Tasty Tinted Cheese Spreads

[20 Minutes]

This activity invites your child to mix tasty color combinations.

You'll need:

• crackers • whipped cream cheese • food coloring • spoon • plastic knife • several saucers

What to do:

1. Ask your child to help prepare colorful snacks. Set out a tray of crackers.
2. Divide the cream cheese among 4 or 5 saucers.
3. Offer your child the set of food coloring drops.
4. Show how the color of the cream cheese can be dramatically changed by adding one or two drops of coloring to each saucer and mixing.
5. Allow your child to experiment mixing the colors and the cheese.
6. Help him spread the colored cheese to cover the crackers.

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• What caused some of the spreads to be light and others to be dark?
• Which color spread do you like best? What colors did you mix to make your favorite?

Useful information:

While you are bonding in the kitchen, your child is developing small muscle skills, learning to follow directions and an introduction to food construction.