Who knew you could have so much fun with candy! We have had loads of fun counting, sorting and making patterns with candy canes and peppermints. We put the candy out for the children to look at, talked about the candy (comparing and contrasting) and recorded their response. How are they the same? How are they different? We talked about color, size, taste, smell, and shape. You will notice the word candy cane on the dictation sheet that was sent home was underlined and there is a picture clue next to the word for easy reading.
We ended our unit with Peppermint Pudding for our snack. We recorded our tally marks of who liked and didn't like Peppermint Pudding. Most of the children loved it! For a tasty treat at home, here's what you do-
You will need-
Per serving
1 snack pack pudding (we used vanilla but you probably could use chocolate, too)
2-3 peppermints or a candy cane
Reddi Whip or Cool Whip topping
Unwrap the candy and place in a freezer ziploc bag. Place the bag inside another bag. Have your child take a block and smash the candy several times. Smashing the candy will cause holes in the bag so you need two bags. Make sure the pieces are fairly small and remove any large pieces (any large pieces of hard candy can be a choking hazard). Place some whipped topping on the pudding and sprinkle the peppermint on top of the whipped topping and enjoy.
Don't want to smash the candy with a block? Use a Magic Bullet, blender or food processor to crush the candy.
After Christmas, use those leftover candy canes to stir hot chocolate or crush and put over ice cream. I am sure there are a lot more ways to use candy canes!
