Fun Summer Snack ideas that your kids can help with!
From the desk of Kelsey Klemm, COTA/L
As the holiday weekend creeps upon us and you are looking for ideas for fun activities to keep your kids busy, BPHT has some ideas for you! What kid doesn’t love a fun summer snack that they helped to make? These recipes can get kids working on their fine motor skills as well as give them some extra sensory input to work through. Try these easy summer snack recipes at home anytime!
Ice Cream
- Ice cubes
- 1 cup milk (2% or higher, or half and half)
- ½ cup salt (rock salt is best, Kosher or table salt also works)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- OPTIONAL: 2 tablespoons sugar
- Ziploc bags: 1 pint-size, 1 gallon-size
Fill a pint Ziploc bag with milk and vanilla (and sugar, if desired) and seal. Fill gallon bag with ice and salt. Place the pint-size bag inside gallon bag and seal. Shake for 5-10 minutes, or until it looks solid. I recommend this as an outdoor activity, and you can double bag the gallon-size bag for extra mess control. Enjoy!
Miss Kelsey’s OT Notes: Have your child measure out the ingredients and fill the bags to work on following directions and attention. There are many different textures in this recipe, so any spills or messy play can be great for sensory systems!
Lemonade
- Lemons
- Water
- Sugar
- Hand juicer
Give each child ½ of lemon to squeeze with a hand juicer, squeeze the lemon juice into a cup. Add water and sugar to taste. Watch out for seeds! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Miss Kelsey’s OT Notes: Using a hand juicer is a great way to strengthen hands and wrists and can promote motor planning (knowing what movement you need to complete, coming up with a plan to do so, and then acting it out). Drink the final product with a straw for some great calming oral-motor work!
Popsicles
- Ice tray or popsicle molds
- Fruit juice (cranberry or apple are best)
- Toothpicks or popsicle sticks
Pour the juice into an ice cube tray or popsicle molds and place in the freezer. When it starts to freeze, but before it becomes solid, stick toothpicks or popsicle sticks in the middle. Place back in the freezer until solid. Enjoy!
Miss Kelsey’s OT Notes: If your child wants to help, I suggest filling the trays outside so he or she can work on movement control. The finished product is another great oral-motor tool to suck and crunch.
One final note: Don’t forget to have FUN with all of these snack projects! And enjoy your summer!
Signed,
Miss Kelsey
