Candy Heart Math

If your kids are anything like mine, they end up with way too many candy hearts after Valentine's Day. Here are a few fun activities to make good use of all those candy hearts.

Estimating Jar
Fill a small jar with the candy hearts. Have each person write down their guess on a piece of paper. Once everyone has taken their turn, empty the jar and count the hearts. You can count by 1's, 2's, 5's...however you like. This is a great way to practice counting and estimating.

Candy Heart Graph
Using a white piece of paper (or graph paper) make a quick graph for each child. Number the left side 1-6 and then write the different colors on the bottom of the graph. Show each child how to graph his/her candy hearts by placing them in the correct column. Once they have graphed all of their hearts, they can go back and color in the graph and eat the candy hearts. :)


Candy Heart Math Facts
This activity is my favorite! It's a great way for kids to practice their math facts. You take small brown paper bags and label each bag on the outside with a letter (A, B, C, D). Inside each bag, put different amounts of two different colored hearts. For example, in bag A, I am going to put in 2 pink hearts and 1 orange heart. For bag B, I am going to put in 3 yellow hearts and 1 white heart. After you have filled all of the bags, fold them closed and give each child a piece of paper and pencil and have them open each bag and form a math problem based on the hearts that are inside. For example, in bag A, a math problem could be 2+1=3. You could also add 3 different colored hearts to make it more challenging. This activity can easily be modified to meet any child's instructional level.

Oatmeal Cupcakes

I found this recipe for oatmeal cake in my mom's old recipe box and decided to try it as a cupcake. Oatmeal has never tasted so good! The topping that the recipe calls for is a broiled coconut topping. It is fantastic with the oatmeal cupcake! Just for variation, I also made this cream cheese frosting. Oatmeal cupcake with cream cheese frosting...how can you go wrong?!

I ended up making two batches of these cupcakes since I decided to also use the cream cheese frosting. Each batch makes exactly 24 cupcakes. I couldn't keep all those cupcakes for us and they are just too yummy to not share, so my kids gave some to their teachers for Valentine's Day. We put them in these adorable little cupcake boxes.

Oatmeal Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup oatmeal
*In a medium sized bowl, pour water over oatmeal and let stand for 10 minutes.

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, unbeatened.
*In a large bowl, mix these ingredients together. Stir in oatmeal and mix with a spoon.

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups flour
*In a small bowl mix these dry ingredients, then slowly add to the oatmeal mixture.

Poor into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until done.
While cupcakes are baking, prepare the broiled topping.

Broiled Topping
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk (Carnation)
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter. Add other ingredients and mix well. Spread on cupcakes as soon as removed from oven. Place under broiler until coconut is browned (brown slowly). Don't let it harden.

I hope you enjoy these cupcakes as much as we did. If you're looking for a slightly healthier version, just omit the topping/frosting altogether. They will still be just as yummy.

Groundhog Cupcakes

This is one cupcake I have never thought to make, until now. I got this idea from my son's kindergarten teacher. Apparently, the class thinks they are going to eat an actual groundhog tomorrow, but really it is going to be a groundhog cupcake. My son is pretty freaked out about this. Wouldn't you be if you were 5 years old?!? I decided to put my own spin on her groundhog cupcake and this is what I came up with. I just used what I had in my pantry and made due.

For the frosting, I used the same chocolate frosting I used in this recipe. It makes the perfect amount to frost 24 cupcakes. I used tip 233 to make the groundhog fur. For the eyes, I used small candy pieces and for the nose I used an m&m. For the mouth, I cut one mini marshmallow in half and for the ears I used dry cereal. That's it...pretty simple! Happy Groundhog Day!