Backpack and Car Snacks for Families on the Go!

We spend a lot of the time in the car. Sometimes several hours a day, with commutes and school and errands...

And kids get hungry. And cranky. And we can all be tempted by the many drive-throughs and convenience foods waiting patiently on every corner in America.

The problem is that we also know that very few of those foods are healthy or nutritious and although an occasional kids' meal isn't going to doom anyone to a life of unhealthiness, having a few yummy and healthy alternatives can be helpful too!

So, to avoid snack emergencies, keeping some non-perishable snacks in the car in a lunchbox or in the glove compartment can be the difference between a  quick, nutritious snack before dinner and another chicken nugget!

Snacks that don't need to be refrigerated:

• Trail Mix
• 100 Calories packs-although these are usually not the healthiest option, it's a better alternative than fast food
• Peanut Butter packs
• Raisins
• Granola Bars
• Dried Fruit without sugar
• Cereal in snack bags
• Crackers and Pretzels
• If you are brave- pudding cups that don't need refrigeration
• Popcorn
• Fruit Snacks

Also, taking your children to the bulk section of the grocery store can be fun if you let them pick out a few snacks in small amounts to try! It's a good way to introduce them to new foods and avoid the "toy of the week" at the same time...Happy traveling!

Halloween Costume Ideas for Toddlers

With Halloween around the corner, cute Halloween costumes are everywhere! From homemade to mail order, here are some of the most adorable costumes for toddlers that we could find!

From PennyWitch on  Etsy.com 

 Etsy. com has some amazing handmade items, from hats to capes and other accessories to head to toe unique costumes for your toddler. Since the shop owners have sometimes modeled the items for sale on their own children, they tend to be a little more practical!

One Step Ahead has a pretty big selection of costumes available for order...infants and toddlers.

The Spirit of Halloween has a gigantic selection of costumes for all shapes and sizes of infant and toddler. Their costumes tend to be more mainstream, but sometimes a little guy just wants a Spiderman costume!

If your toddler doesn't really have much interest in a full costume, there are a few accessories that can bring out the Halloween spirit in even the fussiest dresser!

• Tutus and leotards
• Feather Boas
• Wands
• Crowns and Jewelry
• Crazy Socks!
• White T-Shirts and fabric markers and they can make their own!

OneStepAhead.com

The Spirit of Halloween Costume Shop

      Happy Halloween to all of our Families!

Playdough Recipes

Kids love playdough. It is a universal truth. And, just as universal truth worthy, is the fact that playdough gets left out, eaten, fed to the dogs, shoved in the couch cushions...and sooner rather than later, it's time to buy more!

But, it's even more fun to make your own- Here are some awesome tried and true playdough recipes that are  super easy to make!

Remember to store playdough in an airtight container to keep it fresh. You can also add a little vanilla to keep it smelling sweet!

Colored Playdough

Materials

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1 tablespoon cream of tartar
• Food coloring
• Saucepan
• 1 cup flour

Directions

1. Combine water, oil, salt, cream of tartar, and food coloring in a saucepan and heat until warm.
2. Remove from heat and add flour.
3. Stir, then knead until smooth. The cream of tartar makes this dough last 6 months or longer, so resist the temptation to omit this ingredient if you don't have it on hand.
4. Store this dough in an airtight container or a Ziploc freezer bag.

Kool-Aid Playdough

Materials

• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 cups water
• Saucepan
• Food coloring, tempera powder, or Kool-Aid powder for color
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2 tablespoons alum

Directions

1. Combine salt and water in saucepan and boil until salt dissolves.
2. Remove from heat and tint with food coloring, tempera powder, or Kool-Aid.
3. Add oil, flour, and alum.
4. Knead until smooth.
5. This dough will last 2 months or longer.

Salt Playdough

Materials

• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup flour plus additional flour
• Saucepan

Directions

1. Mix salt, water, and flour in saucepan and cook over medium heat.
2. Remove from heat when mixture is thick and rubbery.
3. As the mixture cools, knead in enough flour to make the dough workable.

Thanks to FamilyEducation.com for the awesome recipes!

Peanut Allergies in Preschool

          As a parent it can be challenging to find snacks that are peanut free. As more and more schools lean toward being completely peanut free this makes packing lunches and snacks difficult. Of course we want to include things that our children enjoy eating but we would also like those same snacks to offer some nutritional value. Here at The Children’s Center of Austin this is something we see our parents struggle with so we decided to investigate and find some peanut free snacks we know children love.

            As children continue to be diagnosed with severe peanut allergies many companies have begun to create peanut free snacks. Although it is possible to find processed snacks without nuts we have had great success at snack time when we offer fresh fruits and vegetables. These are a staple of The Children’s Center of Austin’s menu and the children continually enjoy everything from carrot sticks to strawberries. Not only do these snacks have the benefit of being nut free but the also provide fiber and many essential vitamins. Yogurt and cheese sticks are also always appreciated at our snack table. These healthy snacks offer a boost of calcium and protein that keeps our children going all afternoon.

            In the event that you need a snack on the run, sometimes fruit is not a viable option. In this event you can always use an easy on the go snack. We have found that our children love Goldfish and, lucky for us, these fish are made without any nut product. There are also many crackers that are nut free. Some of these include Ritz crackers, Nabisco saltines and Keebler Club crackers.

            If you’re looking for a sweeter on the go snack, we have found that many of our children love fruit snacks. They come in every size, shape, color and cartoon character you can imagine and many of them are made with 100% fruit juice. Some of the nut free brands we have discovered include: Fruit Roll Ups, Gushers, Scooby Doo fruit snacks, and Hi-C fruit snacks.

            There are many other options out there so if you need some new ideas for snack time try looking at SnackSafely.com. We love snack time so we know our children do to and none of us want to eat the same things everyday. Variety is the spice of life so be sure to add some spice to your snack time.There are even fun, healthy kid inspired recipes like this one:

Allergy-Free Dessert Recipe: MockBuckeyes 
A peanut-free version for chocolate lovers!

Recipe Information  

Category: Candy
# of Servings: 30 candies
Recipe Created By: Cristi Schwamb

Ingredients

□       Tbs  softened margarine or softened (or melted) coconut oil

□       1/2  cup  sunflower seed butter such as Sunbutter®

□       1  cup  sifted powdered sugar

□       1  cup (approx)  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

□       Stir margarine, sunflower seed butter and powdered sugar together. If the mixture is too sticky to handle, you can knead in a little extra powdered sugar, one spoonful at a time, until the consistency is a bit firmer and doesn't make a mess all over your
hands.

□       Divide dough into small balls. Refrigerate (or freeze) for a while so that they aren't so sticky. Put a glass measuring cup full of chocolate chips into microwave for a minute or so -- stirring every 30 seconds. Dip balls into melted chocolate and place on waxed paper. Chill until firm.

Which Sunscreen is Right for Your Child?

The sun is shining and the risk of getting a painful sun burn is high. So with that in mind, you go to buy your little one sunscreen to protect their delicate skin. There's only one problem... Which sunscreen is right for your child?

We have all gone to the store looking to pick up some sunscreen and it seems like there are a million options. There are sticks, sprays, creams and different crazy concoctions.So first thing's first... pick a sunscreen that is convenient for you to apply when needed. Some good things to look for when buying sunscreen for your child includes one that is fragrance free and hypoallergenic especially if your child has sensitive skin. Also, look for one that provides broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection (look for ingredients such as titanium dioxide, avobenzone or zinc oxide). Along with the heat comes sweat so make sure that it is also waterproof.

Try to beat the heat and the burn that can come along with it and pick a sunscreen that is right for your child. When in doubt, remember to call your pediatrician.

Summer is just around the corner! Are you ready?

Can you believe that summer is just around the corner? The Children's Center of Austin is preparing for this year's summer camp! The curriculum coordinator and teachers are so excited about this year's theme entitled, "Summer Under the Rainbow". We have planned fun and exciting field trips, scavenger hunts to places such as Bob Bullock Museum, take a dip in our school swimming pool, and reconnect with friends from last summer!  The summer enrollment packets are ready and our space is limited.

 Please stop by the school today. Our school address is 6507 Jester Blvd, Building 2, Austin, Texas 78750 or give us a call at (512) 795-8300, and reserve your spot!

We Hope You Had a Great MLK Holiday

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we were here at Jester cleaning and refreshing our classrooms. There have been a lot of nasty germs going around, so it was the perfect day to deep clean and sanitize!