Families Matter Newsletter
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Pottawatomie County OSU Extension Service
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March 2020
Volume 16, Issue 5
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Family Gardening for
Great Taste and Learning
Gardening teaches valuable lessons to kids of all ages
:
Responsibility
“Yes, you have to water the
seedlings every day”
Patience
“The strawberries will taste much better when they turn red”
Humility
“We just can’t win against a drought!”
Respect for
Mother Nature
“Who knew last night’s frost would take out the tomato plants?”
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Gardening offers family fun. In a garden, you can be active, relax, and spend time together. Growing vegetables or herbs teaches children that plants, like people, need food and water to grow and stay healthy. Caring for plants helps develop responsibility. It also builds self-esteem when kids see what they can grow. A garden can teach your child about foods. Kids usually taste what they grow!
Find
a sunny place.
Make
the soil ready in the container or in the garden.
Plant
seeds or small plants in the soil.
Water
plants when they are thirsty.
Measure
plants as they grow and
vegetables form. Talk about it.
Pull
the weeds.
Pick
vegetables or herbs when they are ready.
Wash
the food.
Make
something to eat with your family. Use the food you pick.
Eat
and enjoy it!
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Shop your Pantry and Freezer First
:
Before you head off to the store. Look to see what items you have on hand and what ingredients you might need to turn those into meals.
Theme Nights:
Dinners come together faster when you don’t have to think about the parts. Themes like; Mexican, pasta, etc. help you come up with a main dish and quick sides to help round out your meal plan. Or, themes can be Soup on Wednesdays, or grilling on Fridays.
Simple Sides
:
Make sure you keep your side dishes simple. Utilize quick cooking methods for vegetables like microwave steaming, or throw in a pan and bake it items. A good guide is two vegetables or a fruit and vegetable.
Plan Leftovers
:
Make more of certain items to use as leftovers or “planned overs” later in the week.
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Fruit Dip Deluxe!!
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate 30 minutes or
longer. Eat within 3-4 days.
(10) 1/4 cup servings: 180 calories, 10g Fat, 1.5g Saturated Fat,
0mg Cholesterol, 170mg Sodium, 2g Fiber, 10g Protein
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Get Your Kids Ready for Storm Season
In October—National Fire Safety Month, we spend a lot of time talking to kids about fire prevention, making a fire exit plan and checking our smoke detectors.
March and April are great months to begin this same activity to help kids get ready and be prepared for storm season.
Make sure your child knows the following:
- Where is the safe place they should go when they hear a tornado warning.
- If they are home alone what number do they call before and after they enter the safe place.
- Where their GO Bag is!
It is even better if they practice going into the safe place on a non-stormy day. For example: they need to go into the cellar, closet, bathroom or safe room with their helmet on and ER bag in tow! This helps them get used to the
surrounding when they are not stressed.
CLICK ON THE RESOURCES BELOW!
Red Cross Preparedness Plan
FEMA Family Communication Plan Worksheet
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Build a Kid Kit or GO Bag!
Being prepared for a storm can help make it less scary.
Help your kids build a storm kit of their own.
Include a flashlight, bike helmet, juice box and crackers, a small toy or stuffed animal, crayons and paper, and books for them to take along if they need to take shelter.
This will help them feel more in
control and less likely to feel as scared.
Include the
FEMA Family Communication Plan
in each child's bag.
This will help them know who to call,
or help 1st Reponders know who to call if they are separated from you.
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Green Food
!
March and St. Patrick’s Day is a great time to
introduce green food to young kids.
Talk about how green food, is good for you.
At least 3 days a week we need to
eat green leafy vegetables.
Green grapes, green peas, bell peppers
are great finger foods.
Green Flop Jell-O Recipe!
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March Activities
Red Light Green Light:
Use a piece of red and green paper to play red light, green light. Hold up the green paper to signal “go” and red to signal “stop” this is a great active indoor game.
Shamrock Sponge:
Cut a small sponge or wash cloth into the shape of a shamrock and place it on a plate. Let your child sprinkle some seeds on the sponge or cloth and set the plate in the sunlight. Show your child how to add a little water to the plate and keep it damp. Soon your shamrock will be covered with green!
Wind Experiments:
Use a feather, a balloon and fan to show your child about wind. Choose a couple of heavy objects and ask your child which one will blow around in the wind. Talk to your child about how powerful the wind can be and what to do if there is a tornado. It is important to talk about emergency
situations before it happens.
Bag Kites:
This is an easy fun activity for those windy days of March. Give each child a small paper bag. Let them decorate with crayons and makers. Punch a hole on the top side of the bag near the opening and tie a piece of yarn through the hole. (you may wish to reinforce the hole with tape) Show your child how the kites will fill with air and fly up and down when they run.
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This juicy and flavorful marinated chicken has a bright lime taste. It would be perfect served over a fresh salad or even tucked into tacos.
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Contact the Extension Office at 273-7683 or sonya.mcdaniel@okstate.edu
Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments cooperating. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, national origin, disability or
status as a veteran, and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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