This week's Mac Kid Mini-Lesson was inspired by the book Love From The Crayons by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers. A Valentine's Day spin-off of the #1 bestselling The Day The Crayons Quit, this book offers a sweet glimpse into the many different facets of love. It's simple enough for toddlers to understand, but there is some depth to the metaphors in this book that even adults can enjoy. While it's not necessary to have read The Day The Crayons Quit in order to enjoy this book, it certainly helps and deepens the appreciation for some of the metaphors.
Our first activity associated with this book and Valentine's Day was making homemade crayons! It's a really simple activity that my kids always love! Here's what you will need:
Materials:
- Broken crayons (wrappers peeled)
- Silicone baking or ice cube tray
- Oven
- Freezer
Children can participate in the prep work for this activity by peeling and breaking old crayons. For this particular activity, I tried to use crayons that were primarily red, pink, orange, purple, and white.
I preheated the oven to 250 degrees, and then let the children fill the silicone mold with their choice of crayons. Once finished, simply put the silicone tray in the oven (I always put it on top of cookie sheet just in case it drips). Depending on the mold, it usually takes 10-20 minutes for the wax to melt completely. Feel free to add additional crayon pieces once the wax begins to melt and takes up less space in the mold.
Once the wax is fully melted, carefully remove from the oven and place in the freezer. Give it a few hours to harden, and you have adorable homemade crayons! These make great valentines or party favors, too! Quick tip: Occasionally a crayon will crack while in the freezer. After you have removed the other hardened crayons, place the silicone mold with the cracked crayon in the microwave for 30-60 seconds and then refreeze.
Our next project was Valentine's Day Popcorn. Here's what you will need:
Materials
- 1 Bag Popcorn (I opted for a non-butter variety)
- 3/4 Cup Pink Chocolate Candy Melts
- 1/2 Cup White Chocolate Candy Melts
- Valentine's Sprinkles
- Valentine's M&Ms
I emptied the bag of popcorn into a large bowl while I melted the pink chocolate candy melts, stirring every 20 seconds until it reached the desired consistency. I drizzled the melted pink chocolate over the popcorn and used large tongs to mix, ensuring that all of the popcorn was nicely coated. Then I spread the pink-coated popcorn on a large cookie sheet and began to melt the white chocolate candy melts in 20-second intervals. When melted, I drizzled the white chocolate over the popcorn. I immediately topped the popcorn with sprinkles so they adhered to the melted chocolate, and then tossed on the M&Ms. My children enjoyed helping with all of these steps. To speed up the cooling process, I placed the tray in the refrigerator for a few minutes before serving. 
As you can imagine, my kids were somewhat eager to taste their creation, so while we waited for the chocolate to harden I introduced a third Valentine-themed activity.
Materials
- Toothpicks
- Heart-Shaped Marshmallows
Each child received a plate containing plenty of toothpicks and marshmallows, and I challenged them to build something with these materials. I encouraged the younger children to create a 2-dimensional shape, like a heart, while the older kids were challenged to create a 3-dimensional structure. The kids had a great time figuring out how to create a free-standing structure, and their creations were really impressive! They almost forgot about the chocolate-covered popcorn cooling in the refrigerator ;) 
