Flashlight Fun

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You don’t need to wait until after dark for flashlight games. If clouds or rain have you stuck indoors, kiddos in want of entertainment will love pulling out flashlights even by day!

To wit, we had dark, cloudy skies today (though no rain), and Veronika seemed a bit aimless. So I pulled out a flashlight and shined it into the toy purse she was fiddling with. The game was instantly more fun! What else could she shine it on?

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She loved body parts. “Mommy’s hand! Mommy’s arm! Mommy’s knee!”

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And then she searched for corresponding bits on herself with her beacon of light.

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Reflective or shiny surfaces were fun, like the wood of our coffee table…

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…or the glossy pages of a photo book. Be sure to name everything the flashlight lands on; Veronika proudly narrated as she spotted a chair, her ears, and more.

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Then she went hunting for favorite toys with it. She loved the way the light looked in her stuffed puppy’s eyes.

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Last stop: don’t forget to shine up at the ceiling! I’d say we brightened up a gray day.

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Melted Candy Cane Ornaments

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Caution: these pretty ornaments are fragile, so they might not last beyond one holiday season. But the fun of making them is worth it!

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray. Select which shapes you want your ornaments to be from among Christmas-themed cookie cutters and coat those with cooking spray as well before setting on the parchment.

Break mini candy canes into smaller pieces to fill the cookie cutters in an even layer. Look at my littlest kitchen elf!

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Bake at 350 degrees F for 6 minutes, just until the candy canes are melted.

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Remove from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes, then use a skewer to poke a hole near the top of each ornament.

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This was the trickiest part, as the candy canes need to be cooled enough not to run right back over the hole, but not so firm that cooled strands stick to the skewer. I confess we broke a few of our ornaments at this stage!

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Let stand an additional 5 minutes, then remove the cookie cutters.

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Thread twine or cord through each hole and tie into a loop before hanging from your Christmas tree.

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And yes, that’s a Darth Vader candy cane ornament you see!