National Peanut Butter Cookie Day is on June 12th.  Get your kids involved in baking a special treat!

Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

Cook Time: 24 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 30

Serving Size: 1 cookie

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper, if desired.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the peanut butter, butter, sugar and brown sugar. Beat together until smooth & creamy best if using a stand mixer or hand mixer.

Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix until well combined.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until well combined.

Using a cookie dough scooper or making the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in white granulated sugar if you desire and place on to baking sheet.

Using a fork, press down on each ball of dough to slightly flatten and creating a criss-cross pattern.

Bake for 8-9 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

These keep well for a couple of days in an airtight container.

Found on Glued to My Crafts blog.

Supplies:

* Free Template Printable {Download HERE}
* White Cardstock
* Color Printer
* Paint {pick a theme, a favorite color – whatever your heart desires!}
* Paper Plate
* Paint Brush
* Baby Wipes

Directions:

* First download and print the free template printable on white cardstock.
* Squirt some paint on a paper plate.
* Paint one of your child’s hands and press it on the printable, next to the grill to create flames. Repeat if desired.
* Add other embellishments you see fit. Then display/gift proudly!

This project is adapted from Activity Village.

Materials:

• Pink and purple finger paint
  
• White paper
  
• Pink card
  
• Scissors
• Glue

Directions:

1. On the white paper, print 3 flowers in a line. 
   
2. Use a purple finger print for the centre of the flower, and add pink fingerprints around the outside as petals.
   
3. For the roses, dip a finger in pink paint and another in purple. Swirl the two fingers together in a spiral so the colours mix.
   
4. Fold the card in half. Cut out the flowers and glue the painted strip down the front of the card.
   

This project is from Blimpy Girl.  

Materials:

• Paper bag
  
• Printout
  
• Scissors
  
• Double sided tape or craft glue
  
• Googly eyes (optional)
  

Materials

• Washable Tempura Paints

• Paint Brushes

• Wipes or a wet hand towel

• Paper

Directions

1. Choose colors for the flowers.
2. Place hand prints and foot prints.
3. Paint the stems and leaves.

This activity originally appeared on the Melissa and Doug blog but has since been taken down.  You can find it, and other springtime sensory walks/ scavenger hunts on Pinterest!  I picked this one because I love the inclusion of the senses in addition to the actual spring things!

This science experiment is adapted from Inspirational Labratories.

Materials:

• container/jar (Height is more important than width. A mason jar may be best.)
• baking soda
• vinegar
• water
• candy hearts

1. Mix 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda in 1 cup of water. Add to container. Add enough baking soda and water solution to make liquid level at least a few inches high.
2. Measure out 1/4 cup of vinegar.
3. Add few candy hearts to your baking soda and water solution.  Observe the bubbles.
4. Slowly add 1/4 cup of vinegar to your baking soda, water, and candy hearts.
5. Watch the candy hearts rise and fall. They appear to dance around the container doing flips and all sorts of fun stuff.
6. Play with the amounts of baking soda and vinegar to get more or less bubbles. Some of the candy hearts might stick to the bottom of the container. Push them around and they should rise up again. If the hearts float on the top, push them down or drop in a few different hearts.

These activities are taken from the site Pre-Kinders.  

In my house, we have tons of Conversation Heart candies all the time.  What I like about these activities are that they force the kids to earn the candy and I can pick different activities that are age appropriate for each child.  The pages include sorting, counting, graphing, and pattern recognition.

Materials:

• Sheets
  
• Conversation hearts made by Brach's
• Crayon

Directions:

1. Download and print the appropriate pages, found at http://www.prekinders.com/valentine-math/ and http://www.prekinders.com/candy-heart-patterns/
   
2. Count out the appropriate number / color of conversation hearts for your child depending on what sheet they are doing.
3. Discuss the results.
4. Let them eat the candy :)

Adapted from Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tail.

Materials

• Large bowl
• Blue glitter
  
• Baking Soda
  
• Water
  
• Peppermint extract or essential oil
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dump in one box of baking soda.
   
2. Sprinkle in blue glitter.
3. Add a few tablespoons of water at a time until it sticks together.  Don't add to much water!

Now your sensory snow is ready to imaginations!  Add some penguins or polar bears to see what your kids will do! 

Adapted from My Kids Adventures.  We chose this site because they suggest a number of ways to experiment and expand the challenge for older children.  Check out all of their variations!

Materials

• Scissors
  
• Round Coffee Filters
  
• Trash can
  

Directions

1. Review scissor safety and rules with your kids.
   
2. Spread out the round coffee filter on a flat surface.
   
3. Fold the filter in half.
   
4. Fold it in half again, so that it's in quarters.
   
5. Fold it in half a third time, so that it's in eighths.
6. Make a few cuts in the filter.
7. Let them open the snowflake to see how the cuts create a design.
8. Ask your child questions about what they are doing.
   1. What happens when you cut off part of the outside edge of the coffee filter?
   2. What happens when you cut off the tip of the folded coffee filter
   3. What happens when you cut out shapes and unfold the snowflake?
9. Check out other variations on the site!