Autumn Snacks and Crafts

by Brenda Hyde

Autumn brings to mind apples, cider, squash and the savory sweet taste of pumpkin pie and bread. It's also the time of year when the kids start spending a little more time indoors and need some activities and snacks to occupy their minds and hands. Try out these fall themed recipes and projects.

Simmered Fall Punch
Ingredients:
2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 or 3 cloves

Simmer on the stove for 20 to 30 minutes. Take out cloves before serving.

Banana Pumpkin Shake
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 banana
dash of cinnamon

Blend in blender until smooth and foamy. Serve immediately.

Applesauce Cinnamon Salad
Ingredients:
2 (3 ounce) packages raspberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup cinnamon candies
4 cups applesauce

Add gelatin to boiling water and candies.Stir in applesauce and chill until firm.

Creamy Orange Dip and Fruit
Ingredients:
1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
1/3 cup crushed pecans
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together all ingredients until smooth. Place in a nice bowl and surround on a tray or platter with strawberries, kiwis, grapes, apple slices, oranges, pear and peach slices. You may use all of these or some. If your kids are like mine and don't like nuts, you can leave those out if you wish.

Autumn activities

Humorous cards for friends and family
Kid's love corny humor, and making things to give away. Set them down with paper, crayons, markers and these jokes. They can make special fall cards for friends and family.

• What did the little ear of corn call his father? Pop Corn
• Why did the jelly roll? Because it saw the apple turnover.
• What is the difference between a strawberry and a cucumber? One is in a jam and the other is in a pickle.

Preserving fall leaves
You will need:
Dried leaves
Floor wax
A bowl
Newspaper
Waxed paper
An old catalog or phone book
Old or inexpensive paint brushes

Gather some pretty fall leaves once they have fallen. Lay newspapers down on a work surface. Pour some wax into the bowl. Have the kids carefully brush wax onto the leaves. This will make them shiny. To dry, place them between two pieces of wax paper and place between the catalog or phone book pages. Use to make cards or decorate the windows and doors.

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Links, information and more for you

Whole Family Cook Night
Incredible Edible Crafts
Aurthur After School Snacks
Directory of family articles
Directory of all articles

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About the author: Brenda Hyde is the Treehouse Mom at Seeds of Knowledge. For more kid's recipes, crafts and parenting tips sign up for weekly newsletters at Seeds of Knowledge.