How to Make Ants on a Log with Preschool Children

Ants on a log is a healthy snack that preschoolers love to help to make and then eat. It works as a snack to include in a lunchbox, on a picnic, or for a between meal snack. These directions assume that you are being assisted by young children.

Things You'll Need

• 1 head of celery
• <br>1 small jar creamy peanut butter
• <br>1 plastic knife for each child helper
• <br>1 bag of raisins
• <br>1 sharp knife for the adult
• <br>Serving plate
• <br>Wax paper
• <br>2 small paper cups for each child helper

Instructions

1. Cut the bottom off of the head of celery and save it for soup or to be used in a turkey dressing. Then cut the leaves off the top of the celery and set them aside as well. Wash the stalks to remove all of the dirt and strip away any of the stringy parts. Use the sharp knife to cut the stalks into sticks that are each about 3 inches long and about 1/2 inch wide. Do these tasks before asking any preschool children to become involved in making ants on a log.

2. Invite your preschool age helpers to sit around a work table. Make sure that each child washes their hands because you should always have clean hands when you are preparing food. If you have enough aprons for each child, this will make them feel like real cooks. In the middle of the table, place the prepared, washed and sliced pieces of celery. Explain that the celery slices are the logs. Tell the children that you are going to show them how to decorate the logs so that some edible "ants" will walk on top of the logs and that after a while they will get to eat the ants on the logs.

3. Spread a sheet of wax paper in front of each child. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of peanut butter into one paper cup for each child. Give each child one of the cups and a plastic knife. Place about 20 raisins in another paper cup for each child. Distribute about 5 pieces of celery to each child.

4. Demonstrate how to use the plastic knife to spread the peanut butter onto a piece of celery. Then count out 4 raisins from your paper cup and place the raisins on top of the peanut butter. Push the raisins down slightly so that they are held on the log with the peanut butter.

5. Tell the children that it is time for them to make their own ants on a log. Ask them to remember and tell what they should do first: take a piece of celery. Then what should they do next? Spread the peanut butter. Finally, how many raisins go on top of the log? Four. Then what should happen?

Tips & Warnings

• If you serve the ants on a log at a family meal, make sure that loud public credit goes to each person who helped with the cooking.

• <br>Take pictures of the children making and serving ants on a log for your family photo album or pre-school yearbook.

• Do not involve children with allergies to peanuts in this activity.