The Captain’s Corner – Harvesting Great Reads
1 March, 2023
Howdy fellow Captains and welcome to our recap of our trip to the farm!
How often do you and your little ones talk about where our food actually comes from? Well, this month’s books are perfect for nourishing that conversation and, in doing so, feeding your little one’s curiosity. These books will have our CuriousCaptains tracing food from farm to table and our little readers in the WobbleCaptain club will be having fun with farm animals. We hope you savor whichever journey you’re on!
To make this month even more fun – this is a topic that is ripe for taking it beyond the pages of a book- check out the below crafting activities for you and your little one(s). And, if you’re really adventurous, this is a great time to take advantage of rising temperatures to plant something together in your house or yard!
Boost Their Creativity
Bring this month’s activity guide to life with these craft activities for the WobbleCaptain and CuriousCaptain clubs.
Paint a Big Red Barn (WobbleCaptain)
Supplies: Paper, masking/painters tape, paint (red for the barn and any colors for the background – i.e., blue and green for the sky and grass)
Steps:
- Tape an outline of a barn on the paper.
- Paint the background and inside of the barn.
- Pull the tape off once the paint is dry.
- Use black paint or marker to create an outline for the barn and add a door.
Tips for engagement: Try out different types of paint! Paint sticks are a fun, quick drying alternative and great for little hands!
Corn on the Cob Painting (CuriousCaptain)
Supplies: Corn on the cob, paper, paint
Steps:
- Prepare corn on the cob by boiling the shucked corn for 5 minutes.
- Add dots of paint in random spots on the paper.
- Roll the corn through the paint to create art.
Adult/Child: Adult and child can prepare the corn together. Adult can add paint to the paper. Child can roll the corn across the paper. It may be helpful for adult to tape down the paper so it doesn’t move around while rolling the corn.
Tips for Engagement: Note the differences when painting with corn and a paintbrush, and talk about how you can see some marks from the kernels on the page.
Bake an Apple Pie (CuriousCaptain)
Steps: We’re not baking experts so here is one of our favorite Apple Pie recipe.
Tips for baking with littles:
- Plan ahead by preparing all ingredients and equipment in advance. This will help you focus on your child while baking.
- Show your child how to measure ingredients, which can also be a great opportunity to teach about measuring and fractions.
- Don’t stress about perfection and whether it’s the best tasting or most beautiful pie you’ve ever had. Remember it’s about the experience, not the end result.
