Reminder! Creative Kids in the Kitchen Contest ends December 4th!

Make sure to get your entries in – share you ideas for how you like to cook with your kids and you can win a new Frigidaire kitchen for you and a new Step2 kitchen for your child.

We’re excited to read how all of the entries – good luck!

Tips from Barbara Beery

How to Have the Little Cooks in the Kitchen in Time for Turkey Day

• If you want to get your kids hands on in the meal you are making, the first thing to do is get organized. Get the kids to help clean up the work area, get out all the pots, bowls, and utensils you’ll need to make the recipe and even measure out things that you’ll need. 1 cup of flour? Here it is and set it aside. That way to can stay focused on the task at hand and you’re teaching your kids how to get started off on the right foot.

• Another way to get kids excited is by dividing up the tasks involved in making a recipe. As much as you can, get everyone involved. Have the little ones set the table, or help stir contents in a bowl. Have some kid safe knives or spoons around so it’s easier for little hands. You don’t have to have these things but they make things easier and more fun.

• Or you can even have them play with some pretend food like these items that come with one of the play kitchens – they’ll make kids feel like they are helping right along.

• And be patient; remember it’s the journey not the destination. Dumplings are a great Thanksgiving treat that are a really easy and fun food for kids to make too—they are magic-like in the way they cook in the chicken stock as they turn from mush into a fluffy delicious bite of heaven!!

Happy Thanksgiving Y’all!

Which Dream Kitchen Will You Be Giving This Holiday Season?

Even “Rachael Ray” is giving a Step2 kitchen away in time for the holidays. Which kitchen do you plan on getting for your children, grand children or little loved ones? Use our kitchen selector to help you decide.

Barbara Beery Shares Tips and Tricks with Viewers Nationwide

With a degree in elementary education, a passion for cooking, and three children of her own, Barbara Beery was the perfect person to talk about Step2 kitchens and the “Creative Kids in the Kitchen Contest.” Barbara conducted 10 interviews on behalf of Step2. Check her out on KQCA-TV in Sacramento, Calif.

Looking for a holiday gift that will encourage Creative Play?

By: Kelly Christian

While working with families to help them improve their play skills, I’ve come across many parents who want to know what toys they ought to have available at home for their children. The easy answer is anything you would want to play with and think was fun. But there are some things to consider in helping get the most out of a toy and playtime at home. Here are some ideas to have in mind while debating your holiday purchases this year:

· Is the toy age appropriate and will the toy be appealing to your child for many years or will they soon grow out of it? For example, toys like blocks, dolls, and cars are toys children continue to enjoy as they get older. It’s a great investment to find toys that will not lose their allure too quickly!

· Consider what your child already has. Do they have a lot of cars, dolls, or action figures, but do not have blocks to build with, puzzles to solve, or arts and craft materials to be creative?

· Is this a toy your child is meant to passively play with? For instance, does your child have to use their imagination to make sounds for a toy car or are they supposed to push buttons to hear the sound?

· Is this a toy the whole family can play with together?

· Is it a toy that will promote your child’s imagination and problem solving skills?

· Lastly, consider if it’s a toy that can be used in many ways and assess the quality of the toy. Is its appeal mainly that it’s covered in your child’s beloved TV character or that it’s actually a fun and interesting toy?

Try checking out step2.com for inspiration.

Step2 Contests and Giveaways Buzz in the Blogosphere

In the cyberworld, these moms are connected! The following bloggers are helping to spread the word of Step2® kitchen giveaways.
• Oh My Giveaway – Blog directs readers to another site where readers can enter a contest to win a Step2 kitchen.
• Be Happy for This Moment – Mentions the Step2 kitchen contest being conducted on Coffee with the Ms.
• Contest & Giveaways from Around the Web – Directs readers to the No Time Mommy blog to win a Step2 play kitchen.
• SweepStakes Mama - Mentions how great Step2 kitchens are for promoting creative play and directs reader’s to another blog to enter a contest for a chance to win a Step2 kitchen.

Are you Ready to Shop?

It’s time to kick off the holiday shopping season. Get ready to start shopping for that big ticket item. With a variety of price points, décor styles and play pattern needs, choosing a Step2® play kitchen can be a hard decision, but thankfully we’re here to help. Be sure to check out our kitchen selector.

Here are some tips for how to look for the best play kitchen for your kids:

· Determine how many children will be playing with this Kitchen at the same time. For multiple children the LifeStyle™ Deluxe Kitchen is always a great option.

· What is your living space like – Country home or city dweller? This will determine which kitchen is best for you. We recommend the LifeStyle™ Gourmet Cafe Kitchen for open spaces and the Fresh Market Kitchen for closer quarters.

What's your home’s style: traditional, modern, themed? We have something for everyone.

Fun and Easy Drink for Kids

The winter isn’t yet here so let’s make the most of the fall season with play fruits. Your kids will love them. Step2® makes all sorts of creative play fruits and cooking accessories for your little ones. We love this 101 piece play food assortment from Step2.

You can even make real fruit drinks like my recipe for Perfect Pink Grape Lemonade while they make the play versions.

Perfect Pink Grape Lemonade
Makes about 2 quarts
Lemons and grapes (Child uses play fruits)
Ingredients
5-7 lemons, juiced to make 1 cup
6 cups water
1 cup superfine sugar
1 bottle 100 % Concord grape juice
2 cups grapes , red or green, frozen

Let’s Start Mixing!
1. In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups water and 1 cup superfine sugar. Heat over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir-in lemon juice.
2. Add 2 cups of frozen grapes to a pitcher and slowly pour in lemonade. Stir-in 2-4 tablespoons of grape juice until you get the perfect pink lemonade shade!

Kid-friendly Kitchen Tips
Superfine sugar is a finer grain sugar that dissolves faster than regular granulated sugar and is sold in almost all super markets. If you don’t have superfine sugar, you can easily make it by placing in a blender for a few seconds.

Freeze grapes to chill drinks instead of ice. Place individual grapes on a cookie sheet and freeze for several hours or overnight. You can also freeze other fruits such as berries or simply keep a stash of frozen fruits to have ready anytime!

For more tasty recipes please visit Barbara Beery’s recipe page on the Creative Kids in the Kitchen site.