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Incredible Edible Crafts
by Mary Ann Ross and Kimberly Lainson
Give a kid play dough, and he just might sample its taste. Better yet, let
him help you make homemade play dough -- that's designed for molding an
eating. Mother-daughter team Mary Ann Ross and Kimberly Lainson provide
plenty of play dough and other edible recipes sure to delight your child.
Chocolate Play Dough
Ingredients:
8 oz. semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup plus one tablespoon light
corn syrup
Directions:
Melt the chocolate in a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water (a
double boiler). Stir the chocolate with a spoon until smooth, then stir in
the corn syrup. The chocolate will stiffen almost immediately, but stir
until completely combined. Transfer the chocolate to a sturdy plastic bag
and refrigerate until firm; the consistency will be that of Play Dough.
When firm, the dough can be worked by kneading. If it is too hard, cut off
small pieces and knead until pliable. If the dough sticks to the counter
when rolling, lightly spray counter or breadboard with vegetable spray or
lightly grease with vegetable oil.
- Hand shape the dough into a rope or braid, making two or three long ropes
and twist or braid them together -- can be used as the outside edge on top
of a cake or around the base.
- Make ribbons to cover the cake. To do this, pat your dough into a disk
shape and roll dough out to desired thickness using a rolling pin or else
use a manual pasta machine.
- Flowers, too!
Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container and refrigerate
Kool-Aid Play Dough
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
3 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 package Kool-Aid Mix (any flavor of unsweetened)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients together in a large saucepan. Slowly add water mixed
with oil and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens to dough. Turn out
onto a heatproof bread board or counter top and knead until cool enough for
children to handle. Dough will be the color of the Kool-Aid mix and will
smell like the Kool-Aid mix. (Can be stored in a tightly covered container
for up to six months)
Chocolate Clay
Ingredients:
10 ounces chocolate
almond bard or candy discs
1/3 cup corn syrup
Directions:
Slowly melt candy and stir until smooth. Add syrup and blend thoroughly.
Pour onto waxed paper and spread with fingers until about 1/2 inch thick.
Cover loosely with waxed paper and allow it to stiffen (couple of hours).
Then play and eat.
To make flower petals, roll out little balls and flatten them, then pinch
the petals together and these make wonderful "I Love You" gifts, even if it
isn't Valentine's Day. Compliments of Kim Swanger
Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container and refrigerate
Fruit Loop Necklaces
(a simple tool for reinforcing "patterning")
Give the children a piece of elastic cording approximately 18-inches long
and a bowl of dry fruit loops. Help them sort the fruit loops into colors
and decide on a pattern to string on the elastic cording (example: red,
yellow, red, green, red, yellow, red, green, etc.)
Pizza Heads
(helps children to identify parts of a face and recognize that no two
"people" are exactly the same and everyone is special)
Ingredients:
Refrigerator biscuits (larger ones work best)
Pizza Sauce
Cheese
Pepperoni, sausage, olives or whatever foods you can think of
Directions:
Flatten biscuit for each child and help them put sauce on it. Then let them
use their own imaginations for designing their person's face (example:
pepperoni eyes, olive nose, pineapple mouth or teeth, cheese hair, sausage
ears, etc.)
Finger paint Pudding
Jell-O Finger-paint (allows the children to taste, smell, see and touch the
colors)
Just mix instant pudding and place approximately one-quarter cup on a
styrofoam meat tray for each child. Let them have fun drawing and licking as
they go! In a small bowl, mix dry gelatin with hot water 1 teaspoon at a
time until a paste is formed. This will be grainy. By adding more or less
water, you can make it the consistency you want it to be.
Fall Trees
(imagination is the key!)
Prepare ahead of time two or three pans of Jell-O in thin layers using fall
colors (cherry, lime, lemon, etc.). Buy pretzel sticks and place one large
one for the tree trunk on a paper plate for each child. Let them use small
leaf cookie cutters to cut out the "leaves" of their trees from the Jell-O.
Pretzel Initials
(some children learn easier by touch and this project just helps to
reinforce the shapes of the initial or letters of their name)
Ingredients:
1 envelope dry yeast
1-1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
Glaze: 1 beaten egg and a little salt
Directions:
Soften the yeast in water, add remaining ingredients and knead until
pliable. Give each child a ball of dough and let them roll it out "like a
snake" and help them form the letter (or letters) of their first initial,
name, etc. Place formed dough on a greased baking sheet, brush with glaze
and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Bread Dough Recipe
Ingredients:
1 tablespoons quick-acting yeast
1 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon oil
Directions:
Preheat over to 400 degrees. Measure the water, sugar and yeast into a bowl
and mix. Wait two or three minutes for the yeast to soften. Stir in one cup
of flour, then add oil, salt and remaining cup of flour. Sprinkle flour onto
a wooden breadboard and place the dough on it. Knead dough for about five
minutes.
Place dough in a bowl and cover it, letting it rise for about 45
minutes in a warm place away from drafts, open windows, etc. Punch the dough
down and work it into a ball. Next, separate the dough into smaller portions
and let the children use their hands to roll the dough into ropes or snakes
to mold dough into different shapes.
Ghost Snack (for a healthier snack use raisins instead of M&M's)
Marshmallow Building Blocks (inexpensive afternoon snack)
Grilled Cheese People (children can use their imaginations while helping you
prepare their lunch!)
Spread softened cream cheese on slices of white bread. Give each child one
slice of the bread and a ghost cookie cutter. After they have cut it out let
them use various things to decorate it. (Change the cookie cutter pattern to
fit any holiday throughout the year) Show your child how to stick toothpicks
into the marshmallows and then allow them to build anything their
imaginations allow, including perhaps a contest to see who can build the
tallest tower.
Ahead of time, use a round cookie cutter to cut out circles
from slices of bread. Let the children top the circles with cheese.
To make each cheesy person, use two circles (one for the head and one for
the body). Place them on a cookie sheet, add bacon bits eyes, noses and
buttons. Broil until the cheese melts and give one cheesy person to each
child. Let them then add the arms and legs (carrot and celery sticks) and
the bread left over from cutting out the circles can now be used as shoes,
gloves, hats, neckties, bows, etc.
Tasty Paint
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Several drops of food coloring
Give the children paintbrushes and paper or just let them use their fingers.
The paint will be a pastel color and when it dries, it will be kind of
glossy.
Enjoy these fun projects with your children by letting your imagination be
your guide. be an "un-grownup," it's fun!
* For the recipes including peanut butter, be aware that some children are
allergic to peanut butter.
Links, information and more for you
Part 1 of edible arts and crafts!
Cooking Art : Easy Edible Art for Young Children
Science Arts
Directory of ages articles
Directory of all articles
About the author:
Mary Ann Ross and Kimberly Lainson are a mother and daughter that have teamed up as business partners for different reasons. Mom had taken an early retirement and was bored, Kimberly wanted to stay home with her four children. So they did what they knew best: having fun with kids, parties and cake decorating! And now have the PREMIER party and cake informational sites on the web! Please visit them at www.thepartyworks.com and
www.cakeworkscentral.com.
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