Halloween Pumpkin Fun for Everyone
HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN FUN: A BOOK, A SONG & ORIGAMI
Any discussion of pumpkins, especially in October, wouldn’t be complete without a reference or two to jack-o-lanterns.
Some kids embrace Halloween in all its eerie glory: ghosts, goblins, witches and jack-o-lanterns grinning in the night.
Others find the spookiness of the holiday a bit intimidating.
And some, let’s face it, find the whole idea of Halloween just plain shiver-in-your-shoes scary!
Read morePumpkin Seeds: Spicy or Sweet
INSPIRED PEPITAS: KID-FRIENDLY RECIPES
Let’s face it: Kids like to snack. We all like to snack! And it’s so easy to toss a bag of tortilla chips or potato chips in your grocery cart….
And they are OH-so-lacking in nutritional value!
A serving of tortilla chips, for example, has 2 grams of protein–compared to the 21 grams in a serving of Spicy Jamaican Jerk Pepitas.
Read morePumpkins: Color Me Orange
2 COLORING PAGES: PRETTY PUMPKINS & A JACK-O-LANTERN
Coloring isn’t just for kids anymore. For the last couple of years, coloring books for adults have literally kept the book business alive. There’s something about coloring that soothes the soul. Some avid “color-istas” even host coloring parties, no kids allowed!
Taking time to color a pretty picture is great for those of us whose lives are hurried and harried and who need to slow down. (And I’m afraid that describes a whole lot of adults these days–me included.) But coloring with your kids has additional benefits: it creates connections. It lets your kids know that they’re important to you, and that time spent together is as much fun for you as it is for them.
Read morePeter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater
10 FUN FACTS ABOUT PUMPKINS
Like summer squash, the winter squashes–among them pumpkins–are identified by botanists as a fruit and by cooks as a vegetable. Technically, pumpkins are fruit–fleshy vessels that hold the seeds of the plant.
For our purposes, though–since we’re focused more on food than science here (not that they aren’t very closely related!)–and because in their raw state, pumpkins are more savory than sweet, we’re calling them veggies.
Read moreSummer Squash vs. Winter Squash
A QUICK QUIZ ABOUT COUSINS: SUMMER & WINTER SQUASH
Do your kids know the ways that summer squash and winter squash are different? It’s not as easy as it sounds!
Here’s a fun quiz to see how well they (and you!) know your way around squash. The answers contain explanations and additional information.
QUESTIONS
1. Which picture shows summer squash and which shows winter squash?
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