#TWKatHome Activities
Summer Fun & Exploration!
Welcome to TWKatHome, our fun, free online content that helps kids and families explore food and build positive, healthy eating habits. Each month, we will provide activities and ideas for ways to engage children as they learn about food and where it comes from.
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Foraging for Berries
July is berry season in Maryland. Take a walk with an adult who can help you identify wineberries, blackberries, and raspberries, just to name a few of nature's sweet treats. Be sure you are picking berries in an area that’s free of pollutants, and wash your berries before enjoying them. Click the links below to learn more about local wild berries.
5 Common Edible Summertime Berries in the Chesapeake
The Foraged Berries Series: How to Identify and Harvest Wineberries
Other common edible plants you may find on your property or even in your garden include purslane, chicory and garlic mustard. Click the link below to learn more about how to identify and prepare garlic mustard.
Turn your Outdoor Scavenger Hunt into Dinner
Cool, Easy Berry Snacks
Turn your berry harvest into popsicles, smoothies or a fruit salad for a refreshing vitamin packed snack.
This healthy, homemade popsicle recipe uses four different layers of berries!
Past Monthly Content
Paint with Berries Activity
Did you know plants can be used as natural dyes for clothing and even hair? Let’s see what colors berries make when we paint a picture with them.
Here's what you'll need:
- 3 or more types of berries
- A strainer or cheese clothe
- A fork and spoon
- 6 small bowls or containers
- Sturdy paper such as watercolor paper
- Paint brushes
- Cup of water and a napkin
Instructions:
- Get ready by putting on clothes that you don't mind getting stained, covering your workspace, and setting out all your supplies.
- Crush the berries with a fork in each bowl and then strain out the seeds using a fine strainer or cheesecloth to separate the juice.
- Mix in about 1/4-1/2 tsp flour to each bowl of juice to thicken into paint.
- Think about your design and begin painting! Rinse brushes and dab dry on a napkin between colors. You can adjust the thickness of your paint by adding more water to thin or more flour to thicken.
- Clean up your workspace, let your masterpiece dry, and hang it up for display!
Conversation Starters
- How many different fruits and vegetables do you think you eat in a week? Make a list.
- What foods and drinks help you to feel cool on a hot day?
- What are your favorite summer activities?
- Where are your favorite summer places to visit?
- What are 3 things you hope to do this summer?
Book Recommendations
- Jamberry by Bruce Degen- A light hearted rhyming story where a boy and his bear companion go on a berry picking adventure.
- Saffron Ice Cream by Rashin Kheiriyeh- This book compares enjoyable summer activities across cultures, taking note of the small differences and similarities as kids have summer fun.
- Summer Supper by Rubin Pfeffer- This book demonstrates how to make a summer supper from the garden to the kitchen, and how food can be shared and enjoyed by all involved.
Summer Harvest Bingo
Use this activity sheet to explore all the amazing foods that midsummer has to offer! From juicy fruits to perfectly ripened veggies, you can't go wrong with a summer bounty! Head to the farmers' market or your local grocer and aim to try a few things you've never had before. Good luck and happy tasting!