Seasonal things for kids

Hope you don't mind a non-food post.

As that time of year approaches, I thought I would share some resources for kids (because let’s be honest, children and quiet get along like nature and vacuums!)

This is quite a good free personalised video message from the man himself http://www.portablenorthpole.com/home (There is a charge on the iPad app, but it's free on the website)

The NSPCC do a nice letter from Santa for a suggested donation of £5 http://christmas.nspcc.org.uk/santa

(You can also get a free one here: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/free-santa-letter-video ) 

These singing and dancing reindeer that you can control appeal to small people (headphones recommended!) http://www.icq.com/greetings/cards/66/ (This link no longer works - am trying to find another)

Those of you who do Twitter, may be aware of @MooseAllain ; he has drawn an advent calendar to colour in here: http://www.worldofmoose.com/products/world-of-moose-advent-calendar

Mix up some washing powder with a bit of water to make a thick paste, it's great to clag on to a window to create a snow scene (sledges, snowman hats et cetera made out of card or foil stick well to it and you have lovely sparkling windows in the New Year when you scrape it off and wipe them down!)

NORAD Santa Tracker http://www.noradsanta.org/ has some good games and activities for the run up and of course watching his progress on Christmas Eve (especially if they need a bit of encouragement to go to bed as they can see how close he is getting!)

There's a winter scene made out of ice cream here, with other cooking ideas http://tyne-teas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/cooking-with-kids.html

Make a Yule Log - cut the end off a swiss roll at an angle and stick it on the side of the main bit to look like a branch, then cover the whole lot in chocolate butter icing (4oz butter/marge creamed, 6oz of sieved icing sugar and 2oz of sieved cocoa powder). Use a fork to drag bark markings on it. You can also sieve some more icing sugar on to look like snow

Make Christmas Tree cakes (ordinary cupcake/fairy cakes) but with butter icing with green food colouring piped on in a swirly cone and then add ball bearing sprinkly things to look like decorations

Reindeer Hand Biscuits
http://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/graham-campbells-reindeer-hand-cookies.html 
(you can do these any time of year, varying the decorations to other animals)

Right – that should be a start to buy some hush, feel free to share yours!


(It's more for grown-ups, but you might also enjoy my Christmas Song Quiz)



For more ideas, follow me on twitter @Tyne_Teas

Please visit my Intro post for more about my blog and me - I hope you enjoy my recipes : )