Easter Egg Decorating for kids

Back in the Parent Club archives you'll find a post on Easter Egg Decorating for kids - jr & senior edition.

Click on the post for complete instructions but the gist of it is...

Egg Decorationg for little kids
Use hard boiled eggs, sponges and tempra paint.

Egg Decorating for bigger kids
Use foods (such as carrots, blueberries, tea) as natural dyes

And for a tried & true method...

Easter Egg Decorating with Food Colouring

You need:

Hard boiled eggs (or blown out ones)

Food colouring

Water

Vinegar

Container

Spoon (or wire)

Paper towel

Mix about 20 or so drops of food colouring with 1 tbsp of vinegar and 1/2 cup of tepid* water.

Repeat this step with different colours to create a rainbow (tip: use clean, used, coffee cans to hold the mixtures - then you can trash them).

Using a spoon (or my friend once made an egg holder with copper wire) lower the hard boiled egg into the colour mixture. The longer you leave the egg in the more vibrant the colour.

Pat the coloured egg dry with a paper towel.

Remember: food colouring stains so break out the art bibs.

*tepid means not hot, not cold, but just right.

Kid Activities for Thanksgiving

In preparation for Thanksgiving this weekend (Canadian - that is)...I have made a few suggestions over at my Yummy Mummy Club column for...

Activities for kids - while you're busy with the bird

Some of the ideas include having the kids make decorate the table with fall multi-coloured leaves, making menus, folding napkins.

Whether you are cooking the turkey yourself, contributing to a pot luck or going to someone's house for dinner...I'm sure we could all use some activities this weekend to keep the kids busy.

Share you Thanksgiving kids' activities with Parent Club in the comments below!

Reader Feedback - Family Day

"It would have been nice if all family members had family day off...my husband was able to either not work by taking lieu time (hours he has to earn by working overtime) or he could go in to work for "training" so although he did not have to "work" he was still unable to be with his family, and now I am not able to take my floater day at a time that is convenient for us to all be together as I was forced to take the day yesterday...not sure I like it!

I heard on the radio this morning it took 45 minutes just to park at the science centre! Crazy!!

Maybe what we need more than family day is something similar to what they do in Sweden...when a couple has a baby dad is forced to take an extra 5 weeks vacation within the childs first 5 years of life...if they have not taken it by close to the end of the fifth year then the governement calls their work and forces them to take the time off...this is good as it really targets "families"

Hope you all had a great "long weekend"".

--Comment on Family Day posting by a reader in the Parent Club.

Family Day - Good or Bad?

Holy Cow! Was the Museum ever busy yesterday for Family Day! Line up travelled around the block. How do you tell your child - "sorry the line up is far too long." I suppose some can - but we didn't. We lined up. The Museum was very smart. They had a membership representative go up and down the line offering parents the chance to jump the line and go straight into the warmth if only they signed up for a membership.

This was actually a good deal because since it is $20/adult admission the $119 membership actually pays for itself in about 2 trips (that is; when you also have school-aged children that also must pay as well, kids under 4 are free). Pay we did and were very happy to jump the line.

We stayed about 2 hours - that was how long we could stand the big crowds and bigger noise level. We didn't even see the kids hands-on centre as it was just far to populated. However, since we now have the membership we were fine leave the building. For those who paid for a one time visit, I'm sure they would have seen every nook and cranny.

We had lunch at a restaurant (big deal for the kids) and then home to watch movies all afternoon. We truly spent family day with the family. Not bad, but also not quite worth having to take a work imposed vacation day.

Open and Closed for Family Day in Toronto

Most shopping centres around Toronto will be CLOSED for Family Day with the exception of Eaton Centre, Sherway Gardens, Fairview Mall, Yorkdale Mall, Scarborough Town Centre.

Most Home Depot stores will be CLOSED.

Government offices, including libraries will be CLOSED.

Special Events

Canadian International Autoshow is running at the Rogers Centre and the Metro Convention Centre

Toronto Zoo
All visitors get 50% off the regular admission price.

Casa Loma
Children get in free when accompanied by a paying adult.

CN Tower
The Tower is offering a buy one get one free deal on all admission packages.

Valentine's Chocolate Cake

This fudgy chocolate layer cake is originally from Chatelaine November 2004. It is Parent Club tested and kid approved. It makes two 8-in cakes or a whole bunch of muffins. Freezes well.

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
½ cup unsalted butter
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 ¾ cups buttermilk **
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl combine dry ingredients. Microwave butter to melting and stir together with sugar. Whisk in remaining wet ingredients. Combine dry mixture into wet until blended.

Bake 30-35 min. for 2 round cake pans. Adjust time for muffins.

Add chocolate chips, frosting or a dusting of icing sugar.

**buttermilk - Pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into a measuring cup then fill cup with milk to equal 1 cup. This gives you one cup of buttermilk.

Remember - Valentines!

How do you celebrate Valentine's Day? Do you celebrate? Some parents believe it is a Hallmark holiday -- a fête created by card companies to increase revenues in the winter months. This year a friend received a note from the teacher asking that all valentine's be simply marked TO: My Friend rather than personalized with each child's name. hmmm...comments?...

Try to plan your day to incorporate some "special" treats, for both yourself and your family without opting in to supporting the business world. Spend your "cleaning time" by reading a book to your child. Trace handprints or make a homemade card for someone special. Put a note in a lunchbox. Get out the digital camera and take some family pictures. Have ice cream or brownies for dessert rather than fruit. Order dinner (ok - yes, that supports the business world -- but it's a treat for parents too). Play together. Enjoy the moment.

"I love you" doesn't mean a store bought card or a box of chocolates. It means; thoughtfulness, appreciation, adoration, sharing. Remember "I love you" is everyday not just Valentine's Day.