Our Time - Milk and Cookies Finale!

Please don't forget to bring some Kitchen Utensils with you (for both of you) for the last lesson of the semester. I'm thinking plastic mixing bowls, ball whisks, wooden spoons, pots and pans and cake tins and anything else you don't mind being explored and tapped/rapped/scraped/hit... with a steady beat of course :-)

It's been such an enjoyable course exploring, talking and singing about household contents and commotions.

I can assure you our next course starting after the half term break is just as much fun with fantastic music (as usual) and instrument to take home. Fiddle Dee Dee will be Fun-Diddle-Dee-Fun!

VicXX

Our Time Drums

Hopefully you will all have a go at making a drum this week. Drums can be made out of any container. You can add things to the inside of your drum if you want to make it extra special or perhaps you could hang things on the outside.

If you want some extra stimulus here is a link you might find interesting. http://www.expertvillage.com/video/9856_tom-drum-balloons.htm

Also if you haven't made cupcakes yet why not have a go at some this week.

COOKIES

In our last few sessions before christmas, we are encouraging all Our Time families to bake some cookies at home together. If you are brave enough you might also want to bring in your creations to share with us in class.

I am sure many of you will already have a favourite cookie recipie, but if not you might want to try one of those in the Home book. These recipies use cups which are great for young children. Just in case you are wondering what 'sweet butter' is, that's the unsalted variety.

If anyone want a larger selction of recipies to choose from try this website: http://www.popularcookierecipes.com/

and my favourite chef Hugh: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/chocolatechipcookies_82401.shtml

happy baking

Milk and Cookies - Home Activity

This week at home why not make some play dough. Home made play dough is incredibly easy to make and your toddler can even help with the mixing. Allow them to choose a favourite colour and perhaps add glitter to make it extra special.

Remind your child of the rhyme which we are reading in class as you roll out the dough. Find some cookie cutters and cut shapes.

These shapes can be baked in a cool oven if you wish, and if you remember to make a small hole in the top of each one (before you bake) you will find yourself with a set of unique and rather lovely christmas tree decorations.

Play Dough Recipe

2 cups of Plain Flour

1 cup of table salt

1 cup of water

OPTIONAL

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (makes it a little easier to knead)

1 tablespoon of wallpaper paste (gives the mixture more elasticity)

1 tablespoon of lemon juice (makes the finished product harder)

DRYING

Drying can either be done naturally in the open air, or in an oven, no hotter than 100C (200F Gas Mark 1/4). The average time for natural drying is 30-48 hours, or 3-4 hours in an oven. Both sides must be dried out. When your model is dry, turn off the oven and leave it inside to cool down.