April Fools Day for Preschoolers

 Let me just start by saying how hard it was to find stuff to do for my almost 5yr old son for April Fool's Day. Most of the practical jokes and fake food ideas were geared toward the older kids. Here's what I found and did for my son:

Most of the recipes I saw were either in the dessert category or was ground beef and potatoes (which my son doesn't eat) so these are the ones I choose:

April Fools Food Breakfast Pizza

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Flatten 2 Biscuits (see note) into 3 1/2" rounds, leaving a thicker border to resemble pizza crust. Bake 6 minutes, or until golden brown.

2. Spread Biscuits with 2 tsp. Ketchup each. Divide cooked Egg between them and top with sliced Sausages and 1 Tbs. grated Cheese. Microwave on high 10 seconds to lightly melt Cheese.

Bake remaining Biscuits as is or make more pizzas. I left off the sausages and he still loved it. You could also use an English muffin instead of the biscuits.

http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=9136


Fake Hot Dogs And French Fries

Peel a banana and spread peanut butter all over it to give it the appearance of a hot dog. Serve it in a hot dog bun with some strawberry preserve drizzled over the hotdog to make it look like ketchup.

For the fries, peel some apples and cut them into sticks resembling fresh fries. Roll them in a cinnamon and sugar mixture and bake them for 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated 400 F oven. Serve with a side of strawberry preserve as fake ketchup.

I followed the directions with the apples and was completely disappointed in how they turned out. I highly recommend that you don’t bake them at all. The cinnamon sugar mixture caramelized and made them stick to the pan and each other. It also made them chewy and he did not like them. In my opinion just cutting the apples into sticks that look like fries and rolling them in the mixture would have work a whole lot better and still given you the appearance you were looking for.


Monster Milk

My son is all about monsters and I had read during my research to make Alien milk (green food coloring) but since he's into monsters I used blue food coloring and called it Monster Milk!

You could also use it at the breakfast table. Everyone will do a double take when they witness this deliciously deceptive ruse. The trick makes milk change color when it's poured on top of cereal.


Ingredients:
Liquid food coloring
Dry cereal
Milk

Instructions:
To set up the trick, squeeze several drops of liquid food coloring over the bottom of a bowl, then pour in dry cereal to conceal the droplets. When a family member sits down to his cereal and adds some milk, he'll think he's entered a Technicolor twilight zone.


Fake Lemonade

Prepare some lemon Jell-O and pour it into glasses. Add a straw and let it set. It will look just like a glass of lemonade. You can even decorate the glass with a slice of lemon.

I had intended to do this for his preschool class but completely forgot that it takes 4 hours for Jell-O to set, so your best bet is to do this the night before. I used small clear plastic cups and had him help me make it for a prank to his daddy. He loved being involved.

http://www.foodpeer.com/article_sections/explanations_stories/april_fools_day_treats_you_are_serving_what_for_dinner


Grilled Cheese

Pound cake
Sugar-free Cool whip
Red and Yellow food coloring

I saw this idea on familyfun.com but I made few adjustments. You slice a pound cake (I used Sara Lee) and once thawed slice it thin to look like bread slices. Then toast in toaster or toaster oven until lightly browned. Then tint cool whip with food coloring until you get a nice orange color. You will only need about 2 drops of the red. They said to use icing but I served this prior to dinner (which was a real grilled cheese). This is also when we served our fake lemonade.

For more fun food, crafts pranks please check out http://familyfun.go.com/april-fools-day/


ACTIVITES:
Here are a few things I found that was preschool friendly:

Q:  What do you call a dog with no tail?
A:  A hot dog!

Q:  Where do sheep get their hair cut?
A:  At the baa-baa shop!

Q:  Why is six afraid of seven?
A:  Because seven ate nine!

Q:  Why did the elephant sit on a marshmallow?
A:  To keep from falling into the hot chocolate!


Say April Fools after each statement:

I saw a fish swimming in a tree.

Summer is fun because we can make lots of snowballs.

Dad likes to wash his pickup in the bathtub.


APRIL FOOLS’ DAY ANIMAL SONG
Tune:  “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”

Old MacDonald had a farm.  E-I-E-I-O.
And on his farm he had a cow. E-I-E-I-O.
With an oink, oink her, and an oink, oink there,
Here an oink, there an oink,
Everywhere an oink, oink.
Old MacDonald had a farm.  E-I-E-I-O.

                       
Continue singing about other April Fools’ Day animals, such as a sheep that moos, a pig that neighs, a horse that quacks, and a duck that baas.

This was so much fun that he went to preschool that day and sang it for the class.

For more April Fools Fun check out:
http://www.preschoolexpress.com/holiday_station03/holiday_station_april03.shtml

Unique Wedding Shower Gifts

Since spring is just around the corner, weddings will be in full bloom. Most of the people I know are married so I won't be attending weddings anytime soon. Even if I did have one to go to they were probably married or "mature" adults and pretty much have what they need and don't have to register for wedding gifts. A few years ago I searched for some different gift ideas because I was bored of giving a gift that was requested by the couple to be. Here's one of the two that I found (and used) and now want to share with you. The first one is a letter that has fill in the blanks with numbers that coordinate with the gifts. As the bride-to-be reads the letter she is to open the gift that matches the number. It will look like this:

Dear (Bride-to-be),

We have all gathered here today to wish you much love and luck as you and (Groom's name) enter a new ___(1)___ together. We know that your ___(2)___ will be ___(3)___ and full of ___(4)___ for many years. On your wedding day we will join you and
(Groom's name) as you ___(5)___ your love to each other.


However, (Bride-to-be) there are a few things that you should know. Right now you may be feeling that your life together is ___(6)___ but there will be times when you want to ___(7)___ because (Groom's name) is not exactly ___(8)___.


We are confident that (Groom's name) will come around and that you will ___(9)___ everything and the tow of you will ___(10)___ back to normal. Just make sure you always make time to ___(11)___ before going to bed.


Here’s hoping the ___(12)___ shines on your wedding day and we will ___(13)___ be there to ___(14)___ you on.


With love,
Extra-Zealous Mommy

I also include the finish letter for the bride-to-be with the blanks filled in. Take a look:

Dear (Bride to Be),

We have all gathered here today to wish you much love and luck as you and (Groom's name) enter a new ERA together. We know that your FUTURE will be BRITE and full of JOY for many years. On your wedding day we will join you and (Groom's name) as you PLEDGE your love to each other.


However, (Bride-to-be) there are a few things that you should know. Right now you may be feeling that your life together is FANTASTIC but there will be times when you want to SHOUT because (Groom's name) is not exactly MR.CLEAN.


We are confident that (Groom's name) will come around and that you will RESOLVE everything and the two of you will BOUNCE back to normal. Just make sure you always make time to SNUGGLE before going to bed.


Here’s hoping the SUNLIGHT shines on your wedding day and we will ALL be there to CHEER you on.


With love,

Extra-Zealous Mommy

Did you figure it out? That's right cleaning supplies!!!! Who doesn't need and use them. What a great gift for a couple that already has everything already or for a couple just starting out together. I guess it could even be a great house warming gift, you just would have to change some of the wording.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Basket of Candles for

(happy couple)

A basket of candles that come in a pair in all different colors for you two to share.

The white ones burn first as you begin your new life at home together as husband and wife.

Burn the green pair next and hope no one is thinner after serving the first guests you have over for dinner.

The dark blue candles are for after your first fight Use them to burn while making up all night.

Red candles set the mood and pave the way for your first married Valentine’s Day.

Now, when your first year of marriage is through, the cream anniversary pair will light for you two.

And in time we hope, maybe, just maybe you can light the purple ones on the birth of your baby.

Congratulations (Happy Couple) on the start of your forever. May the two of you always be happy together.

And burn these candles just the way it is said, but please don’t forget…blow them out before going to bed!

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Things For The Junk Drawer

Matches - to always keep that spark in your marriage.
Candle - to light a fire under him to get things done.
Flash light - to help you guys see your way out of disagreements.
Pens - men are visual. If you want something done you’ll need to write it down for him!
Post Its - Because you need to remind guys all the time!
Magnet Clips - to hold it together when you feel like walking out the door.
Tape - to make you both stick with it even when it feels hopeless.
Fast food menus - because a girls got to Eat!
Glue - to hold it together when you want to knock him in the head
Krazy Glue - to put it back together after you knock him in the head! (just kidding)
Scissors - When you have a headache you need to tell him to Cut it out!
Rubber bands - to make sure he snaps to it when you tell him too! “OUCH”
Cook Book - to teach HIM how to do the cooking!
Stapler - To keep him around when you need him!
Envelopes - To send him away when you don’t!
Tacks - To pin him to the wall when you catch him misbehaving

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The basket with a blockbuster card, a bottle of wine with two wine glasses, the couple's favorite snack food, a fondue set with chocolate and marshmallows, candles, a soft blanket to cuddle, bath salts, and a wooden massager. In addition, you can include a love poem. Here's an example:

This evening is meant for you two alone

So lock all your doors and turn off the phone

With the blockbuster card rent a movie or two

A romance, a comedy, any genre will do

Next grab the glasses and uncork the wine

Bring the (favorite snack) for you two to dine

Instead of a lamp, use the candles for light

Now under the blanket, snuggle in tight

When its time for dessert, share the chocolate fondue

Dip the marshmallows included and any fruit too

Once the movie is over, your night is not done

Make your way to the bathroom to relax and have fun

Draw a bath with the salts and take a soak in the tub

Use the massager to give each other a rub

We hope you enjoy your night to unwind

Time alone with each other, there is no better kind.

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And a few more of my favorites:
 
Buy a vase or pitcher that they registered for, then take it to a florist the day of or before the shower. Have them fill it with whites and/or the wedding colors and tie a bow around it. It makes a beautiful presentation.  


Find out where they are going for their honeymoon and put together something that they can use for the trip. For example: a big beach bag, 2 embroidered towels, Mrs. (last name) and Mr.(last name), a disposable underwater camera, a honeymoon photo album, "just married" flip-flops, a honeymoon picture frame, and a pregnancy test.

"EVERYTHING YOU WILL NEED FROM A TO Z" basket. For example A is for Aluminum Foil, B is for Bath soaps, X is for X-Rated (lingerie) and on and on. Can also be used for a baby shower.  

Breakfast in bed - mugs, tray, pancake mix & forms, coffee, hot choc, etc.


Wooden salad bowls with serving spoons taken out of the box and crinkled dollar bills enough to form a hefty salad (about 25), sprinkled croutons and covered with plastic wrap, then added to a basket with other salad condiments, dressing, jar of olives, salad bowls etc... you can use the wooden salad bowls with serving spoons or use a salad bowl off of the bride’s registry.