What would Christmas be without reindeer to pull Santa's sleigh? From Dasher and Dancer to Comet and Cupid (oh and who can forget Rudolph?) reindeer are part of the fun of Christmas. Here are two crafts adapted from craft idea shared by Suzanne. The reindeer pops make great snacks for a kids Christmas pay and everyone needs a batch of reindeer food for Christmas Eve, after all Santa gets cookies and milk.
Reindeer Treats on a Stick
Ingredients for 4 reindeer pops:
- 2 bananas (cut in half - use 1.2 half for each reindeer treat)
- 4 popsicle sticks
- 8 mini twist pretzels
- chocolate chips
- 4 red M & M candies (for the nose)
- 8 other colors - 2 each - for the eyes
- peanut butter
What you do:
1. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler. if using the microwave melt for 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each 15 seconds.
2. Put a popsicle stick into each banana half. Dip the bananas into the melted chocolate. make each reindeer treat one at a time so you can work while the chocolate is still warm.
3. Lay the bananas on wax paper and add the candy eyes and a red nose by pressing the candies into the warm chocolate.
4. Smear peanut butter on the back of the pretzels. Lay in play to look like antlers. (Option - you can use pretzel sticks and push them into the sides of the banana.)
5. Put bananas into the freezer until frozen. Then eat your reindeer on a stick.
Reindeer Food
What you need:
- 1/2 cup of oatmeal or sand
- red or green colored sugar - about 1/4 cup
- gold or silver glitter
- ziplock bags
- What you do:
1. Put the oatmeal or sand into a mixing bowl. Stir in the colored sugar.
2. Stir in gold or silver glitter.
3. Place in ziplock bags to hand out to friends.
To use your reindeer food sprinkle several handfuls onto the lawn Christmas Eve. The reindeer smell the oatmeal and sugar and the glitter sparkles in the grass so the reindeer can find the food. NOTE: If you have very young children just use oatmeal and sugar in case the kids decide to taste the reindeer food.
Would you like even more reindeer to decorate your house? Look no further than here at Kids Crafts. Candy Cane Reindeer are a super easy kid's craft. You can hang them on the tree, place them in stockings or hand out to your favorite friends. They also make great bazaar crafts.
Belinda Mooney - Belinda J Mooney is a freelance writer and mother of 7. You can read more of her work at www.practicalparenting.com
