On a snow day, you and your kids might think of hot cocoa as a special treat. Surprise your kindergartner instead this winter with an old-fashioned candy made out of maple syrup and snow. Heat 1/2 cup of maple syrup in a small saucepan on your stove. Meanwhile, fill a bowl or pie plate with packed, fresh, clean snow. Check the syrup with a candy thermometer. Once it reaches 235 degrees F. pour it in swirls and circles over the packed snow. After it cools to the touch, you will end up with sticky, chewy maple syrup taffy. While an adult with have to help your child with this project, you could let your kindergartner carefully pour the maple syrup designs onto the snow from a measuring cup with a pouring spout.
Your kindergartner will be amazed by the idea that her favorite breakfast syrup actually comes from a tree. He will be even more amazed when he gets to participate in the process himself. If you are lucky enough to live near a sugar maple, take advantage of the local natural environment and drill a maple tree yourself. Using a 3/8-inch drill bit, drill about 2 to 3 inches into the tree, angling slightly upward. Sap should begin flowing immediately if the tree is ready to be tapped. Have your child insert a tap or small pipe into the tree, tapping gently with a hammer if necessary, after the hole has been totally moistened by the sap. Hang a bucket on the tap to collect the sap until you reach your desired amount. It takes about 32 gallons to produce 1 gallon of syrup, but collect only as much as you need for your demonstration.
If you have collected or acquired sugar maple sap to demonstrate where maple syrup comes from, you can continue to amaze your kindergartner by showing her how to boil this sticky sap into delicious homemade maple syrup. Pour whatever sap you collected into a large pot on your stove and boil until it reaches 218 degrees F. If you let it get too hot, you may end up with maple syrup candy, so be sure to monitor your syrup with a candy or sap thermometer. Once it reaches 218 degrees, filter the hot syrup through cheese cloth, pour into a lidded container and enjoy.
If you, like many parents, are trying to reduce the refined white sugar in your child's diet, get your kindergartner involved by demonstrating how natural maple syrup can be a delicious alternative to sweeten up his favorite foods. Unrefined maple syrup contains calcium, potassium, sodium, and copper, as well as potentially beneficial antioxidants. Discuss the importance of vitamins and minerals with your kindergartner and taste-test healthier versions of your favorite treats. Drizzle over baked carrots, plain or vanilla yogurt, or baked apples. Add maple syrup instead of sugar to muffins or breads to combine a baking lesson with a nutrition lesson for your kindergartner. You will both be pleased with the results.