POTATOES




Potato Prints

Cut brown paper bags into large potato shapes. Cut real potatoes into various shapes. Place folded paper towels in shallow containers and pour on tempera paint. Then let the children dip the potato pieces into the paint and use them to print designs on their paper potato shapes.




Potato Puppets

Give each child a potato shape cut out of brown construction paper. Have the children decorate their shapes with crayons or felt-tip markers. Let them add construction paper arms, if desired. Then attach popsicle stick handles to the backs of their shapes to make potato puppets.




Sweet Potato Plants

Help the children each insert three or four toothpicks horizontally around the middle of a sweet potato. Have them balance the toothpicks on the rims of jars and add enough water to cover the bottom parts of their potatoes. Have them keep the water filled to this level. In about two weeks, vines will begin to sprout and the children will have sweet potato plants.




Five Little Potatoes

Read the following poem to the children. If desired, have them act out the movements while you read.


Five little potatoes

Growing in the ground,

Covered up with soft brown earth,

Making not a sound.


Down came the rain

One stormy summer day.

The five potatoes underground

Slept the day away.


Out came the sun.

The farmer came out, too.

Dug those five potatoes up

To give to me and you.




Potato Game

Set out several different types of potatoes such as russet potatoes, red potatoes, and sweet potatoes in various sizes. Let the children take turns sorting the potatoes by type. Then have them arrange the potatoes in each group from smallest to largest.




Potato Hop

Cut ten large potato shapes out of brown construction paper and number them from 1 to 10. Tape the shapes to the floor in the proper sequence. Then let the children take turns hopping from one potato to the other as everyone recites the rhyme below.


One potato, two potato,

Three potato, four.

Five potato, six potato,

Seven potato, more.

Eight potato, nine potato,

Here is ten.

Now let's start all over again.




Mashed Potatoes

Cut cross sections of washed unpeeled potatoes about 1/4 inch thick. Steam them in a steamer or an electric skillet for three minutes or until tender. When the potatoes have cooled, let the children help you mash them. Serve with butter, if desired.




Potato-Cheese Pancakes

Blend together 1 egg and 1 teaspoon milk. Let the children help grate one large potato and cheddar cheese to equal 1/4 cup. Stir ingredients together in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon flour and salt and pepper to taste. Drop by spoonfuls into a hot greased frying pan. Cook until light brown on both sides.


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Visitors since July 4, 1998