By Marley Tobin
Do your kids complain about the Boring “kids table” at holiday dinners? There are many ways to reconstruct the lifeless kids table into an engaging memorable one. Treats, decoration, and entertainment will help get 100 percent of kids from complaining to occupied. Your kids and small partygoers will look forward to your party every year! YOU will be the ultimate host for holiday feasts!
Treats are the way to a kid’s heart. There are many delicious things in the category of treats, and we all know that one picky “kid” that won’t eat anything. Brownie cookies, peppermint cupcakes, and apple squares cover all the bases. Try these great recipes to impress the kids:
Cookies -1 half a stick of softened butter,1 egg,and half of “Trader Joe’s Truffle Brownie Mix”.Then simply mix the ingredients together and pour one spoonful each of the mix onto a cookie sheet.Then bake for 20-30 minutes.
Peppermint Cupcakes – “Betty Crocker” vanilla cake mix,1 ¼ cup of water,⅓ cup of vegetable oil,and 3 eggs. Mix all your ingredients together then heat your oven to 350°F and cook for 18 to 23 minutes. Then make or buy your favorite vanilla frosting mix and put in 1 to 3 drops of peppermint extract. If you want to put some pizzazz into it than you can add red food coloring! Frost your cupcakes with a piping bag or a Ziploc bag with the slit in the corner.
Apple squares – 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, a quarter teaspoon of ground cinnamon a 4th cup butter or margarine, melted, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar, One egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup apple, 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon. Sift flour, baking powder,salt,and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon in a large bowl.Then put melted butter, brown sugar,and one half of white sugar then beat until smooth. Then stir in eggs and vanilla then blend the flour mixture in. Stir in the apples and walnuts into the mixture and spread into a 9×9 inch greased pan. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon and sugar on top. Bake for 20–25 minutes.
These delicious treats will surely have the kids praising the “Kids Table” for those holiday dinners!
Decoration is my favorite thing and is key at a party or an event! Here are three decorations to blow the partygoers minds.
The almighty decoration for Thanksgiving is pumpkins and they have many different uses. But for this particular party you will be using how many you want. Pumpkin bowls-Pumpkin(how many you want),a bowl (has to fit in your pumpkin),and your party appetizers. Trace your bowl on top of the pumpkin, then cut around the outline. Remove the top and insides, put your bowl in the pumpkin and Pour in your snacks! That’s one decorative and easy idea for your party!
Party Cup Lights – any color Christmas lights(best brightest white or yellow lights), paper cups (you can use Christmas ones too!). Cut a crisscross hole in the bottom of your cups, Then stick your Christmas lights inside the hole. There you have it, an interesting and creative Christmas light garland for your party!
Sock snowman – knee-high sock, rice, sharpie, buttons, and rubber bands. Cut your sock where the heel would start, and then fill it with rice and tie a rubber band around it so rice won’t spill out. Then wrap a rubber band around where you want the head to be. Draw on eyes, coals and a nose to complete his jolly face! You can even add buttons on to complete the look.
These decorations are fun, simple and easy to make! They will charm and amuse your guests full to the brim!
Entertainment is another way to stop the whining and complaining! These easy and engaging ways to entertain the little boys and girls will make you seem like a child whisperer.
The “Holiday Game” this game is a very fun and quiet game to keep kids entertained. How it works- everyone gets a clothespin with the words holiday on it. If you say a “Holiday” in a conversation your pin gets taken away by the receiver of the conversation. The winner of the game is the one with the most pins, and he or she gets a prize of your choice!
Photo Booth – Tape a simple white sheet to an open space on your wall, then cut out “HAPPY HOLIDAYS!” in paper and glue or tape it to the sheet. Then glue or tape different things (depending on the holiday) like candy canes and flat ornaments to turkey hands and cornucopias! Leave out props with a camera or phone on a tripod, set the photos on timer, and voila you’re done! Just have the kids press the timer and put on some props.
Pin the nose on Rudolf – a Rudolf template, red pompom ball and double sided tape, 1×1 or 2×2 cardboard square. Cut out your “Rudolf” and tape it to the wall, take your pom pom and hot glue the cardboard piece to it, then put the double sided tape on the cardboard square. There you have pin the nose on Rudolf, a cute and easy game to entertain the kids!
At the end of the party you will be applauded by your guests for being an amazing host for the adults and the kids! These treats, decorations, and entertainment look effortless but timeless on the same beat! Your kids will worship your holiday dinners at the “Kids Table” for once!
