Snacks From Around the World

Click below to read more about snacks and meals from other cultures. Try a few recipes in your own day home.
                                                               Click here:

Snacks From Around the World

GARDEN

Here are some items to collect for a Garden prop box:

                                                 
Gardening gloves
Hats
Knee pads
Small flower pots and trays from garden centre
Seeds and bulbs
Watering cans
Signs to tell what you have planted - tongue depressors
Shredded black paper (for dirt) - or you could use real dirt when outside
Plastic or silk flowers,stems and leaves
Real flowers
Small gardening hand shovels
Magnifying glasses
Lattice or small trellis for plants to climb
Grass mats made of plastic - see Dollar store
Tree cookies (sections cut from a tree)
Pine cones
Rocks, pebbles, glass beads
Empty potting soil bags filled with crumpled newspaper and taped shut
Empty spray bottles
Easter baskets and grass
Plastic vases
Cash register

Happy Provider Appreciation Day!

They Will Remember

I take care of your children.

I love them.

I teach them.

I clean them, and I feed them.

I take care of your children.

I see their first steps.

I hear their first words.

I share their happiness and I feel their hurts.

I take care of your children

As if they are my own.

And when they are grown and no longer need me,

My love will be a part of them,

deep within the heart of them.

They will know that I was there for them

unconditionally.

And they will remember.

-by Eileen Koscho

Open Ended Materials

Open-ended means not having a fixed answer; unrestricted. The children themselves decide what to do, how to do it, and what to use.

These are objects that have many uses and endless possibilities. There are no exceptions, no specific problems to solve, no rules to follow, and no pressure to produce a finished project. It's about FREE PLAY!

Why are open-ended materials important to include in children's play?

• allows children to use their imagination and creativity
• helps develop trial and error and problem solving skills
• children have no fear of doing it wrong since there is no right method or outcome.
• open-ended play gives children a sense of freedom and self confidence
• they must make their own choices and learn to be responsible and self-directed.

"IMAGINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWLEDGE" - Albert Einstein

The following activities are NOT open-ended:

• ready made cut outs,shapes, or craft kits
• traced drawings for children to color
• coloring books
• stencils
• dot-to-dot drawings
• puzzles and board games
• toys with batteries- 90% toy, 10% child
• television and videos
• toys with only one purpose or use
• costumes with one specific use only- Halloween costumes

List of Open-Ended materials to use often in your program planning: (use with direct supervision)

Cardboard tubes	Shoelaces
Styrofoam packing	Wood scraps
Yarn	Metal juice can lids
Paint-watercolor, tempera, acrylic	Jewels from old lamps and chandeliers
Clay	Old costume jewelry
Sand	Wine corks
Mud	Empty spools of thread
Water	Lace
Blocks	Textured paper
Lego	Hemp
Plastic caps from milk jugs, bottle caps	Ribbon
Fabric pieces – felt squares	Pipe cleaners
Cardboard boxes of various sizes	All kinds of tape
Play dough	Toothpicks
Crayons	Googly eyes
Markers	String
Paper	Chopsticks
Buttons	Recycled water bottles/cans
Pom poms	Old metal keys
Empty cereal boxes	Parts from machines, clocks, engines
Paper bags – grocery and lunch bags	Hats, shoes, belts, bags, shirts, gloves
Newspaper and flyers	Scarves and bandanas
Shoe boxes	Colored, clean aquarium rocks
Bread tags	Artificial flowers and petals
Q-tips	Laundry soap lids
Straws of different colors and sizes	Leaves
Aluminum foil	Branches
Golf T’s	Seeds
Plastic food containers with lids	Sea shells
Empty ice cream buckets	Dirt
Dice of all sizes	Sand
Poker chips	Gravel
Magnets	Rocks
Paper clips	Mud
Marbles	Water
Glass gems	Snow
Sequins	Tree cookies – stumps cut up into discs
Clothespins	Pine cones
PVC pipe	Moss
Sponges	Pussy Willows
Nuts and bolts from a hardware store	Bulrushes – Cattails
Beads of various sizes	Twigs

                                          THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!

Multicultural Puzzle

This puzzle was bought at a store called Anthropologie which is a ladies clothing store in West Edmonton Mall. Search in the back corner of the store to find a children's book and toy section. It was about $17.00 and has different pictures on the back of each piece as well. The box says 3 and up but some 2 year olds can do this with ease. It can also be bought online by clicking here to link to amazon.com.

Lentil Soup

4 leeks - white and light green parts only
1 bunch kale
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 can (28 oz) tomatoes , drained
6 cups water
2 sweet potatoes - peeled and diced
1/2 cup brown lentils
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
12 fresh basil leaves (optional)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Slice each leek in half lengthwise, then slice into half moons about 1/4 inch thick. You should have about 2 cups. Place in a large bowl of cold water and swish to remove any grit. Drain and pat dry.
Remove stems from kale. Stack leaves on top of one another and slice into strips. You'll need about 3 cups.

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Add leeks and cook for 3 minutes.Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Stir in kale, sweet potatoes, lentils, thyme, basil, salt and pepper.Simmer until lentils are tender- about 30 minutes. Spoon inti individual bowls. Sprinkle with parmesan.

To freeze: Omit parmesan. Let soup cool. Ladle into large resealable bags, filling each one halfway. Store up to 3 months.
Serves 6

Tacos

6 soft flour multigrain or corn tortillas
Hard shell tacos (optional)

Meat Mixture: make the night before so it's ready for lunch
1 pound of ground beef (can use ground chicken or turkey)
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water

Toppings:
leaf lettuce
green onions
cilantro (optional)
roma tomatoes
cheddar cheese, shredded, light or fat free
sour cream, light or fat free
chunky salsa

Brown ground beef in a frying pan. Add spices, ketchup and water to browned meat. Simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes.

Wash all vegetables. Cut them up small and set out in serving bowls.
Have the children spoon meat mixture onto tortilla, sprinkle with cheese and add their favourite toppings. Roll up the tortilla.