Summer vacation can be the best of times or worst of times for parents with bored kids. If you are scrambling for ways to keep your children entertained during the dog days of summer break from school, consider these kid-friendly activities that yield sweet treats, full stomachs and huge smiles:
SWEET SAND CASTLE
Ingredients:
1 package (18 1/4 ounces) banana cake mix plus ingredients to prepare mix as directed on box
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 package (6 serving size) instant butterscotch flavor pudding mix, plus ingredients to prepare mix as directed on box
Clean small plastic beach pail and shovel
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, divided
Beach-themed candy: Gummy fish, octopus, starfish, seashell candies, green string candy, mini chocolate chips, graham cracker fish, or other beach-related candies
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions in two 9-inch round cake pans. Add cinnamon and nutmeg into batter. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove form pans and cool completely.
Meanwhile, prepare pudding mix according to package directions.
Cut one of the cakes into 1-inch slices. Arrange about 1/3 of slices in pail. Spoon 1/3 of pudding over cake slices. Top with 1/3 of cake slices. Repeat layers with 1/3 of pudding and remainder of the first cake.
Refrigerate for at least three hours.
Remove and turn castle out of pail.
Sprinkle sand castle cake with 1 cup graham cracker crumbs.
Place shovel near cake.
Decorate top of cake with gummy sea creatures and other candies as desired.
Cut second cake layer in half horizontally.
Place one half of cake cut side up on serving plate.
Place castle on top of cake layer.
Break remaining cake layer into chunks; arrange around base of castle.
Spoon remaining pudding over cake chunks; sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup graham crumbs over pudding.
Decorate with remaining candies as desired.
To serve, use shovel to spoon cake onto plates.
FROZEN COOKIE PUDDING POPS
Ingredients:
1 package (3.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
6 Oreo cookies
1/2 cup thawed Cool Whip
Wooden Popsicle sticks or plastic spoons
Directions:
Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk.
Place cookies in Ziploc bag and use rolling pin to crush cookies.
Add cookies and Cool Whip to pudding. Stir until blended.
Spoon into 9 small paper or plastic cups.
Insert wooden Popsicle stick or plastic spoon into each cup for handle.
Freeze 5 hours or overnight.
To remove from cup, place bottom of cup in bowl of warm water 15 seconds.
Press up on bottom of cup and remove pudding pop for kids to enjoy.
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