Strawberry Theme
Searching for healthy cookie recipes for this Christmas? Check out these delicious recipes that are low-carb, low sugar and low fat!
When it comes to holiday food you do not have to expand your waist line!
Book List

Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and the Strawberries - Maj Lindman
Jamberry - Bruce Degen
The First Strawberries : A Cherokee Story - Joseph Bruhac
The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and THE BIG HUNGRY BEAR - Audrey and Don Wood
Songs & Fingerplays

Pop Go The Berries - sung to "Pop Goes the Weasel"

All around the strawberry fields,
We picked some juicy berries
We brought them home and washed them off,
Pop! - go the berries!

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Strawberry Patch - sung to "Paw Paw Patch"

Where oh where are all the children?
Where oh where are all the children?
Where oh where are all the children?
Way down yonder in the strawberry patch.

Pickin' up strawberries, put 'em in the basket,
Pickin' up strawberries, put 'em in the basket,
Pickin' up strawberries, put 'em in the basket,
Way down yonder in the strawberry patch.

Take the berries home and wash em up
Take the berries home and wash em up
Take the berries home and wash em up
Way down yonder in the strawberry patch!

Slice the berries up and make a pie.
Slice the berries up and make a pie.
Slice the berries up and make a pie.
Way down yonder in the strawberry patch!

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Picked a Strawberry - sung to "Clementine"

Picked a strawberry,
Picked a strawberry
That was growing
In the sun.
Then I washed it,
And I ate it,
And I picked another one.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Strawberries - story

Long ago, a poor woman lived in a little hut near a mountain on which was a wide forest. She had one daughter, and they loved each other dearly. One day the woman fell ill, and longed for strawberries. So her daughter took a jug and set out to gather the fruit. She climbed the mountain, and entered the forest, where she found vines covered with big, red, luscious berries. She had gathered her jug nearly full when she saw a tiny woman, who could barely walk, come tripping toward her. A very strange-looking woman she was; she appeared almost weightless, covered in a misty veil of gauze. When she spoke, she sang in melodies sweeter than the young woman had ever heard. "My dear child," said she, "I see that your jug is full of delicious berries. Would you please give me some to quench my thirst?" "Take all you want," said the young woman gladly, "and I'll pick more for my mother." So the strange woman ate until the jug was nearly empty, then away she hobbled, vanishing among the trees. The daughter quickly filled her jug again, and went home. Astonishingly, when she took it to her mother's bedside, every strawberry in it had turned to pure gold! Mother and daughter hugged each other joyfully, thanking the heavens for their bounty. And from that day on mother and daughter were very rich indeed. Sometimes you know an angel only by the miracles she bestows upon your doorstep.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Arts & Crafts

Strawberry Playdough

1 cup flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 package un-sweetened strawberry Kool-Aid
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 cup water

Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and Kool-Aid in a medium saucepan. Add water and oil. Stir over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes. When mixture forms a ball in pan, remove. Knead until smooth. Store in a covered plastic container.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Strawberry Painting

Provide red paint and easel paper cut into a large strawberry shape. The next day the children can glue a green construction paper stem on the top.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Basket Prints

Save those small plastic baskets that strawberries come in. They make neat prints. Dip them in paint & press on paper for interesting designs.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Silly Berry Jamberry Pictures - for art

Draw a happy and silly picture with many berries in it

Materials you will need-
Paper
Crayons or chalks

1. Talk about the illustrations in JAMBERRY and how they make us feel happy and silly when we see them.
2. Ask the children to think of happy and silly pictures with lots of berries in them. JAMBERRY had a canoe filled with berries, a goose driving a train load of blackberries and elephants skating on raspberry jam.
3. Encourage the children as they are getting started with their silly pictures, then leave them to work on their own.
4. Display the silly berry JAMBERRY pictures on the bulletin board.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
In The Kitchen

Snack Ideas

1. Peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwiches.
2. Strawberry short cake.
3. Strawberry finger jello,
4. Strawberry milkshakes
5. Serve fruit punch - w/ ice cubes, freeze a strawberry in each ice cube

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Strawberry Shadow Sandwiches

Makes enough jam for a whole crowd--
2 slices of bread per person
Ingredients
8 cups fresh strawberries
1/2 teaspoon butter
7 cups sugar (or less, to taste)
jelling agent, such as Sure-Jell
loaf of favorite bread

Utensils
kitchen towels hot soapy water
pot (large enough for child to stand inside with both feet)
5-quart pot
wooden mixing spoon
sterilized canning jars with lids
cookie cutters
spreading knife

Process - To make the fresh strawberry jam
1. Wash the strawberries and remove the stems. Place them in the large pot.
2. Spread kitchen towels on the floor. Place the pot of strawberries on the kitchen towels.
3. Meanwhile, wash feet well in warm soapy water and then dry with clean towels.
4. Step into the strawberry pot and gently stomp and crush the strawberries. Be sure to crush well by pressing down into them over and over.
5. When finished, step onto the kitchen towels and wipe feet well. Wash and dry feet (and hands) again before resuming the cooking project.
6. Place the crushed strawberries in a 5-quart pot. Add the jelling agent to the strawberries, and then add the butter.
7. Place the pot of strawberries on the stove over medium high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the sugar to the strawberry mixture and continue stirring.
8. Remove the pot from the stove and then skim the foam off the top of the mixture with the spoon. Discard the foam.
9. Pour the mixture into the sterilized canning jars. Fill to 1/8 inch from the top of the jar, then immediately screw the lids on tightly. Turn the canning jars upside down on the counter to cool.

To make the shadow sandwiches
1. While the jars cool, divide the bread into two equal piles.
2. Spread cooled strawberry jam mixture on each slice of bread from one pile. Set on a plate. From the other pile of bread, cut a shape with a cookie cutter into each slice of bread.
3. Make a shadow sandwich by putting one slice of strawberry-covered bread together with one bread cutout. The larger piece of bread will show around the cutout like a frame. Spread jam on cutouts, too, if desired.
4. Arrange the shadow sandwiches on a plate for a fresh strawberry treat.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Frozen Fruit Treat

1 3/4 cups strawberries
1 large can crushed pineapple
5 bananas (cut in cubes)
12 oz frozen orange juice - concentrate
1 1/2 cups water

Mix ingredients together. Freeze in small paper cups. Serve partially defrosted. Children love this nutritous treat!

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Breakfast Banana Splits

Use oatmeal (or any hot cereal) instead of ice cream. Still use toppings. I use crushed pineapple, strawberry preserves (or (thawed)frozen strawberries) and of course, chocolate syrup and a little whip cream... Of course you make these a size to fit the kids, so they can finish them all, but my kids love it! At least for a change of pace.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Strawberry Pizza

1 refridgerated unbaked pie crust
1 cup ricotta or cottage cheese
2-3 teas. sugar
1/4 tea. vanilla ext.
1 pint fresh strawberries cleaned,dried, sliced top to bottom
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tea. sugar

Preheat oven 450. Carefully lay out pie crust on baking sheet to form pizza bottom and cook 10-12 min or until lightly brown/done. Puree the cheese in blender; add sugar and vanilla. Spread onto cooked crust. Arrange strawberries on top of cheese spread making sure not to overlap. Stir yogurt well and drizzle across strawberries to resemble melted mozzarella. Refridgerate and serve.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Tasting Berries

What the children will learn - To compare the tastes of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries

Materials you will need-
Fresh or frozen blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries, large bowls and serving bowls, spoons, whipped cream (optional)

1. Have several children assist you in washing the berries and preparing them for the snack table.
2. At snack time, let the children serve themselves a few of each berry.
3. Taste the berries and compare the tastes. Discuss some of the foods we prepare with berries, jams, pies or cobblers, fillings for pastries.

Something to think about- Add the whipped cream topping only after the children have tasted the berries in their natural forms. If you use frozen berries, select those which do not have sugar added.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Summertime Snack

Strawberry week - serve strawberries in a variety of ways. Plain, dip in sugar or melted chocolate for an added treat. Strawberry pancakes, shortcake, strawberries on ice cream. Make some freezer jam.

Raspberry week - these tiny fruits are a little expensive so maybe you could have raspberry day. Make freezer jam, eat them plain, sprinkled over yogurt or with a dollop or whipped cream.

Blueberry week - go wild for blue. Make muffins, pancakes, cakes, bread, sprinkle them over ice cream or breakfast cereal.

Cool week - ice cream, popsicles, chilled fruit...watermelon.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Frozen Yogurt Pops

1 C frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 C plain yogurt
5 Tbsp. honey
7 3-1/2 oz. paper cups
7 wooden ice cream sticks

Put strawberries in blender, blend until smooth. Pour into bowl and stir in honey and yogurt. Fill cups 2/3 full with mixture. Put stick in center. Freeze 1-2 hours. Remove from cup and serve.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Chocolate Dipped Hearts

Strawberries
1 cup of Chocolate Chips
3 tblsp. Skim Milk
Fresh Mint Leaves for decoration

Wash the strawberries and let them dry on a paper towel. Put the chocolate chips and milk into a microwave container. Put this in the microwave and cook on high for 1 minute. Stir it, if it is still has lumpy pieces cook it again for 30 seconds. Stir it until it is a smooth sauce. Put wax paper or tinfoil on a plate that will fit in the fridge. Take the strawberries by the leaves and dip them half way into the chocolate sauce. Place it on the plate and do the rest. Put them in the fridge until the chocolate gets hard. Put them on a fancy plate that you decorate with the mint leaves. Eat them!!!!
Theme Ideas

Nature Study

Bring in a strawberry plant to examine. Provide a magnifying glass. Encourage the children to look at the plant from different perspectives, the top and from the sides, and every part of the plant.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Strawberry Toss

Make three strawberry shaped bean bags out of red felt. You can dot them with fine-tipped sharpie or if you have more time, you can embroider speckles on it before sewing them together. I used yellow thread. You can find a bushel basket, for the children to toss the bags into, at a craft store like Michaels.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

THE BERRY BEST CLASS - Bulletin board display idea

Make a basket filled with strawberries. On each strawberry, write a child's name or glue a student's face cut from a photo.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Circle Time Presentation

Ask the children to tell you their favorite kind of jam or jelly and their favorite kind of berries. Have one child look at the cover of the book and tell whether the book will be a funny book or not. Read JAMBERRY at least twice. Encourage the children to join in as they recall the rhyming lines. Announce all the berry activities you have planned for the day.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Berry Plants And Berry Bushes - for Science and Nature Center

What the children will learn- To recognize how berries grow

Materials you will need - Strawberry plants, small blueberry, blackberry and raspberry bushes from a garden center

1. If possible, visit a garden or farm where some berries are grown and let the children pick fresh berries from the vine or bush.
2. Ask a gardener or garden center owner to bring in plants for the children to see and talk with the children about the care the plants need to grow.
3. Place the plants in the science and nature center for the children to examine and care for.

Something to think about- Create a display of berries, juices, jams and jellies for the children to associate with their plants. If possible, add pictures of the plants at various stages of development.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare
Links!

Strawberry Foods - Preschool Education
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