Fun Fourth of July Kids' Crafts

The Fourth of July is quickly coming up! That means fireworks, a backyard BBQ and red, white and blue patriotic kids’ crafts.

What’s on your art activity list for the Fourth? You can go simple (which is perfect during a family reunion or party) and put out crayons in American flag colors, add a few star stickers and let the kids get artsy with very little mess.

If you’re looking for something that sparkles, break out the glitter. This glitter flag craft is easy enough for your preschooler to try, but still fun for older kids.

Chalk doesn't always equal sidewalk art (although, sidewalk drawing is a fabulously fun art activity for kids). You can grind it up, add some water and create your own red, white and blue cubes for a patriotic painting.

Following the freezing fun of frozen chalk are cubes of another sort. Get out the food coloring, toss in some sparkles and create your own glittering cubes. Make red, blue and silver (or opal) for a Fourth theme.

Do you have a few extra berries hanging around (especially after you’ve whipped up a few 4^th of July-themed treats)? Let the kiddos put them to use, making their own paints. These natural paints are taste-safe, meaning they’re perfect for little kids who just might be into exploring everything with their mouths.

 

Jackson Pollock anyone? Mix a famous artist activity and a fun Fourth painting exploration! Paint splatter the day away.

Tissue paper prints are a favorite of mine. Just remember – never use color-fast or non-bleeding tissue. Like the names say, these papers hold their colors. This means that they won’t work for prints.

While we’re at it, why stop at Fourth of July kids’ crafts? That holiday cookout means that you need some snack-y options for the kids. Summertime grilling season means one thing to me (okay, aside from the requisite hamburgers and hotdogs): S’mores!

We were a big s’mores family. After my son’s Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis last spring we’ve had to forego the ooey gooey *and super sugary) treat. But, someone should eat those tasty marshmallow stackers. So, here are a few of my favorites that are also perfect for your Independence Day party!

Pink princess. Sparkly, pink and filled with strawberry taste.

Cupcake s’mores. This one requires baking. But, it’s oh-so-good.

Cherry red coconut. Add in a few blueberries for a red, white and blue dessert.

Melting snowman. If you have a Frozen fan, these are for you.

Animal cookie ice cream sundae. Sugar-packed? Yes. A cool treat on a hot day? Yes!!!

 

With your artsy activities and tasty treats, you’ve got plenty for the kids to do (and eat) on the Fourth of July. What's your favorite Independence Day kids' craft? Share it on the Mini Monets and Mommies Facebook page!

Spooky S'mores Halloween Treat

Spooky Halloween s’mores anyone? While the traditional graham, marshmallow and chocolate stack is sublimely sweet as is, why not go for a holiday version that includes scary skeletons (ok, not really scary – more of a cute candy versions), ‘dirt’ and ‘worms’.

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Last Halloween I made monster s’mores with ooey gooey marshmallows and candy eyes. This year I tried my hand at making my own candy. It’s no secret that I’m not always a whiz in the kitchen. So, when I found a skeleton candy mold I was somewhat skeptical. Making candy that actually looked like what it was supposed to was so much easier than I thought. That made this creepy sweet completely easy to make.

Try this out as a pre-holiday treat, make the spooky s’mores with your child on a chilly fall evening or put together a batch for a Halloween party!

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        Skelton candy mold

·        Candy melts – I used orange ones, but you can also use white chocolate (or add your own hue to melted white chocolate with food coloring).

·        Graham crackers

·        Chocolate cupcake mix – I don’t mind using a mix, but if you have a favorite recipe you can try it out here.

·        Gummy or sour gummy worms

·        Marshmallows

Here’s What to Do:

1.     Bake the cupcakes. Let them cool completely. Cut them horizontally into slices.
 

2.     Microwave the candy melts or chocolate. Follow the directions on the package.

3.     Pour the melted candy into the mold.

4.     Refrigerate the candy until it is completely hard. Pop it out onto a plate when it’s ready.

5.     Toast a marshmallow. If you have a campfire or fire pit, toast away the old fashioned way. If not, you can microwave it (on top of a graham cracker for approximately 10 seconds) or toast it in the oven (on top of a graham cracker in an oven-safe pan).

6.     Stack the marshmallow on top of the graham cracker.

7.     Crumble and press a cupcake slice on top.
 

8.     Arrange the skeleton bones in the cupcake.
 

9.     Toast another marshmallow. Add it on top of the ‘dirt’ cupcake and skeleton.

10.    Stack another graham cracker on top.

11.    Top the s’more with a crumbled piece of cupcake. Layer a few gummy worms on to complete the spooky style.
 

That’s it. Super easy. If you’re looking for more s’mores, follow my Pinterest board for ideas galore!

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Black and White Cookie S'mores

The black and white cookie. Every time that I eat one in brings back very specific memories of getting the half-and-half dessert treats at a deli in Florida with my grandparents. So, when my dad sent me a gift basket with more of these little gems than my hips can afford for me to eat, I decided to dress them up a bit.

Sure, the black and white cookie is pretty perfect on its own. But, why not dress it up a bit? With a few marshmallows and some chocolate, you’ve got cookie-rific s’mores! These dessert really couldn’t be much easier to make – and, they’re fun for both kids and adults to eat.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        Black and white cookies

·        Chocolate – When paired with the marshmallows, you’ll get the whole theme thing going. Or you can do what I did and choose a cookies and cream chocolate bar (this includes traditional and white chocolates).

·        Marshmallows
 

Here’s What to Do:

1.     Turn one cookie upside down and put it on a plate.

2.     Line the cookie with a layer of cholate pieces.

3.     Put a marshmallow on top.

4.     Microwave the s’more stack for about 15 seconds. Microwaves vary in strength, so you may need more or less time. If you don’t want to make indoor s’mores, toast a marshmallow the traditional way (over a campfire) and add it to the sandwich.

5.     Put another cookie on top.
 

That’s it! Super easy, right?

Are you looking for more sweet treats? Follow my Pinterest board for ideas!

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Kid-Created S'mores

It’s National S’mores Day! I tend to go a bit overboard (and that might just be a serious understatement) when it comes to these marshmallow chocolate treats. If you don’t believe me, check out some of my favorite s’more recipes (which includes animal cookie ice cream sandwiches, coconut cherries, strawberry sparkles, peeps, donut-topped versions and much, much more).

Today I decided that my almost 14-year-old would get the honor of choosing the ingredients. This ended up being much more fun than when I go to the store and buy something that I think he’ll like. I let him make the list and put everything together on his own. So, as much as this post is about making a super-special s’moretastic sweet, it’s also about letting your child be the creative genius behind it. I’m sharing what my son chose, but try swapping in the ingredients that your child asks for. We went all out for treat’s celebratory day, but you can try a theme or even a color scheme. For example, make everything red s’mores. Your child can add in red fruits such as strawberries and raspberries or red sprinkles and strawberry syrup on top.

If you want to give my son’s creation a try…

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        Cookies – We took the easy way out and used big bakery cookies, but you can bake up your own from a favorite recipe.

·        Chocolate

·        M&M’s

·        Marshmallows

·        Sour gummy worms

·        Rainbow sprinkles
 

Here’s What to Do:

1.     Toast the marshmallows. If you have easy access to a campfire or fire pit, go for it. We didn’t (and it was raining out). I toasted the marshmallow over the stove’s flame. Children should not do this. You must be extremely careful not to drop the marshmallow onto the burner or catch the whole thing on fire. A few other options include warming it up in the microwave (10 seconds usually does it, but microwaves vary in strength) or heating them up in the oven (put them on top of the cookies in an oven-safe pan and heat at 350 degrees for until golden brown).
 

2.     Add a few pieces of chocolate and the M&M’s to the first cookie.

3.     Slide the toasted marshmallow onto the chocolate.

4.     Add a few more M&M’s and the gummy worms.

5.     Spoon the sprinkles on.

6.     Sandwich the s’more with another cookie.
 

When asked, "What would you change about your s'mores?" my son answered, "I'd use saltines instead of cookies." Really?

Are you looking for more sweet recipes? Follow my Pinterest board for ideas!

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25 S'mores Recipes That You Have to Try Right Now!

August 10 is National S’mores Day! I kind of adore the graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow stackers, so this is a pretty major holiday for me. That said, I like to go a bit beyond the traditional treat.

I know, I know, s’mores purists will balk at the idea of adding all kinds of ‘stuff’ to the ooey, gooey treats. But, I enjoy adding something a little extra. From summertime ice cream sundaes to modern art masterpieces, I’m here to say, “Happy S’mores Day!”

Check out these sweet, sweet s’mores, that you make for the treat’s special day – or any day!

1.     Animal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches – Perfect for an animal, carnival or circus themed kids’ party!

2.     Banana Splits – The classic summer sundae in s’mores form.

3.     S’mores Cookie Ball Truffles – So, they’re not exactly the typical flat stack, but these Oreo goodies are so, so, so, so good!

4.     Peeps and Marshmallow-Middle Chocolate Eggs – It’s two Easter candy traditions in one perfect package.

5.     St. Patrick’s Day Desserts – They’re lucky, chocolatey and green!

6.     Valentine’s Day Donut Deluxe – Heart-shaped marshmallows, a donut and more makes this s’more a sweetheart surprise.

7.     Hanukkah S’mores – Celebrate the Festival of Lights with a festival of fun chocolate goodness (and you can even make them kosher as well).

8.     Christmas Morning Donuts – The holiday morning donut is a tradition in our house. We took the typical and made it Christmas-tastic by adding in more s’mores.

9.     Candied Yam Marshmallow Casserole – It’s so Thanksgiving. Think of this one as a deconstructed sweet potato pie.

10.  Cupcake Cuties – Swap out the chocolate bar for a sliced cupcakes!

11.  Candy Corn for Halloween – The sugary fall treat makes the sweet stacker even better.

12.   Monster Madness – They’re gooey with goodness (and candy eyes!).

13.   ModernArt – A little food coloring and you’ve got a painted masterpiece.

14.  Olaf’s Melting – The Frozen snowman melts in the microwave with this indoor s’more.

15. Cherry Red Coconut Concoction – It’s a bit more grown up, and totally tasty.

16.   Pink Princess Sparkles – They’re pink with strawberry scent and sparkle with a sugar crisp.

If you’re looking for s’mores that are also ‘something’ else, try:

17.  Chocolate Marshmallow Cupcakes – It’s everything you love about the stack, including the graham crackers, in a cupcake design.

18.  Cookies – These S’mores Cookies from Fireflies and Mud Pies turn the campfire favorite into a kitchen creation!

19.  Bread Pudding – When it comes to creative, this recipe from Spaceships and Laser Beams takes the cake (or rather, the bread putting).

20.   Brownie Trifle – Yum! Mom Endeavors’ trifle is brownie-packed and full of marshmallowy goodness.

21.  Rice Krispie Treats – They already have marshmallows in them anyway, so why not try this kid-friendly treat from Real Life at Home?

22.  Sweet and Salty – Pint-sized Treasures has combined the sugary and savory tastes that you will want to try – right now.

23.  Mini Pies – These pint-sized pies from Mess for Less are still big on suburb s’mores taste.

24.   Banana S’mores – The Typical Mom’s BBQ taste treats are literally bananas!

25.  French Toast – Crazy Adventures in Parenting’s breakfast recipe is a mouthwatering morning treat.

Are you still on search for more s’mores? Follow my Pinterest board for ideas galore!

 

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Animal Cookie Ice Cream S'mores Sandwiches

I’m kind of crazy when it comes to s’mores. Even though I wouldn’t say no to the typical graham, chocolate, marshmallow stack, I like to go a step above. That’s where these animal cookie ice cream sandwiches come in.

It’s summer now (if you’re reading this at some time in the future, you can still make these tasty treats in the fall, winter or spring), and I was looking for a chilly dessert that was also easy to make. I’m not exactly the best cook/baker, and turning on the oven when the weather guy just said that the heat index is making it feel like it’s between 95 and 100 degrees just doesn’t sound like a good idea. So, I’m going for something cold that requires assembly – not actual cooking. If you’re thinking, “Well, that sounds kind of lazy,” it might be. Honestly, sometimes I want to make an easy treat that really requires no special skill.

Think about it – you’ve been at the pool and the playground for most of the day, then you raced off to the grocery store right before you had to simultaneously cook dinner, keep the kids entertained, wash out everyone’s swimsuits and wash the muddy footprints off of the floors. Whew! It’s time for an ice cream s’more. The kids will enjoy it, you’ll enjoy it, and everyone gets a little break at the end of a busy day.

This is also a simple dessert for a birthday party or warm-weather cookout. If you’re having a circus, animal or carnival themed party, this kid-friendly recipe is a perfect match!

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        Graham crackers

·        White chocolate

·        Frosted animal cookies

·        Ice cream – I used vanilla and strawberry to match the cookies’ colors, but you can choose any flavor that you like.

·        Marshmallows

·        Sprinkles

Here’s What to Do:

1.     Crumble the cookies into chunks.
 

2.     Mix the cookie crumbles with the ice cream. Put it back into the freezer until you’re ready to use it.

 

3.     Stack the chocolate onto a graham cracker.
 

4.     Toast the marshmallow. If you have a campfire, great use it. If not, you can microwave the marshmallow (with the graham cracker and marshmallow) in the microwave for roughly 10 seconds. Microwaves vary in strength, so you may need more or less time. You can also toast the marshmallow in a fire pit or in the oven (put it on a graham and heat at 325 degrees until it browns on top.

5.     Put the marshmallow on the chocolate.
 

6.     Spoon the ice cream on top.

7.     Sandwich the stack with another graham.
 

8.     Top with some more ice cream and sprinkles.

Are you looking for more s’mores? Follow my Pinterest board for ideas!

Follow Mini Monets and Mommies's board Sweet S'mores on Pinterest.