Snake Snack

Creative Corner

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June 29, 2022

124

Snake Snack

Time:45 min

Difficulty:Hard

Let’sss sscelebrate our ssslithering friendsss by sssnacking on sssnake inssspired refreshmentsss! Breadssssticks anyone?

Here’s what you need:

1 package store-bought bread dough
10 wooden chopsticks
3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
20 whole black peppercorns

Here’s how you make it:

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2:

Divide the bread dough into roughly 1/4 cup portions.

Step 3:

On a lightly floured surface, roll portions into long, round snakes! Keep one end slightly larger (for the head), and roll the other end to a thinner point (for the tail).

Step 4:

Wind each ‘snake’ around a chopstick and place them on the baking sheet.

Step 5:

Place 2 peppercorns on the head of each snake to make the eyes, and evenly sprinkle the parmesan cheese on the snakes.

Step 6:

Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Serve with melted butter, marinara, or your favourite dipping sauce!

Bon appétit!

Handy Tips for a Green Garden

Creative Corner

Earth Rangers

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June 29, 2022

70

Handy Tips for a Green Garden

Time:30 min

Difficulty:Easy

Eating locally grown food has tons of benefits, and what’s more local than your own backyard?! Here are a few ideas to make your gardening even greener by Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling!

Here’s how to get growing!

Give fruit crates a new life:

Old wooden fruit crates (the ones tangerines come in) can be reused as seedling trays, mini garden beds, or handy homes for garden tools!

Popsicle sticks:

These work great as plant labels – write your plant names on them with pen or permanent marker and stick them in the ground to keep track of your goodies as they grow!

Plastic berry baskets:

Flip ’em upside down and place over baby plants to protect them from strong winds, harsh sun, and critters that might snack on those tender leaves!

Yogurt containers, egg cartons, or old juice/milk containers:

Perfect little homes for newly planted seedlings! Since you might have to start your seeds indoors until the weather warms up, cutting the tops off old containers is a perfect, easy DIY.

Bottles or jugs with lids:

These make great slow-release watering systems for your plants! Have an adult poke a hole in the lid, then fill it with water, close the lid, then stick it in the soil upside down beside a plant that needs frequent watering. Refill the jug when it’s empty to keep your plants happy and hydrated!

These are just a few tips to get you started, but the sky is the limit: get creative and try to come up with more ways to repurpose materials into handy garden tools!

What will you grow in your green garden? Let us know in the comments below!

Do You Know These Facts About Hippos?

Creative Corner

Earth Rangers

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June 29, 2022

680

Do You Know These Facts About Hippos?

Time:5 min

Difficulty:Easy

Are you a hippo fan? To honour these amazing and powerful creatures, why not put your knowledge to the test? Take this quiz and find out just how much you know about hippos!

Post your results in the comments below to let us know how you did!

Meatless Lettuce Wraps

Creative Corner

Earth Rangers

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June 29, 2022

71

Meatless Lettuce Wraps

Time:15 min

Difficulty:Easy

Bust out those veggies because we’re making some delicious lettuce wraps! Make sure to ask a grown-up for help with this dish.

Here’s what you need:

Lettuce
Any veggies you have in the fridge
Hummus
Beans (optional)
Rice (optional)

Here’s how you make it:

Step 1:

If you’re using beans and rice, prepare them according to their instructions.

TIP: for extra eco-friendly points, use leftovers!

Step 2:

Wash and chop up your veggies. Cook them up if you want them to be softer, or leave them raw for some crunch!

Step 3:

Get some big lettuce leaves, wash them and let them dry.

Step 4:

Grab some of your prepared ingredients and veggies, and place them in the middle of one of your lettuce leaves.

Step 5:

Add some hummus for some extra flavour.

Step 6:

Fold your lettuce around the ingredients and enjoy!

What will you add to your wrap? Let us know in the comments below!

DIY Plant Pots

Creative Corner

Earth Rangers

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June 29, 2022

35

DIY Plant Pots

Time:60min+ (wait time: 4 days)

Difficulty:Hard

Let’s show those houseplants some extra love with a unique papier-mâché plant home!

Here’s what you need:

Plastic containers
Glue
Water
Recycled paper scraps (old magazines, newspapers, mailers, or seasonal cards)

Here’s how you make it:

Step 1:

Begin by ripping your scrap paper into pieces.

Step 2:

Mix your glue with a little water in a wide dish until it gets a bit runny.

Step 3:

This is where things get a little messy! Dip each scrap piece into the glue until coated and put it onto the bottom of your container. Smooth them out with your fingers. Make sure your pieces overlap and the whole container is covered.

Step 4:

Keep adding pieces until you have 2 to 3 layers. This will help your pot stay strong.

TIP: Feel free to make this craft layer by layer over a few days (just don’t forget to cover your unused glue dish so it doesn’t dry up too!).

Step 5:

Wait for your pot to dry completely; this will usually take about 48 hours.

Step 6:

Once your creation is totally dry, flip it over, trim any loose edges, and transplant your seedlings.

What will you plant? Let us know in the comments below!

Cake Cookies

Creative Corner

Earth Rangers

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June 29, 2022

178

Cake Cookies

Time:30 min

Difficulty:Medium

Got a sweet tooth? We’ve got just what you need: mouthwatering, easy-peasy cake cookies! Let’s get baking!

Here’s what you need:

1 package of cake mix
2 large eggs
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
An adult to help with baking
Sprinkles or candy (optional)

Here’s how you make it:

Step 1:

With the help of an adult, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2:

Pour the cake mix into a big bowl and add the eggs and vegetable oil. Mix until you form a dough.

TIP: If you want to add candies to your cookies, add them now!

Step 3:

Roll bits of dough into a ball, and place it onto an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat until you’ve used up all the dough, leaving enough space for the cookies to expand as they bake.

TIP: If you want to add sprinkles to the top of your cookies, add them now!

Step 4:

Put the cookies in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on your oven and the size of your cookies.

Step 5:

Let them cool, then share your cookies with your family and friends!

Did you add any extra treats to your cake cookies? Let us know in the comments below!

Bon appétit!

Teddy Bear Pancakes

Creative Corner

Earth Rangers

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June 29, 2022

129

Teddy Bear Pancakes

Time:30 min

Difficulty:Medium

We’ve come up with a delicious meal if you’re feeling a rumbly in your tumbly. Even the littlest cubs at home can help make this with their bear hands!

Here’s what you need:

Pancake batter
Toppings (you could use bananas, berries, raisins, or chocolate chips)
Cooked oatmeal (optional)

Here’s how you make it:

Step 1:

Mix up your favourite pancake batter. Feel free to add in some cooked oatmeal for an added nutritional boost like we did!

Step 2:

Make one large and two small pancakes for each teddy bear you are making.

Step 3:

Place the large pancake in the middle of a plate and cut one of the small pancakes in half. Place each half on top of the large pancake to make your teddy ears, then place the other small pancake in the middle of the big one for the snout.

Step 4:

Add bananas, berries, raisins, or chocolate chips for the nose, eyes and mouth and your teddy bear is complete and ready to enjoy!

Bonus: Collect teddy bears you have at home and invite them to join you for a teddy bear picnic!

Recycled Window Art

Creative Corner

Earth Rangers

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June 29, 2022

63

Recycled Window Art

Time:40 min

Difficulty:Easy

Show some love for our planet by creating Earth-themed mosaic art to display in your window—made with recycled materials, of course!

Here’s what you need:

Blue and green paper scraps: old magazines, newspapers, mailers, or seasonal cards, whatever you can find!
Cardboard, like a cereal box
Glue
Plate
Art supplies to decorate (optional)

Here’s how you make it:

Step 1:

Cut your paper scraps into fun shapes and sizes.

TIP: If you can’t find much that fits the theme, you can use some markers, crayons, or paint to make your scraps blue and green!

Step 2:

Place a plate upside-down on your cardboard and use it to draw a circle. Take the plate off, and cut out your circle. This will be your Earth!

Step 3:

Mark the areas that will be land and water on your Earth mosaic.

Step 4:

Glue your colourful scraps to the base in a mosaic-style, filling in all the empty spaces.

Once it’s dry, hang it up in the window so your neighbours can admire your masterpiece as they walk by!

Plant Bookmarks

Creative Corner

Earth Rangers

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June 29, 2022

110

Plant Bookmarks

Time:60min + drying time

Difficulty:Medium

Do you like collecting flowers and leaves on outdoor adventures with your friends and family? Transform those little treasures into a bookmark with this fun craft!

Here’s what you need:

Dried flowers and leaves
Cardstock from an empty cereal box
Scissors
Glue
Packing tape or contact paper (you could use a laminator if you have one!)

Here’s how you make it:

Step 1:

Take a look around your yard or a nearby field for things like flowers or brightly coloured leaves.

Step 2:

Once you’ve gathered everything, put them between the pages of a thick book and leave them to dry for about 3 or 4 days.

Step 3:

Cut the cardstock into the size and shape you’d like for your bookmark. Use your pressed plants to jazz it up!

Step 4:

Once you have all your decorations in position, cover the bookmark with your contact paper, packing tape, or laminator. Cut off any extra plastic and go pick out a good book!

What kind of flowers and leaves will you use? Let us know in the comments below!

Plushie Palace

Creative Corner

Earth Rangers

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June 29, 2022

256

Plushie Palace

Time:30 min

Difficulty:Medium

Do you have any extra boxes lying around? Put them to good use with a DIY stuffed animal sanctuary, fit for your fave plush pals!

Here’s what you need:

Cardboard boxes in a variety of sizes
Tape
Glue
Scissors
Construction paper (wrapping paper or newspaper works too)
Decorations for your plushie palace
An adult to help

Here’s how you make it:

Step 1:

Figure out how you want to build your plushie palace. You could make a tall tower with levels for each of your plushies, or maybe you’ll build a house for one — try a few different layouts until you find your favourite!

TIP: Use tape to attach your boxes, if you need it.

Step 2:

With the help of an adult, cut openings for the doors that will connect your plushie’s rooms.

Step 3:

Add a roof by folding a piece of cardboard in half and placing it on top of any open boxes. Depending on the shape of your plushie palace, you might need more than one roof!

Step 4:

Now it’s time to decorate. Get creative and go wild!

When you’re done, help your plushies move into their new home!