Jell-O Play for Valentine’s Day

February 6, 2021Leave a comment

Jello Paint (9)

Kids love painting with Jell-o (or vegan alternatives like the jel desserts from Simply Delish), and today we gave the activity a Valentine’s Day spin!

Instead of preparing the jel dessert, I simply stirred a packet of red powder (strawberry flavored) into a dish with a little water. We instantly had a gorgeous red paint that smelled incredible!

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It’s hard to say which Veronika enjoyed more: smelling the paint or smearing it all over the white heart shape I had cut out!

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The paint sets and dries nicely, and Veronika kept trotting over to this holiday decoration to say, “It smells really good!” She’ll display this one with pride until Valentine’s Day is over.

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Meanwhile, I also prepared two more batches of the jel dessert (in yellow and orange) according to the true directions. That meant we had nice blobs to “paint” with, too.

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You can set down dollops of it for a toddler on a large sheet of paper (or right on a high chair tray for a baby!) and simply let the smashing and painting fun begin. Don’t be surprised if the play tempts older kids, too; my 6-year-old came running over, because Lego figures trapped in Jell-o are decidedly good fun.

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Jell-o Sensory Activity

June 19, 20191 Comment

Jello Sensory (5).JPG This twist on jell-o play will be a delight for any baby around 7 months old! Not only are babies at this age making their first forays into finger-feeding themselves, but any activities involving texture are a hit. Add a prize to dig for and an edible medium, and you pretty much have the prefect game.

First I made jell-o with our favorite vegan brand, Simply Delish’s jel desserts. Big brother Travis picked the flavor – strawberry!

Pour the jell-o over soft toys in Tupperware containers (make sure all are large enough not to pose a choking hazard).

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I thought large containers would be easier, but the toys popped up to the surface! Instead, it was easier to “trap” them in small containers.

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You can also wait for the dessert to set slightly, then push the toy down inside.

I presented Veronika with the Tupperware and the task to dig up the toy treasure. Of course at first she was just fascinated with the container and lid!

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Then she became aware of the items buried inside. Little fingers began digging. Once the toys were out, it was straight to her mouth. Yum, it tastes like strawberry!

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Now she wanted more of what was in the bowl. After feeling around…

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…the dessert plopped out into her lap.

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I rescued her from this and now it was fun to squish around on the tray. Soon she had big fistfuls going right up to her lips.

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Basically this was messy and perfect fun.

Surprise “Juice” Cups

February 23, 2018February 23, 2018Leave a comment

Surprise Juice (2)

The jell-o surprise waiting in these clear plastic cups is sure to delight your kids! It’s a fun way to discuss the difference between liquids and solids, and of course they also get to eat a tasty treat. My favorite vegan “gelatin” dessert is the jel dessert from Simply Delish.

First, I prepared one package of the dessert according to package directions – in this case, dissolving the powder in 1/3 cup cold water, then adding 1 and 1/4 cups boiling water. Make sure you use a flavor with the color of juice! I used raspberry.

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Pour the mixture into clear plastic cups and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until firm.

I called Travis over for a juice snack; that’s a special treat in this household, so he immediately trotted over. Just as he arrived, I pretended to spill one of the cups – oops Except nothing poured out.

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He was instantly delighted and intrigued, and had to test for himself if he could pour out the “juice.” He also wanted to know what it felt like (squishy)…

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