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DIY Reindeer Food!
- Patria Lincoln Posted On Dec 23, 2019 | Social-Emotional Learning
There are so many exciting ways to bring the magic of the holiday season to life! Making reindeer food is one that is sure to become a favorite tradition and holiday staple. The kids can hardly wait to sprinkle it on the lawn as a late-night treat for the reindeer that visit your home on Christmas Eve! The best part is that I’ll be sharing our reindeer’s *favorite* recipe but remember, your reindeer might just love just anything that you may have in your pantry!
Before getting started you’ll want to gather any of (but not limited to) the supplies below.
Reindeer Food Ingredients:
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- ½ cup of oats (rolled or steel-cut)
- ¼ cup of sugar
- Assorted holiday sprinkles
- Glitter (not pictured)
- Gift bags or boxing for packaging
- Ribbons, googly eyes and/or pipe cleaners based on your finished product desires
If you’re making a single quantity, measure it into a mason jar. This will allow the kids to shake to mix, which can be a fun and engaging gross motor activity. If you’re making a large quantity, you’ll want to multiply the aforementioned measurements by the number of servings needed. Measure it out into a large bowl and have the kids take turns measuring, adding in the ingredients and mixing well to combine.
After all the ingredients are added and mixed, decide on your packaging. I thought these gift bags were the perfect fit for their contents. Before adding the reindeer food, I added some red paper shreds as Rudolf's nose. That little addition could have easily been some red sprinkles or a red pom-pom. After, use the pipe-cleaner to close the bag and wrap the loose ends around a pencil to get the appearance of antlers.
This is the perfect community-building activity that promotes collaboration and teamwork. Add in some how-to writing if you’re looking to make it in the classroom. Making reindeer food would pair perfectly with these classic reindeer titles below!
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Earth Day Printables Pack!
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Ultimate STEM Day Activity Bundle! National STEM Day is November 8 – a day designated to the wonders of science, technology, engineering, and math. To help you celebrate STEM in style, we’ve put together three of our very favorite, holiday-themed STEM smarts & crafts activities perfect for your Thanksgiving Day festivities and winter break fun.
Simple Physics Turkey Races
Add some get up and go to your gobble gobble with these crazy-fun turkey races perfect for perking up the party on turkey day!Here’s what you’ll need:BalloonsConstruction paperTapeStringPlastic strawsChip clips or binder clips
Here’s what you’ll do:Blow up one balloon per racer but don’t tie off the ends. Instead, twist the end, then attach a kitchen “chip clip” or binder clip to keep the air from escaping.
Cut your construction paper into feathers, waddles, and googly eyes and tape the pieces to your “turkeys”.
Set up your race course by placing two chairs about 8 feet apart (you’ll need one set of these chairs for each racer). Cut a 9-foot section of string for each racer and tie the loose end of a length to one chair.
Thread a straw through the untied end of the string, then pull the string taught and tie to the opposite chair.
Using tape, attach the top, center of the balloon to the straw. Make sure to line the straw up with the release point of the balloon, for straighter, faster flying.Pull the balloons back so the ends are touching the chairs, pinch the balloons above the chip clips, and remove the clips.
Call “On your marks, get set, GO”, let go of the balloons, and watch as your turkeys race to the finish line!
Let’s talk turkey about physics! Remember that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (thanks, Newton!). When you blow up the balloon, you are filling it with air. When you release the chip clip, you are releasing the air, creating pressure out of the back of the balloon. This release creates an equal and opposite pressure on the front of the balloon, propelling it forward. Crystal Snowflake Christmas Ornaments
Celebrate the coming winter with crystal snowflakes you make yourself!What You’ll Need:Pipe cleanersBoraxFood coloringWide mouth glass container like a measuring cupPencil, craft stick, or spatulaString or an extra pipe cleaner
What You’ll Do:Cut your pipe cleaners in half, then cut some of them in half again.
Twist the pieces together to form one-of-a-kind snowflake patterns, making sure that your snowflakes will fit into your container without touching the sides or bottom. (Trim the ends with scissors if need be.)
Tie one end of the string to the center of your snowflake and the other to your pencil or craft stick and check to make sure your snowflake will fit without touching the sides or bottom of your container.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. For every cup of water you pour into your container, add 3 tablespoons of Borax and stir (this is a job for a parent as the water is boiling hot!). Add more Borax and stir to dissolve, continuing until the water won’t accept any more Borax (it’s okay if there’s some left in the bottom of the jar). Then add a few drops of food coloring and stir.
Hang your snowflake in the water by balancing your pencil or craft stick across the top of the jar. If your string is too long, twist it around your pencil until it keeps the snowflake from touching the bottom.
Leave your snowflake overnight. Carefully pull your snowflake out of the jar and shake off the excess crystals to reveal your crystalized snowflake!
Borax can be beautiful! Hot water molecules are moving really quickly, which leaves room for the Borax to dissolve between them. As the water cools, the molecules move closer together, “squeezing” the Borax out. Winter Marshmallow Dens
Turn those cocoa fixin’s into a science lesson about the winter habits of some of your kids’ favorite animals with this tasty activity!What you’ll need:ToothpicksMarshmallowsPaperCrayons or markerSnowy Animal ToysWhat you’ll do:Ask your kids to imagine where they might go to hibernate if they lived out in the wild. Have you kids draw their ideas on paper.
Set out the marshmallows and toothpicks and challenge your busy builders to construct their drawings.
Once they’re done, see if someone can build a snow den, an igloo, or a walled fort. The possibilities are endless (and delicious!).
With snow covering the ground, fewer plants are growing, which means less food for hungry animals like bears, bats, and squirrels. Hibernating slows down these animals’ metabolisms and reduces their body temperatures, which means they need less energy to survive and can go without eating for several months at a time. Hibernating animals need a safe, hidden spot to snuggle down for the winter months, similar to the caves and burrows you just built! HAPPY STEM DAY!
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