Are you ready for this month’s Virtual Book Club for Kids? Our featured author this month is Laura Numeroff. We decided to feature If You Give a Moose a Muffin and we created a yummy recipe to make with the kids. There is even a FREE printable writing activity to tie everything together!
If you are new to Virtual Book Club for Kids here is a little background. The Educators’ Spin On It, Toddler Approved and Rainy Day Mum have put together a wonderful line-up of great authors to explore. On the second Thursday of each month, talented bloggers will be share one of the three featured books by the highlighted author that month. Each blogger shares an activity or craft to compliment one of the three books. You are invited to try out as many of the ideas that you feel would be a good fit for your kids.
Now, onto the Laura Numeroff book and activity we chose this month.
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Literacy Activities in the Kitchen
The Book: If You Give a Moose a Muffin
If You Give a Moose a Muffin is part of a very fun series by Laura Numeroff. When a moose comes to visit, you will have to give him a muffin. And of course if you give him a muffin, he will want some jam to go with it. One thing will remind him of another until eventually we circle back to him wanting a muffin again at the end of the story.
The Activities:
Hot Chocolate Banana Muffins
Cooking and baking with children is a wonderful way to develop vocabulary, teach following directions, and bond with kids.
This recipe was created by mistake and has become one of our favorites. One day while making banana bread, my 2 year-old dumped a jar of hot chocolate mix into the bowl. It ended up turning out really well! We’ve tweaked the recipe a bit more and have now come up with our go to muffin recipe. They would be perfect for any moose!
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups white whole wheat flour (you could also use All Purpose flour)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 TBSP cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 3 large very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat muffin pan with non-stick spray, or use paper liners.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cocoa powder, chocolate chips and salt; set aside.
- Combine bananas, sugar, egg, vanilla and melted butter in a large bowl.
- Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth.
- Scoop into muffin pans.
- Bake in preheated oven. Bake muffins for 25 minutes.
This recipe makes 12 delicious muffins! While the muffins cook enjoy reading If You Give a Moose a Muffin again.
Ready to Write
Build more literacy skills by having your child think through the muffin making process. Print this book (Muffin Book)template and staple the pages together. If your child isn’t writing yet, he or she can draw a picture on each page. Young writers can add words and sentences based on their abilities.
The book makes a wonderful keepsake of your baking experience.
Now, it’s time to explore some other great activities and crafts to complement Laura Numeroff’s books.
- DIY Pretend Play Cookies
- Cookie Delivery Rube Goldberg Machine
- Free Printable If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Activities
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Counting Cards
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Counting Activities
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Number Game
Allison says
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
These make for a delicious breakfast especially when on the go.
I made them with brown sugar instead of white, added 1/2 cup oats, and about 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. (We were out of cocoa powder so didn’t add that.)
When they were done, I made a quick icing/glaze like Moose did in the TV series my sis loves and topped some of them with marchino cherries. :p They were delicious!
Jodie Rodriguez says
I love those modifications. I’m so glad they were a hit.
Jill says
This is such a fun book! The muffins look like a tasty way to keep the fun of the story going!
Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop this week. We hope to see you drop by our neck of the woods next week!
Rachel says
That writing prompt is a great idea! I wish I’d thought of it two weeks ago when my preschoolers made applesauce muffins after reading this book :). It would be a great way to share with parents. I especially like the “About the Illustrator” page. Maybe we’ll have to make some more muffins 😉
Jodie Rodriguez says
I think another round of muffins would be a big hit! Enjoy Rachel!
Kristina says
Not only do these look delicious, but the photos are gorgeous! I have never tried making muffins with chocolate in them… and I need to remedy that ASAP!
Jodie Rodriguez says
They are pretty yummy Kristina!
Trisha @ Inspiration Laboratories says
What a happy accident. Chocolate banana muffins are my favorite muffin. We’ll have to try your recipe!
Jodie Rodriguez says
I hope you enjoy them Trisha!
Devany says
Yum! I love the writing prompt, too!