Shake your shaker! (prop song)
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker...one time! ONE!
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker...two times! ONE! TWO!
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker...three times! ONE! TWO! THREE!
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker...four times! ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker...five times! ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE!
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it, shake your shaker!!!
Goodbye Rhyme (action rhyme)
This is big, big, big
And this is small, small, small
This is short, short, short
And this is tall, tall, tall!
This is fast, fast, fast
And this is slow, slow, slow
This is yes, yes, yes
And this is no, no, no
This is hi, hi, hi
And this is bye, bye, bye!
First Friends: Things that GO!
by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator
Things That GO! Fast and Slow
This week in Baby Storytime we talked about things that GO! And moving fast and slow!
Some of the songs/rhymes this week were repeats from previous videos - but repetition is so important for this age group. When little ones hear the same songs or rhymes over and over again, it becomes extra fun for them because they start to anticipate what comes next and sing/play along. It also helps them with language acquisition and memory skills.
Hello Song:
Hello it’s time to play
Let’s have some fun today!
Let’s clap our hands
And wiggle our toes
A hug...and a kiss...and away we go!
Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
We’ll have so much fun...hooray!
Open Them/Shut Them (action song)
Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Give a little clap-clap-clap
Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Lay them in your lap-lap-lap
Creep them, creep them, creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin-chin-chin
Open up your little mouth…
But do not let them in!
Sugar Babies (action rhyme)
Roll, roll sugar babies
Roll, roll sugar babies
Push! Pull! Clap-clap-clap!
“ “
Fast! Slow! Clap-clap-clap!
“ “
Up! Down! Clap-clap-clap!
My Little Red Wagon (bounce)
Bouncing up and down in my little red wagon
Bouncing up and down in my little red wagon
Bouncing up and down in my little red wagon
Won’t you be my darling?
Bouncing side to side in my little red wagon
Bouncing side to side in my little red wagon
Bouncing side to side in my little red wagon
Won’t you be my darling?
Bouncing way up high in my little red wagon
Bouncing way up high in my little red wagon
Bouncing way up high in my little red wagon
Won’t you be my darling?
Slowly, Slowly (action rhyme/tickle)
Slowly, slowly, very slowly
Creeps the garden snail
Slowly, slowly, very slowly
Up the wooden rail
Quickly, quickly, very quickly
Runs the little mouse!
Quickly, quickly, very quickly
All around the house!
This is the way the ladies ride (bounce)
This is the way the ladies ride
Trit-trot, trit-trot
This is the way the gentlemen ride
Jiggity-jog, jiggity-jog
This is the way the farmer rides
Hobbildy-hoy, hobbildy-hoy
And this is the way the hunter rides
Gallopy, gallopy, gallopy, gallopy
Oooooooover the fence!
Scarf Peekaboo (prop song)
We wave our scarves together
We wave our scarves together
We wave our scarves together
Because it’s lots of fun!
We wave them up high!
We wave them down low
We wave them over you...peekaboo!
Because it’s lots of fun
We throw our scarves together
We throw our scarves together
We throw our scarves together
Because it’s lots of fun!
We throw them up high!
We throw them down low
We throw them over you...peekaboo!
Because it’s lots of fun!
Goodbye Rhyme (action rhyme)
This is big, big, big
And this is small, small, small
This is short, short, short
And this is tall, tall, tall!
This is fast, fast, fast
And this is slow, slow, slow
This is yes, yes, yes
And this is no, no, no
This is hi, hi, hi
And this is bye, bye, bye!
First Friends: Spring & Bunnies!
by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator
This week I shared songs and rhymes about springtime and bunnies!
Hello Song:
Hello it’s time to play
Let’s have some fun today!
Let’s clap our hands
And wiggle our toes
A hug...and a kiss...and away we go!
Hello (insert name here) it’s time to play
We’ll have so much fun...hooray!
Open Them/Shut Them (action song)
Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Give a little clap-clap-clap
Open them, shut them
Open them, shut them
Lay them in your lap-lap-lap
Creep them, creep them, creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin-chin-chin
Open up your little mouth…
But do not let them in!
Hurry, Scurry, Little Bunny (action rhyme/tickle)
Hurry, scurry, little bunny
Starts down at your toes…
Hurry, scurry, little bunny
Past your knees he goes...
Hurry, scurry, little bunny
Past where your tummy is…
Hurry, scurry, little bunny…
Gives you a bunny kiss!
Splash! Fall the raindrops (action rhyme)
Splash fall the raindrops (clap hands together softly)
To the ground they go (tap on the floor)
We need raindrops (wiggle fingers down from the “sky”)
To help the flowers grow! (stretch up high!)
I bounce you here! (bounce)
I bounce you here,
I bounce you there,
I bounce you, bounce you everywhere!
I hug you here,
I hug you there,
I hug you, hug you everywhere!
I tickle you here,
I tickle you there,
I tickle you, tickle you everywhere!
Little Bunny, Little Bunny (action song)
Little bunny, little bunny, turn around
Little bunny, little bunny, touch the ground!
Little bunny, little bunny, reach up high
Little bunny, little bunny, touch the sky!
Little bunny, little bunny, show your shoe
Little bunny, little bunny, I love you!
Little bunny, little bunny, slap your knees
Little bunny, little bunny, sit down please!
Everyone can shake! (prop song)
Everyone can shake shake shake
Everyone can shake shake shake
Everyone can shake shake shake
And now it’s time to stop!
Everyone can tap tap tap
Everyone can tap tap tap
Everyone can tap tap tap
And now it’s time to stop!
Everyone can clap clap clap
Everyone can clap clap clap
Everyone can clap clap clap
And now it’s time to stop!
Everyone can wave, wave, wave
Everyone can wave, wave, wave
Everyone can wave, wave, wave
And now it’s time to stop!
Put a shaker in your hand! (prop song)
C’mon everybody put a shaker in your hand,
A shaker in your hand, a shaker in your hand!
C’mon everybody put a shaker in your hand,
Let’s see how we shake, shake, shake!
C’mon everybody shake your shaker way up high
C’mon everybody shake your shaker way up high,
C’mon everybody shake your shaker way down loooowwwww
Let’s see how we shake, shake, shake!
Shaker...fast/slow
Shaker...loud/soft
Goodbye Rhyme (action rhyme)
This is big, big, big
And this is small, small, small
This is short, short, short
And this is tall, tall, tall!
This is fast, fast, fast
And this is slow, slow, slow
This is yes, yes, yes
And this is no, no, no
This is hi, hi, hi
And this is bye, bye, bye!
Tinker Time at Home
by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator
Sorting: Exploring playing cards
- Find a deck of playing cards and spread them out
- Raid your recycling bin and find 2-4 containers (depending on child’s age, see below) and cut slits in the top so the cards can be dropped inside.
- I used large clear plastic baby spinach/mixed greens containers for this.
- Some children will just have fun putting the cards into the slots - and that’s okay!
- Younger children can sort them by color (2 containers)
- Older children could sort them by their suit! (4 containers)
- Invite your child to sort the cards!
Art: Evaporation Science Art
- Find a plastic container and a paintbrush
- The paintbrush should be one you don’t mind getting a bit dirty!
- Fill the plastic container with water and go outside!
- Paint designs on your driveway/sidewalk using the water
- Watch and see how long it takes the drawings to evaporate
- This activity is best done on a sunny day :)
Sensory: Floating splashy transfer
- Put out two mixing bowls
- Fill both with water
- Put items that float in one bowl
- I used marker caps
- Invite your child to use a spoon or scoop to move all of the items from one bowl to the other!
- You could put items that sink and float in the bowl and chat about how moving them is different if they sink or float.
Building: Recycling Bin Wonders
- Raid your recycling bin and find a variety of items
- Use them to build!
- Give your child prompts like “Make a bridge!” “Make a house!” “Design a rocketship!” and challenge them to just use the items from the recycling bin
- It’s fun to add little toys or other manipulatives to this challenge