Smiling Sunshine Cookies

[30 Minutes]

Make sunny "happy face" cookies and watch your child's face light up with a smile!

You'll need:

• refrigerator sugar cookie dough (or your favorite sugar cookie recipe) • prepared vanilla frosting • yellow food coloring • raisins • cookie sheet • sharp knife (ADULT USE ONLY) • plastic knife • mixing spoon

What to do:

1. Slice the roll of cookies.
2. Invite your child to place each slice on a cookie sheet.
3. Bake as directed.
4. As your cookies are baking, sing this song with your child about this treat. (Tune: "Row, Row. Row Your Boat"):

   Yum! Sunshine Cookies
   Smiling all around.
   What a lovely face you have
   Yellow, big and round.

5. As you sing, invite your child to help prepare the frosting. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring. As your child mixes the icing, a sunny yellow color will appear.
6. When they are done, take the cookies out of the oven and let cool.
7. With a plastic knife, let your child lightly frost each cookie.
8. Help your child create a 'smiley face' by using raisins for the eyes and mouth.

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• What color is the sun?
• Does it have a face?
• Do sunshine cookies make you feel happy?
• Is there a color that makes you feel happy? Which one?

Useful information:

While you are having fun together, this activity helps your child develop language skills and teaches the basics of food construction.