The purpose of Mother Goose Day (May 1st of each year) is to promote appreciation of nursery rhymes. The official home of the Mother Goose Society ( www.librarysupport.net/mothergoosesociety/tips.html ) lists their motto as : “Either alone or in sharing, read childhood nursery favorites and feel the warmth of Mother Goose’s embrace.”
Here are some fun, health-centered ways to celebrate Mother Goose Day with your children:
Pease Porridge is a thick pea soup. If your child is not a “pea fan”, try using a condensed pea soup (without liquid) as a cracker spread. Remember that sometimes just making a food fun takes the pressure off trying new foods.
Little Miss Muffett: “curds and whey” is an old-fashioned term for cottage cheese (the curds are the lumpy parts and the whey is the milky part). Don’t like cottage cheese? Try this: Add Sugar Free Jello Cheesecake Mix to a 1 cup cottage cheese and mix in a blender. Crumble graham crackers on top for a yummy low-cal dessert. I also found this twist on Macaroni and Cheese on the Kraftfoods webpage: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/cottage-macaroni-cheese-53327.aspx?
Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater: Pumpkin is a fruit–a member of the melon family. Canned pumpkin is available year-round, not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas for pies. Did you know that canned pumpkin is delicious in instant oatmeal? (Thank you HungryGirl.com for this tip!) Here is another Hungry Girl recipe using canned pumpkin: Brownie Muffins http://www.hungry-girl.com/week/weeklydetails.php?isid=614
Jack Sprat: Use this rhyme to teach your children about healthy eating. Create two “plates” out of cardboard and cut out different food pictures from magazines (healthy and not-so-healthy foods). Have your children put “lean” foods on one plate for Jack Sprat and “not-lean” foods on his wifes plate.
Little Jack Horner: Plums are sweet and juicy and are an excellent source of Vitamin A, Iron and fiber! Try a plum jam instead of grape on a PB&J.
Hot Cross Buns – the history of a Hot Cross bun stems back to a Christian tradition of eating a sweet, spiced bun on Good Friday, with the cross representing the crucifixion. There is also bit of English folklore that says that a piece of a hot cross bun given to someone who is ill will help them recover. Another wonderful tradition is sharing it as a symbol of friendship “Half for you and Half for me, Between us two, goodwill shall be” (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_cross_bun)
On Top of Spaghetti – okay, the original song is “On Top of Old Smokey”, but wasn’t this so much fun to sing as a child? Have a family spaghetti dinner tonight (with meatballs) and sing while you eat!
The Queen of Hearts: Tarts are a type of pastry filled with fruit with an open top. Tarts can be a healthy dessert alternative to pie. Speaking of tarts: who didn’t grow up eating Pop-Tarts? The Pop-Tart website says “We believe that life should be sprinkled with happiness, frosted with possibilities, and filled with fun”. What a great motto!
Polly Put the Kettle On: Have a tea party and enjoy some toast or muffins.
To market, to market: Going to the grocery store with children can sometimes be challenging! To keep them busy and to help them learn about foods, create a “bingo” card foods from different aisles. When they get 5 in a row, offer to buy just one special treat.
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow: On the cartoon Maisy, this song is sung while Maisy Mouse plants and tends to a garden. Children love to help with watering plants, etc. so start your own garden today (and sing the song while you work!). Alternatively, go to a home improvement or garden store with your child, and just learn about all of the different types of vegetables you can grow in your area.
Ring around the Rosey, All Around the Mulberry Bush, The Ants Go Marching, The Hokey Pokey, London Bridge: Who says exercise has to be boring? Play some of these fun activities with your children for a great workout!
To view a list of Mother Goose Rhymes to create your own fun activity, use this link: http://tinyurl.com/dez3xn
Here are some fun, health-centered ways to celebrate Mother Goose Day with your children:
To view a list of Mother Goose Rhymes to create your own fun activity, use this link: http://tinyurl.com/dez3xn