It’s official. It is summer and it is HOT. Everyone loves popsicles, especially in the summer. Try making homemade popsicles with your child as a fun language learning activity! They will have a blast and learn so much while doing so.

Your child may want to watch you cook. Narrate what you are doing using simply language and sing about what you are doing while showing your child the objects you are using. “This is the way we pour the juice, pour the juice pour the juice….this is the way we pour the juice, when we make popsicles…..” Your child will be learning as they listen and watch. You can work on your child learning the vocabulary involved as well as their social communication (making choices “strawberry or lime”, more, help, no, waiting, dangerous, etc.).

If your child wants to be a more active participant, this is great too! Have your child help you shop for the items you need. They can also help you find all the items needed within the kitchen and you can work on prepositions, directing/securing attention and commenting “Look Dad! Juice in the refrigerator!” You can change up where you keep the items in the kitchen to keep it dynamic and to help your child learn even more. Have a simple “how-to” list that describes and illustrations the steps involved within the activity. This can be in the form of a visual list with picture symbols, clip art or stick figure drawings. You can also use a dry erase board. Not only will this help your child know what will happens next and know how long the activity is, but it will also help them with sequencing skills and understanding and using the language. As you cook, describe everything you are doing using broken down language and sing about what you are doing. Don’t forget to model fun descriptors like yummy, cold, sticky, messy, fruity, sweet, juicy, wet, etc. You can also create problem solving situations like spilling some of the juice and work on solving the problem (“Oh no! Spilled the juice! That’s okay. When we spill, we clean it up!”) and then have your child help clean up the mess. Once the popsicles are ready, you can work on your child practicing ‘like’, ‘don’t like’, sharing with others (“Here Daddy, share with Daddy”) such as family members and neighbors. Also, once your child is successful within the whole process and once it is familiar to them, have another child involved in the process so your child can work on their social skills with a peer (turn-taking, sharing, watching others, telling peer how to make the popsicles using their visual, talking about what the peer likes/does not like and more). Also, when your child is familiar with the popsicle routine, don’t forget to change the routine up to keep the activity evolving, to keep your child learning and to promote their dynamic thinking skills (i.e., make smoothie bars instead of juice popsicles, use a different mold, make them at night and freeze them over night instead of during the day, make a different flavor, etc.).

Be sure to take photos or videos of the process! You can take photos of the steps within making the popsicle and then later put them together as a “how-to” book. This will not only serve as an excellent support for your child, the next time you make popsicles, but will also help your child show others, practice their conversational skills, practice talking about the past, predicting skills and more.

See below for some links to some fun BPA free popsicles molds you can purchase as well as some yummy recipes found online.

Popsicle Molds:

*BPA Free - Set of 4 at Bed Bath and Beyond – Can Fill the Hollow Center with a Yummy Filling
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=16565040

*BPA Free – Made of Durable Silicone from kinderville
https://www.kinder-ville.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16140&cat=0&pag...
http://www.amazon.com/Kinderville-Little-Bites-Silicone-Molds/dp/B002YVG...

*BPA Free Set that makes 10 from greenfeet
http://www.greenfeet.com/itemdesc.asp?kw=Ice-Pop-Molds&ic=6003-02112-000...
http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Ice-Pop-Molds/dp/B002AS6KJK

*BPA Free Star-Shaped Set from Tovolo
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G34F2U?ie=UTF8&tag=natureblog-20htt...

*BPA Free Rocket-Shaped Set from Tovolo
http://www.target.com/Tovolo-Blue-Star-Freeze-Molds/dp/B0017VT8I6/ref=sc...

You can also use ice trays and toothpicks for a smaller treat!

Online Recipes:

*Fruit Popsicles found at Angela’s Kitchen
http://angelaskitchen.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/gluten-free-zer-friday-fr...

Makes about eight two-ounce popsicles
-2 cups pureed peeled and pitted fruit**
-1 to 4 Tablespoons sweetener of choice
-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons lime or lemon juice

**Note: You can puree fruit very smooth or coarsely depending on the texture your family likes. For really thick purees like mango you may want to use 1 1/2 cups fruit and 1/2 cup juice, water, coconut milk or liquid of choice.

Mix fruit puree with the amount of sweetener and lime or lemon juice needed to taste. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze. I find it takes at least 2 hours to freeze solid enough to un-mold, depending on the size and shape of the popsicle mold.

In mango pops I like to use coconut milk to thin the puree and stir in large flakes of unsweetened coconut before freezing. Yummy!

*Ellen’s Blackberry Smoothie found at I Am Gluten Free
http://iamglutenfree.blogspot.com/2007/09/blackberry-smoothie.html

Makes four 8 oz servings

1/2 cup cubed mango
1 cup purple grapes
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 fuji cored apple (or apple of your choice)
1 small frozen banana (can use a fresh, unfrozen one)
2 cups spinach
2 1/2 dried dates (medjool works great)
2 tablespoons agave syrup
1 tablespoon flax seeds (whole)
2 cups ice
1 cup cold water

Put everything in the blender and whirrrr.........delicious!

*Strawberry Creamsicles found at glutenfreebynature
http://www.glutenfreebynature.com/articles-and-recipes/strawberry-creams...

1½ cups roughly chopped organic strawberries
3 tblsp coconut water
3 tblsp coconut milk (I prefer Whole Foods organic “365 brand”)
3 tblsp agave nectar

Coarsely chop strawberries and put in the blender with coconut milk, coconut water and agave nectar. Pulse for only about 10 seconds – so it’s still quite chunky.

Evenly divide fruit mixture between popsicle molds. Let freeze (upright) for about 4 hours. To loosen them, simply run the mold under a bit of warm water.

Try any of your favorite yogurt, smoothie, pudding or popsicle recipes. You can even sneak in some pureed vegetables for some added nutrition. Have fun cooking together and staying cool with your frozen treats!

~Laura & Amanda
KidSpeak, LLC
www.kidspeakdallas.com