Handmade Choo-Choo Train

Time : 20 min

Ingredients:
3 empty boxes
Scissor
Nylon rope
Punch
Colour markers
Cellotape/staplers

Steps:
1) Open up all sides of the boxes. Cut and remove the front side of the boxes and lay it flat. This will leave you with left, right, top, bottom and back sides of the box, attached.
2) Lay it flat with the inner side of the boxes facing you. Use colour markers to draw choo choo train on the left, right, top and bottom sides of the boxes, imagine, we are going to tape the box inside out so that your drawings will be the body of the train.
3) Place 1 box with the opening facing down, and 2 boxes behind with the opening facing up (to fill in toys) .Connect all boxes by punching a hole in the top middle of the top & bottom sides of the box and secure with nylon rope.
4) Ask your kid to invite his toy friends for the first train ride!

Tamago Sushi

Prep Time : 15 min
Cook Time : 25 min
Yield : 2 adult servings
Freezer Friendly : No

Ingredients:
1cup Japanese short grain rice (I use Sumo Sushi Rice)
2cups water
1tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 eggs
1tbsp pure olive oil
Dash of pepper
Drops of liquid amino

Steps:
1) Rince rice once. Put rinsed rice and water into rice cooker, press 'Rice' function.
2) Beat eggs, add dash of pepper and liquid amino.
3) Heat olive oil under low heat,pour 1/4 mixture onto pan, wait for 30 seconds, fold the upper and lower edge of the egg to middle just like a tortilla wrap. 

4) Pour 1/4 mixture to empty space, touching the existing egg in the pan.

Wait for 30 seconds.

5) Repeat step 4 until mixture finish.

6) Wait until eggs are cooked through.

7) let cool and slice into tamago using sharp knife.

Original Recipe:

http://makemysushi.com/how-to-make-sushi/tamago.html

Easy Bread Dough

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 20 min

Yield:8 mini buns

Freezer Friendly : No

Ingredients:

1tbsp olive oil

1/2cup warm fresh milk

Pinch of salt

1/2tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2cup bread flour

1tsp instant yeast

Raisins (optional)

Steps:

1) Put all ingredients in the order above into breadpan and lock into breadmaker, press function no.6 (dough).

2) Divide the dough into 8 equal portion, roll into bun shape. Put onto baking pan lined with parchment paper, then in oven (off) to proof until double size. It took me 45min in this hot weather.

3) Bake at 180 degrees for 20min.

If you plan this as kid activities, the steps are as follow:

A) Mix all dry ingredients on rolling mat.

B) Make a well in centre, add oil and milk. Use a spoon to stir until combined. 

C) Hand knead for 10 min.

Follow by step 2&3 above.

You can also make it dairy-free by substituting warm fresh milk with warm water.

Original Recipe:

http://rainydaymum.co.uk/easy-bread-dough-cooking-with-kids

Handmade Xmas Tree Deco

Time : 20 mins

Ingredients:

1 birthday hat

2 pc of decorative strings

Double tap

Scissors

Steps:

1) Put double tape on the birthday hat in rounds from tip to bottom.

2) Remove the double tape and stick the decorative strings. Start from the bottom of the hat with the hat upside down. 2 pcs of the strings should be placed side by side together, start moving the strings rounding the hat while removing the double tape. 

3) Repeat till the tip of the hat, trim off excess and slot in the end of the string into the small hole at the tip of the hat.

Natural Playdough

Prep Time : 20 minutes

Cook Time : -

Yield : 3 playdough

Freezer Friendly : No

Came across this recipe in pininterest and decided to have a try with some extra time during Chinese New Year holiday. The dough is said to be suitable for kids with ezcema.

Ingredients:

3/4cup boiling water

2/3cup quaker oat

3tsbp olive oil (original calls for coconut oil)

1tbsp honey

2cups cornflour

Green tea powder

Cocoa powder

Steps:

1) Mix water, oat, honey and oil. Stir for 2 minutes or until smooth. At this stage, the mixture can be used as scrub to treat ezcema before bath. 

2) Slowly add cornflour to make a dough.

3) Add natural colourings like green tea powder and cocoa powder.

4) Play with plastic cookies cutter to add fun.

For more natural colouring options, pls refer to below:

http://nourishingjoy.com/homemade-natural-food-dyes/

Original Recipe:

http://pagingfunmums.com/2014/04/25/natural-play-dough-recipe-sensitive-skin/