Camp What-A-Wonder "Campfire Cooking" - Puppy Chow

This week Wonderopolis' Camp What-A-Wonder continues with Campfire Cooking.  Ben and Betsy made a family favorite treat, Puppy Chow.  It is also called Muddy Buddies Mix.  In this episode, our dog Sally even got in on the action.

Be sure to join the virtual campfire #WonderChat Thursday, July 12th from 7:00-8:00 to share some of your family favorite campfire cooking, snacks and treats!

Recipe for Puppy Chow

Ingredients

9 cups Rice Chex, Corn Chex or Chocolate Chex cereal

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1.  Put cereal in a large bowl and set aside.

2.  In a medium size sauce pan, melt and mix chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter and then add vanilla.  Pour over cereal until evenly coated.

3.  Put coated cereal in powdered sugar in large zip lock bag and shake.  Lay out on wax paper until dry.

Books for Camp What-A-Wonder Campfire Cooking

The theme this week for Wonderopolis' Camp What-A-Wonder is Campfire Cooking.  In preparing for this week's virtual campfire #WonderChat about "campfire cooking," I found some wonderful books with campfire treats in them.  Once again, all of these books were found at my local library.

S'mores Gourmet Treats for Every Occasion by Lisa Adams

If you like s'mores then this book is for you.  Every recipe includes one important s'more ingredient, marshmallows.  Not only does this book have great recipes, but most recipes have a photograph of the food which will have your mouth watering.  The two that I can't wait to try making are Banana Caramel (Hershey's Caramel Kisses, graham cracker, marshmallow and banana slices) and the picture on the cover, Cookie Dough (a marshmallow, 2 soft chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chip cookie dough).  Yum! Yum!

Kids Camp! Activities for the Backyard or Wilderness by Laurie Carlson

Wether you are camping in your backyard or in the wilderness, this book would be a wonderful addition.  The book isn't completely devoted to campfire foods, but there is plenty of yummy sound recipes like, Apple Pocket Pies.  

The Campfire Book by Jane Drake and Ann Love

This book has much more than campfire foods.  The book includes many games to play around the campfire and some wonderful campfire songs, including a section on "jazzing up a sing-along.  There is also a section on "family stories" and ideas for story starters.  This would be a great book for any family camping trip or campfire.

Cooking on a Stick Campfire Recipes for Kids by Linda White

This book includes some great recipes with really fun titles such as, Honey Bear's Delight or Wh-o-o's  Chili.  In addition to child friendly recipes, the book includes some hints to campers such as, what to do if you forget your utensils.

Camp Out! from the Backyard to the Backwoods by Lynn Brunelle

This book covers many camping topics, but chapter 3 is titled, Good Grub Fun Food for Hungry Campfolk.  There are recipes and directions for making such things as Stew for a Crew and Breakfast in a Bag.  My favorite is "Kick-the-Can Ice Cream."  This ice cream is made with a small and large coffee can.  This would be fun to make with kids whether you are camping or not.  

Toasting Marshmallows Camping Poems by Kristine O'Connell George

The poems in this book would be great to share when sitting around a campfire.  All of the poems are around the "camping" theme. 

Camp What-A-Wonder "Campfire Cooking" #WonderChat

Please join Wonderopolis and my family this Thursday, July 12th at 7:00 PM EST for this week's Camp What-A-Wonder virtual campfire #WonderChat via Twitter.  The theme this week will center around "campfire cooking".  Do you have a family favorite camping recipe, a treat or a snack you make for camping or a backyard campfire? Come share it with other #WonderChat participants.

Plan on joining Campfire #WonderChat Thursday from 7-8 PM EST.  Don't forget to use and follow the hashtag #WonderChat.

To get you in the spirit for this week's Campfire #WonderChat, check out the Campfire Podcast and Activity.

Camp What-A-Wonder - "Campfire Cooking" - Buckeyes

This week the theme for Wonderopolis' Camp What-A-Wonder is, Campfire Cooking.  Betsy loves to cook and make movies.  Her movie is featured on this week's Wonder of Day, #645 What Is a Chuckwagon?  It seemed only natural for her to make movies of her (and Ben) cooking some great campfire treats.  Below is the first in several of a series called, Campfire Cooking with Betsy.  What are some of you favorite campfire treats?

The recipe for Buckeyes:

(Betsy cut the recipe in 1/2 as she said in the video.)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

1 cup butter, soffened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 cups confectioner sugar

4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1.  In a large bowl, mix together peanut butter, butter, vanilla and sugar.  Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.

2.  Press a toothpick into the top of each ball.  Put into the freezer for about 30 minutes.

3.  Melt chocolate chips.

4.  Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate.  Leave small portion of peanut butter showing, so they look like real buckeyes.  Put back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until serving.

In case you were wondering.....  

Here is what a buckeye nut looks like.

Camp What-A-Wonder Read Alouds

If you are following Wonderopolis' virtual Camp What-A-Wonder, here is a list of picture books (one is a beginning chapter book) to go along with the camp/camping theme.  All of these books were found at my local library.

Camping by Nancy Hundal

The family of this book dreams of going on some wonderful vacations, but because "money is scarce" they go camping instead.  I love the description in both the illustrations and words in this book.

The Camping Trip That Changed America by Barb Rosenstock

This is a great story about how President Theodore Roosevelt went camping with naturalist John Muir.  During the camping trip John Muir tried to convince the president to help protect the land. Thus changing America by establishing the National Parks.

The Graves Family Goes Camping by Patricia Polacco

This is a funny tale about the Graves family and their camping trip.  While on the trip, they encounter a dragon who loves their Jum Jills.  They try many things to leave the dragon behind at their campsite, but it ends up following them home.

When I Go Camping with Grandma by Marion Dane Bauer

I love the connection between the grandma and girl in this story.  Anyone who has a special grandma can connect to their relationship.  I can't imagine anything more special than camping with grandma.

Stella and Roy Go Camping by Ashley Wolff

Stella and Roy spend their day looking for bear tracks.  Each time they find a track, Roy thinks it's a bear track.  Stella is quick to set him straight with her animal track book.  While they sleep, a bear does enter their camp and Roy chases it away.

When Daddy Took Us Camping by Julie Brillhart

A simple story about a dad who takes his two children camping.  At the end of the story you find out that the camping trip was actually in their own backyard.

Molly and Emmett's Camping Adventure by Marylin Hafner

This is one story in a series of Molly and Emmett books.  The story is about Molly and a cat named, Emmett who decided to camp in the backyard.  After they have brought just about everything from the house outside, it begins to rain.

Pinky and Rex Go to Camp by James Howe

A charming beginning chapter book about Pinky and Rex.  Pinky doesn't want to go to camp and writes a letter to the local newspaper advice columnist about his problem.  Kids will certainly be able to relate to Pinky's fears.

Camp What-A-Wonder "Spooky Stories" #WonderChat

This Thursday, July 5th from 7:00-8:00 PM will be a virtual Campfire chat for "Spooky Stories" week of Camp What-A-Wonder.  The Campfire #WonderChat will feature husband and wife team Monica Holloway as the Camp Counselor and writing expert Michael Price.  Monica Holloway is the author of two memoirs, Driving with Dead People and Cowboy and Wills.  She is also a literacy advocate and Board Member for NCFL.  Micheal Price is a Co-Executive Producer and writer for The Simpsons and wrote Lego Star Wars: The Padawan Menace.  He is also a Board Member for NCFL.

The Campfire #WonderChat will center around Spooky Stories.  Come ready to share your favorite parts of a spooky story, how to engage your family/children in imagination and share stories that you tell around a campfire.

Plan on joining the Campfire #WonderChat from 7:00-8:00 PM, Thursday, July 5th.  Don't forget to use the hashtag #WonderChat.

Looking forward to hearing some spook-tastic stories!

WONDERful Spooky Stories for Kids - Camp What-A-Wonder

Each week during Wonderopolis' Camp What-A-Wonder, I will be sharing kid friendly books to go along with the theme.  This week's theme is, "Spooky Stories".  The books this week range from picture books, easy readers, short stories and chapter books.  I found all of the books at my local library.  I encourage you to visit your library and check out a few for a Spook-tastic "Spooky Stories" Week!

Spooky ABC

by Eve Merriam and Lane Smith

Each letter of the alphabet is given a scary word and then a scary poem is written using that word.  

Spooky Hour

by Tony Mitton

This is a fun easy rhyming book that kids of all ages would enjoy reading with lots of spooking noises like, "clickety clack and snickety snack".

The Spooky Book

by Steve Patschke

This is a deep picture book about a by named Andrew reading a spooky book about a girl named Zo Zo reading a spooky book.  They are both reading spooky books about each other.  This is a great book for wondering and engaging children in a deep discussion.

The Spooky Eerie Night Noise

by Mona Rabun Reeves

The book is about a little girl and all the things she imagines in her backyard when she hears a spook noise.  There is quite the surprise at the end of the story as to what the noise was.  The story goes perfectly with Wonder #638 Why Do You Get Goose Bumps?.  In the middle of the story the little girl says, "I feel goose bumps on my skin.  I hear that spooky sound again!"

Octavius Bloom and the House of Doom

by Erik Brooks

This is a great story about a red headed boy named, Octavius.  He solves a mystery that all of the kids at his new school are afraid to solve.  

Don't Go Near the Water! (Easy-To-Read Spooky Tales Series)

by Veronika Martenova Charles

There are five "Don't Go" books in the series.  The series is about three boys.  Each boy tells a "scary story" and that relate to the "real scary story" in the book.  The author tells some information about where the boys' stories came from (mostly from legends and folktales).

The following three books are collections of short stories.

            

                Seriously Spooky Stories    Scared Witless Thirteen Eerie Tales to Tell 

              Compiled by Chris Powling        by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss

Spooky Stories For a Dark and Stormy Night

Complied by Alice Low

Magic Tree House #30 Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve

by Mary Pope Osborne

In this Magic Tree House, Annie and Jack spend their Halloween going back to Camelot.

The Case of the Spooky Sleepover

by James Preller

Jigsaw's friend Ralphie thinks he has a ghost in his house.  Jigsaw is happy to take on the mystery.  They have a sleepover at Ralphie's house to solve the case.

Spooky Wolf Spiders

by Meish Goldish

What's spookier than a real life wolf spider?  The photographs in this book help show the reader many interesting facts about this type of spider.

Spooky Jokes

by Joseph Resenbloom

Kids will love sharing these spooky jokes with everyone.  They are easy to read and great for practicing fluency.