Homemade Suckers!

Ways to incorporate a lesson:
Explain why the candies are melting
Identify shapes of cookie cutters

Supplies:

• Jolly ranchers
• Tin foil
• Lollipop sticks

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. (The candy will burn if the oven is any hotter)

Use tin cookie cutters and place them on a tinfoil covered cookie sheet. Fill the cookie cutter with Jolly Ranchers, generally only about three. 

Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, be careful, leaving them in any longer will cause them to turn paper thin. 

Carefully peel away the tin foil from the candy and then press the sticks into the candy.  

Set aside and allow to cool completely.

We found the sticks were a good addition, but were not at all necessary. Sometimes its more fun just to have a big candy shape. You can also poke holes into the candies before cooling, add string, and use them as window decorations. 

Hallmark Holidays

Hallmark holidays are the easiest way to find something to do on rainy day, in a short time, or anything else for that matter. The Hallmark Calender is posted on their website, which ive attached of course. I'll keep you posted on what i do for each one!!

Thanksgiving!

This was one of the easiest things to do with the kids, and they loved it!!

Ways to incorporate a lesson:
Have the kids organize the M&Ms by color
Ask which color is which

Supplies:

• Waffle Cones from grocery store
• M&Ms (We used the Reese's ones)
• Cheerios
• Mini Marshmallows

Dip tip of waffle cone in warm water for about 20 seconds then microwave for 20 seconds. 
Roll the softened end of the cone around a clean pencil then hold in place for 20 seconds. When the ends of the cone dry, stuff with the candies. 
Use suran wrap to cover the candy. 

I also used ribbon around the cone openings and printed wallet size pictures of the kids in a corn field to attach and give to the kids parents and grandparents.

Not only did we have a blast making them, their parents and grandparents loved the simplicity, leaving them wondering how to do it... But that's our secret, right? (:

Opener

The point of babysitting isn't to watch the families TV, or at least that isn't the way to be a good sitter. This blog will give ideas of improving your experiences with the kids. I hope you take away as much as you can from these ideas!