Five Things To Do With a Cookie Sheet

School’s out and it can be challenging to find easy and affordable activities to keep kids busy. Using things you probably have around the house you can provide your kids some creative opportunities. Head to the kitchen and dig out those old cookie sheets.

1. Grab the magnets from off of the refrigerator and encourage your child to create a picture by arranging them on the cookie sheet. Don’t forget to snap a photo of your little one’s masterpiece.
2. Line the cookie sheet with a layer of rice. Using their finger or an unsharpened pencil they can practice writing letters and words.
3. Finger paint with your child’s favorite flavor of pudding. Clean up is as easy as licking their fingers!
4. Cut a piece of butcher or parchment paper to fit the cookie sheet. Add a few dollops of different colored paint in random places. Have your child place a couple of marbles on the cookie sheet. While holding the cookie sheet in their hands they slowly move it back and forth to allow the marble to roll through the paint. Makes a unique design on the paper that makes a handsome display when dry.
5. Make some homemade play dough (see recipe below) dig out some cookie cutters and a plastic knife and watch your child craft cakes, cookies, pizza and pancakes.

Let’s Make Play Dough!
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Food coloring

Mix dry ingredients in a saucepan. Add oil, water and food coloring and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when dough begins to pull away from the sides of the saucepan and forms a ball. Pour out and knead a few minutes. Store play-dough in a plastic bag or airtight container.

WARNING: Use of play-dough can cause creativity to go wild!

BONUS TIP: Need a gift idea for a child with a summer birthday? Head to a dollar store and purchase a shiny new cookie sheet, magnets, play dough, plastic utensils, cookie cutters, markers and a pad of paper. Add a gift bag and a card and you’ve created a one-of-a kind gift for under ten dollars.