Fun Finds: Cupcake Candy Holders and More

I am adding another new feature to the blog today. I think you will like it!

The new feature will be a group of posts about fun items I find on sale at the store ~ hence the name: Fun Finds! 

These items are usually found in Dollar Stores or in the dollar bins at Target or in the clearance aisle at Michael's or WalMart or at just about any store after a major holiday like Easter or Halloween when everything is marked 50% to 75% off ~ or sometimes, if we're luck, even 90% off! Whoo Hoo! I love a good deal! Don't you?

I always try to go shopping one or two places the morning following a holiday. This morning I made it to our neighborhood WalMart. Besides a good deal on Easter candy and stickers, I found the cutest little cupcake candy holders that were sold as egg hunt treats. Instead of hiding just eggs, you could hide little cupcakes filled with candies. 

They were so adorable! I had to have them!

But I could only find one box. :-(

I am hoping to head up to another WalMart in a little while to see if they have more. If I find another box or two then I will use them as a Library Search (more on that later) and allow my storytime friends to take one home. However, there is a Warning: Choking Hazard label on the box. These are not for children under 3 yrs. So I will be sure to let the parents know so they can make a decision about keeping one.

For now, I have big plans for this box!

 

In the store, I immediately started thinking of things that I could do with these little cuties. First, I thought about a couple of books that have a cupcake theme. Then I thought about a few games and learning activities that could easily be done with the colorful cupcakes.

The first game is a Cupcake Color Match Relay that we can play at our monthly Family Game Night. It is simple to create and relays are always a big hit with my families.

To make the game, I cut out paper cupcakes to match the candy holders. I glued them to cardstock to make game cards. The cards were quick to make but I still need to laminate them so they are more durable. 

To play the Cupcake Color Match Relay, I will place a set of cupcakes and a set of the cards on two or three different trays, depending on how many teams I want to have. The cards will be mixed up and face down in a pile. The cupcakes will be separated ~ tops from bottoms ~ and mixed up on the tray. Next to the tray will be a stack of paper plates. The player will run down to the tray, flip a card, create the appropriately-colored cupcake, place it on a paper plate and carry it back to the next player. This player will then carry the cupcake back to the tray, take it a part, flip a card, and create a new cupcake to match the card. The relay will continue until everyone has made and delivered a cupcake. 

I have ideas for another more involved relay game but I haven't had time to create the items I need for it yet. I'll be back soon to add it and to add a learning activity to this post.

In the meantime, I want to suggest a few books to share when introducing these games and activities to your child/ren.

The first book is a perfect candidate to be made into a flannel or magnetic board story. It is on my to-do list! This delightful book is Cupcake: A Journey to Special by Charise Harper. If you haven't read it yet then you are missing out!

The second book is also on my to-do list as a possible live action presentation for my Sunday Spectacular Storytimes. I think it would be a fun interactive presentation and I already have a cat costume! The book is If You Give A Cat A Cupcake by Laura Numeroff.



I hope some of you are able to find a set of cupcakes to play around with. Just hurry to your nearest WalMart and check the Easter clearance aisle!

Oh, I forgot to mention that I got them for a mere $2.25!!!