Let The Popcorn Roll!

Your holiday planning may be hoppin’ so let the kids do the poppin’!!
by: Mary Ann Ross and Kimberly Lainson

The holiday frenzy may well have begun and lists of things to do can be found all over the house. How about one list that serves many purposes to make this busy time of year fun for the kids. Let’s call it the "Keeps The Kids Busy" list that will easily let them be creative, eat their art supplies, make a lot of gifts (or crafts) using inexpensive supplies and fun treats to take to holiday potlucks and classroom parties!

All this from popcorn, you say? YES!

From plain white popcorn? YES!

What can you do with plain white popcorn? LOTS!

Fun recipes? YES! YES! YES! How about…

Mother Goose popcorn? Marshmallow popcorn? Popcorn Cookies? Popcorn Candy? Popcorn Pudding? Popcorn Muffins? Popcorn Cake?

Milk Chocolate popcorn, too? WHY NOT!!!!!

Green popcorn? Red, too? SURE…

just add food coloring, a few drops at a time to the syrup for popcorn balls after it has cooked and taken off the stove. (Tip: you won’t be able to get a real, real red because too much red food coloring would have to be added and this will make the popcorn too bitter to eat.)

Popcorn Gifts? OF COURSE… make pretty.

The children can wrap the popcorn balls and shapes in colored cellophane and tied with a pretty curly ribbon, decorated with pieces of construction paper to form Santa’s head or glue three popcorn balls together and decorated as snowmen. The seasoned popcorn can be placed in colorful holiday treat bags and tied with a ribbon and a gift tag.

Included below is a craft idea for children too young to work with hot popcorn mixtures, plus lots of recipes ideas.

Please remember: Adult supervision is required for making/mixing the popcorn ball recipes!

While this article is focused on "popcorn", check out our article,"Cookie Decorating Ideas for Kids Of All Ages " that will spark even the imagination of those that don’t think they have any.

Whether you plan to use the microwave, a popcorn popper or the old-fashioned way in a skillet on the stove, this is a good time to teach your children kitchen safety rules in a gentle manner while they make their own art supplies… "the" popcorn.

POPCORN PICTURES

A CRAFT for children too young to handle hot popcorn mixtures

Materials Needed:

Popcorn
Construction Paper
Glue
Crayons or Markers
Scraps of ribbon, material, buttons, twigs, dried flowers, bits of this and that

Directions:

Make some popcorn and glue onto the construction paper

Ideas:

Snowman: Cut three construction paper circles, small for the head, medium for the tummy and

larger for the bottom. Glue popcorn onto the circles. Using a marker or construction paper, make the eyes, nose, buttons and man’s hat, and twigs for the arms; scrap of material makes the scarf.

Snowlady: Use the same directions but make it a lady’s hat by adding ribbon; don’t forget her earrings and necklace.

Santa Claus: Draw Santa on construction paper, then glue cut-up construction paper pieces to make his hat, belt, buttons, boots. Glue popcorn for his beard and hair and fur trim of his coat and hat.

Holiday Sheep: Glue small round clusters of popcorn onto the middle of a piece of white construction paper. Draw a sheep’s head and legs to create a fluffy sheep.

Winter Scene: Using one piece of white construction paper, cut and paste strips of brown construction paper around the four edges to create a frame. Make a construction paper house and glue to white paper. Break up some popcorn into smaller pieces and use to make Christmas trees and a snowman in the yard, snow on the roof and on the lawn. Blue construction paper for the sky and perhaps some fluffy clouds. Is it snowing? Glue teeny pieces of popcorn all over the paper to create a snowy effect.

Wreath & Christmas Trees: Using a Jell-O Popcorn recipe (below), make green popcorn; glue onto construction paper to form a wreath or tree. Decorate with bits of ribbon and construction paper shapes of stars, angels, toys. Don’t forget some construction paper gifts under and around the tree.

Imagination: Give your child a theme, such as holiday animals, and let them create their own masterpieces!