A is for World Apple Day!

If you like to make everyday a special day, then check out brownielocks.com, one of my personal favorite sites for looking up silly, fun, and off the wall holidays one can celebrate. October 21st, is World Apple Day. What is World Apple Day? I'm not talk about the new iPhone, but a whole day devoted to celebrating all the wondrous goodness an apple can bring to your life. I have complied some ideas to help you celebrate. *As a side note I am not a doctor and have not verified nor endorse any suggestions listed below. I strongly suggest seeking the advice of a true doctor before attempting any health or beauty suggestions listed below but found the information interesting enough to share.

Arts & Crafts

Make an apple core magnet with your kids.

Talk about the parts of an apple.

The skin, the meat or flesh, the stem, core, and seeds.

Pull out the paint and make some apple stamps
I love the way this apple stamp come out by alphamom.com, but don't feel bad if your little Picasso's doesn't come out as neatly.

What you need

paper
paint - red, green, yellow
apples
a small leaf

How to make it
1. slice your apples in half down the middle
2. dip your apple slice in your paint
3. stamp apple on paper
4. paint leaf
5. stamp on leaf

While you have the paints out, make an apple tree.
This is very similar to my version using the whole hand and part of the arm. These also makes really cute Autumn trees.

What you need

White paper
Brown paint for tree
Green paint for leaves
Red paint for apples

How to make it
1. Paint your child's hand and part of arm brown.
2. Press the arm and hand down on the paper to create the tree trunk
3. Using the green paint, let your child dip a finger in green paint making leaves
4. Using the red paint, let your child dip a finger in the paint making the apples in the tree

Fun with Food

Kids love to be in the kitchen, at least in my house. Here are some fun, and yummy ideas.

My favorite Apple Pie recipe from http://www.joyofbaking.com/

I will tell you that I cheat some times and use store bought crust. (GASP)

I haven't tried this yet, but my doesn't it look yummy!

Apple Pie in an Apple!

And finally what would World Apple Day be if you didn't make caramel apples!

We made caramel apple slices although they came out looking like a huge gloppy pile of caramel with some sprinkles, nuts, chocolate chips and coconut with some slivers of apples slices buried somewhere underneath it all, the kids love it!

A simple recipe is to take 14oz of wrapped caramel. Melt them in the microwave with 2 tablespoons of water for about 1.5 minutes, stir microwave for about another 30 seconds or until all the caramel is melted.

You could skewer the apple slices with a long tooth pick or coffee straw so the kids don't get burnt and dip them into the caramel. We just spooned globs onto ours, followed by an array of toppings. They didn't last long enough to pictures.

Songs and Finger Play

Five Little Apples
(Sung to "Five Little Monkeys")

Five little apples swinging in a tree
I sure wish one would fall to me
One fell down
And hit the ground
Now how many apples do you see?
(Keep singing until all apples have fallen.)

Apples and Bananas
I love to eat, eat, eat
apples and bananas

I love to eat, eat, eat
apples and bananas

(Long A sound)

I love to ate, ate, ate
apples and bananas

Repeat 1x
(Long E sound)

I love to eat, eat, eat
epples and benenes

Repeat 1x
(Long I sound)
I love to ite, ite, ite
ipples and bininis

Repeat 1x
(Long O sound)
I love to oat, oat, oat
opples and bononos

Repeat 1x

(Long U sound)
I love to ute, ute, ute
upples and bununus

Repeat 1x

I love to eat, eat, eat
apples and bananas.

Apple Tree
This is the tree
With leaves so green.
(make leaves with fingers outstretched)

Here are the apples
That hang inbetween.
(make fist)

When the wind blows
(blow)

The apples will fall,
(falling motion with hand)

Here is the basket to gather them all.
(use arms to form basket)

Health & Beauty*

According to worldappleday.org, it is said that apple cider vinegar can increase the circulation of blood, help rid bad cholesterol, aids in keeping blood pressure under control, helps keep bones healthy and strong, will offset the uric acid that tends to collect around body joints and cause joint pain, can help fight arthritis, help lower the toxicity in the body and contribute to overall health, fight the ravages of free radicals.

It is often it is used as a final rinse after shampooing hair and restores life and luster to the scalp and hair.

Apples helps to neutralize food odors. The fibers also serve as a natural dental floss.
Here are some interesting beauty recipes from care2.com

Honey of an Apple Glow Mask
Wake up a dull complexion. This formula combines the magical apple with sweet honey, will bring moisture to your skin.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cored apple
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon dried sage

Pulse ingredients in a food processor, combining well. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. Apply this mixture to a clean face. With your fingertips, begin gently patting your face. Continue until the mixture feels very, very sticky–this will bring the blood to the surface of your skin, making it glow. Rinse with warm water.

To Reduce Wrinkles and Inflammation
Grate an unripe apple and apply to clean skin to heal and improve the appearance of fine wrinkles or inflammation. Allow pulp to remain on skin for 10 to 20 minutes before rinsing with warm water.

Oily Skin/Acne Healing Mask
Mix equal parts grated raw apple (or unsweetened applesauce) and honey. Apply mixture to a clean face and allow to remain on skin for 10 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

To Reduce Eye Puffiness
Mix 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce with one small grated raw potato. Lie down and apply to eyes, covering with a warm damp washcloth, if desired. Allow to remain on for 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Autumn Magic Facial MaskSoothes and nourishes skin and nerves, and provides gentle exfoliating action.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cored apple, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon rolled oats
1 teaspoon cream
1 teaspoon honey
Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Apply to clean face, massaging gently, and allow mixture to remain on skin for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

What will you do to celebrate for World Apple Day?