When winter feels like it’s never-ending, bring some frosty fun indoors!
This hands-on snack activity is a great way to support your child’s development while turning a chilly day into a creative adventure. Making this cute polar bear snack using pudding, marshmallows, and chocolate chips, helps with fine motor skills like slicing, arranging, and decorating, which strengthens hand-eye coordination and dexterity. Just like polar bears are known for their strong paws and swimming skills, little hands build physical strength and coordination with each step! Beyond the physical skills, this activity fosters language development as your child describes their creation, follows directions, and engages in conversations. Just as polar bear cubs learn from their mothers, children gain confidence and self-expression through independent decision-making! It also provides a natural way to introduce literacy concepts like shape recognition and sequencing, which support brain growth. Families sharing time in the kitchen grow together with warm moments of connecting which makes learning through play even more meaningful!
Ingredients:
Chocolate pudding
Jumbo marshmallows
Chocolate drops
Chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Have an adult slice the jumbo marshmallows into two circle-shaped segments by using a serrated knife to give the marshmallows a rough edge that resembles polar bear fur. It also makes the surface sticky so that your chocolate will stick!
2. Place a chocolate drop in the middle of the sticky side of the marshmallow for the pad of the foot.
3. Use four chocolate chips to form the toes around the top of the foot pad.
4. Place each polar bear paw on top of a chocolate pudding cup.
5. Enjoy!