Playing with watermelons

Playing with watermelons

Watermelons are attractive for little ones who are drawn to their bright color, their texture, and their taste! Have fun transforming watermelons with your group.

Cookie cutters
Use cookie cutters to create bite-sized treats. You can cut shapes for the children in your group or let older children press different cookie cutter shapes into watermelon slices.

Healthy lollipops
Here is a great way to make guilt-free, healthy lollipops. Simply use small cookie cutters to create fun watermelon shapes and insert a lollipop stick in each one.

Watermelon cubes
Cut watermelon slices into cubes. Encourage children to pile them one on top of the other to build edible towers.

Puzzles
Use cookie cutters to cut a variety of shapes out of watermelon slices. Cut each shape into several pieces, mix them up, and invite children to rebuild the shapes.

A treat in my glass
Add pieces of fresh watermelon to each child's drinking glass (freezing them is unnecessary). This is a great way to encourage children to drink more water.

Watermelon smiles
Invite the children in your group to eat watermelon slices and place the half-moon shapes in front of their mouth to represent giant smiles.

Watermelons and creativity
Cut several different shapes out of watermelon slices. Arrange the shapes on a table and let children use them to create a variety of objects (houses, caterpillars, characters, etc.). If you wish, you may add other types of fruit to make the activity even more fun.

Watermelon and cheese
Add protein to snack time by cutting cubes of white cheddar. Use a melon baller to create melon balls. Mix the cheese cubes and melon balls together to create a snack with contrasting colors. Variation: If you wish to serve this at lunch time, simply add cubed ham with tiny whole wheat crackers on the side.

Melon rind serving dish
Cut a watermelon in half, remove the flesh, and cut it into pieces. Use the green rind as a serving dish and place the watermelon pieces inside. You can even use your imagination to create a basket, a boat, etc. Special thanks to Gourmandine Bizontine for this picture of her watermelon boat.

Recipes
Collect a variety of watermelon recipes: popsicles, slush, lemonade, etc. Prepare and enjoy these recipes with the children in your group.

Themes
Include the activities suggested here in your themes and activities. For example, they are perfect for a red theme, exploring shapes, construction games, or Valentine's Day.

Chantal Millette
Early childhood educator

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