Thanksgiving Treats for Kids

Thanksgiving is a holiday about family. So why not include the kids in the festivities. There's so much they can do to help you prepare for the big day. From arts and crafts, to easy snacks that they can help you make; there's a lot your kids can do to get involved. Or maybe you're a teacher looking for some yummy ideas to bring into the classroom this year. Well in this hub, you'll find several fun and easy recipes you can do with the kids this Thanksgiving.

These recipes are popular among both parents and teachers and they include some of my favorites, such as, No-Bake Pumpkin Pie and Aut-Yum Cookies. Some of these I can remember from my days at school. They're fast, fun and easy. Give them a try!

What You'll Need:
Please note that the quantity of the ingredients depends on how many children are involved or will be given the finished product.

• Apples (one per child)
• Large Marshmallows
• Gum Drops or Colored Mini-Marshmallows
• Raisins
  
• Candy Corn
• Colored Tooth Picks

How To Make Apple Turkeys:

1. The apple will be the body of the turkey; pass one out to each child.
2. Stick the gum drops or colored mini-marshmallows to 5 or 6 toothpicks and stick them into one side of the apple, positioning them like a fan. This is your turkey's tail.
3. Use another toothpick for the neck of your turkey and stick a large marshmallow on it for the turkey's head.
4. Break the raisins into piece and stick them on the marshmallow for the turkey's eyes.
5. Stick a candy corn on the marshmallow for the turkey's beak.
6. Finally, stick three yellow toothpicks in the bottom of your apple for legs. Position them in a triangular shape so the turkey can stand up.

Be warned step 4 and 5 can be pains. Consider leaving the marshmallows in a warm area so they get a little sticky. I've tried toothpicks. It doesn't work well unless you break them into smaller sticks and this can be somewhat dangerous to let kids handle. Splinters.

What You'll Need:

• 1 Egg
• 1 Tsp of water
• Prepared pie crust
• Mini chocolate chips
• Peanut butter chips
• Raw sugar
• Flour for your work surface

How To Make Aut-Yum Leaves:

1. Heat the oven to 375°.
2. Whisk one egg with a teaspoon of water.
3. On a floured surface, roll out the prepared pie crust.
4. Press a large leaf-shaped cookie cutter into the the dough to create the cookie leaves.
5. Spread about four teaspoons of mini chocolate chips and peanut butter chips in each pocket of the leaf.
6. Brush the egg and water mixture around the edges of the leaf.
7. Place a second leaf on top and push down at the edges to seal the cookie.
8. Brush the top with the egg and water mixture and sprinkle the cookie with raw sugar.
9. Repeat for each cookie
10. On a parchment-lined cookie sheet, bake the leaves for 12 minutes or until their edges are just beginning to brown.
11. After a few minutes, remove them from the cookie sheet and let them cool.

This is a good recipe for teaching your kids kitchen safety. It's easy and fun, but requires adult supervision at every step.

What You'll Need:
This is my favorite!

• Small custard-sized ready-to-eat pie crusts
• 2 Tbsp of canned pumpkin
• 1 Tbsp of marshmallow creme, or fluff
• Tbsp of whipped cream or cool whip
• A sprinkle of cinnamon

How To Make No-Bake Pumpkin Pie:

1. Mix the canned pumpkin, marshmallow creme (fluff), whipped cream (cool whip) and cinnamon. This is a good task for the kids.
2. Pour the mix into the small ready-to-eat pie crusts.
3. Serve and get some smiles.

This dessert can be refrigerated or frozen for another day or time.

What You'll Need:

• Chocolate-striped shortbread cookies
• Chocolate chips
• Marshmallows
• Yellow decorator's frosting
• Toothpicks
  

How To Make Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats:

1. Place the chocolate-striped short bread cookies on a wax-paper-covered tray.
2. Melt the chocolate chips (microwave or double boilers works)
3. Stick a wooden toothpick into each marshmallow.
4. Then dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate and place it on top of a short bread cookie.
5. Lightly hold down the marshmallow with another toothpick and pull out the first one. The marshmallow should stick to the cookie.
   
6. Now chill the hats.
7. Once the chocolate is set, using the yellow decorator's frosting, pipe a buckle onto the front of each cookie.

Another recipe that requires a lot of adult supervision, but it's fun and easy. Plus the kids will love it!

Have a very happy and fun-filled Thanksgiving!

Skylar Spring © copyright 2011