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4.17.2013

CIRCUS PLAY SCHOOL + BANANA OAT MUFFINS


april is our month to host play school. play school is the little tots co-op preschool a few of us moms from my church put together. because $15k for a year of private preschool is a little ridiculous, but we would still like our kids to be exposed to as many germs learning opportunities here in the city as possible ;).  (we call it play school and not pre school because most of the kids are in the 2.5-3.5 age range, where they're not really learning things so much as learning to play well with others.)


we had a huge drawer full of birthday party decorations waiting to be used from huck's sandy'd-out circus themed birthday party, so i spent an evening looking up photos of circus animals so we could talk about all of the different sounds they make. i discovered a lot of horrible things about the treatment of circus animals in the process, actually, as well as the sad fact that, no matter how hard i wanted it to be true, there is just no such thing as a circus penguin. :( i also threw down some black butcher paper so the kids could go wild with their glue sticks and crayons.

we made lions out of paper plates (truly there is no end to the number of things one can make with a paper plate), talked about circus animals, and then we ate popcorn, banana oat muffins (seriously, let's talk about these in a minute), chocolate milk (organic chocolate milk! ;), and whatever fruits + vegetables i had in the fridge for lunch. and then we made homemade cotton candy on my cotton candy machine, because this WAS going to be a birthday party after all. geez people, personal cotton candy machines are probably a necessity.(we found ours on amazon HERE.)


those banana oat muffins, by the way . . . are ridiculous. i found the recipe on pinterest (where else). i tweaked them a bit, and i've made them five times over the two weeks since. i don't ever want to not have banana oat muffins waiting for me in my kitchen. here's the recipe:

(sugar free) (flour-less) banana oat muffins
ingredients
2 1/2 cups raw oats
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
2 ripe bananas
chocolate chips

method:
combine all ingredients and mix until combined.
pour into paper-lined cupcake pan and bake for 15 minutes in a 400-degree oven.


they keep on the counter for about four days, and can probably be frozen pretty easily. it's basically a bowl of oatmeal in a paper wrapper. ;) ooh! imagine them with slivered almonds!

50 comments:

  1. okay, I am so excited to make those muffins! tomorrow afternoon. what a fun play day! that last photo of Huck - he is the coolest kid around.

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  2. I once watched a Netflix documentary about NYC moms applying their kids into preschools. It was absolutely ridiculous. It was as extensive (if not more) than a college application. You should find it and laugh really hard at the ridiculousness of it all.

    What are your plans for Henry and school? Just curious as to how that works in NYC.

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    1. there are a few great neighborhoods in manhattan that come with pretty decent public schools, so we're planning to go that route. i just don't have it in me to freak out too much about it all, i feel like so much of it comes down to a kid's disposition and the support he gets at home, whether he has good friends . . . you know? that or we could shell out $30-40k for a private school after brandon wins the lottery and i pull together a hell of a portfolio for huck ;). geez.

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    2. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1438251/ I just watched the movie The Best and the Brightest last night. It's a comedy about a couple who moves from Delaware to NYC and tries to get their little girl into a private school at the last minute. It's no oscar nominee but it made me laugh out loud a lot for a Wednesday. ;)

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    3. Natalie, I love you so much more for saying that about public schools. As a teacher I can definitely attest to the fact that the kid's disposition and parental support are probably the two most important parts of getting an education. And the disposition is largely (I believe) learned thing, so if kids know education is important then it's likely that they will do well.

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  3. YUM! the muffins sound so simple and delicious.... and that city bakery cup makes me crave one of their infamous hot chocolates right now! homemade marshmallow and all ;)

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  4. What a great recipe & ooh la la, gluten free!

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  6. umm...I think that might be the cutest play school I've ever seen! And I'll definitely be trying the recipe.

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  7. Looks like and awesome party- and YEAH I need to make those muffins asap!!

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  8. so good. the party and the muffins.

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  9. No such thing as a circus penguin?! Can't be true! Plus, I feel you should have totally learned about the mistreatment of animals already via Dumbo :) On a less depressing note, that play school looks awesome, and those muffins divine. (since they are gluten free, I can even make them! yay me.)

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  10. You had me at "homemade cotton candy"!

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  11. Bananas and oats? Sign me up ;)

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  12. Love the homemade otton candy; SO much better than the tasteless stuff you get elsewhere. You need a pin it button so I can pin that recipe.

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  13. Where is Huck's little white chair from??? My boys need to have their own! :)

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  14. this is such a good idea - that is what i kept saying throughout this whole post. the play-school, the banana muffins, paper plate crafts, cotton candy, oh just so good!

    i am definitely trying out that banana muffin recipe, because if they are sugar and flour free then they are for me and my semi-dieting derriere :)

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  15. I'm sure Huck was a very nice play group host, that little gentleman. ;)

    Play school is a great idea for pre-preschool. I love the idea of crafts and snacks since my little guy has playground playdates all the time, it's good to get together for some sit down activities as well.

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  16. This is toooo adorable! You are the best play-school mom.

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  17. Private schools and colleges are getting so expensive nowadays.. sigh. It's a main factor as to why couples in my country are not having children, or are having only 1 or 2 children. :(

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  18. High fives to you mamas for organizing a play school co-op! There are a few of us in our building who do much the same. NYC pre-k prices are insane. No can do. We chose our hood based on the public schools-of which my husband is a proud graduate :-)

    I'm totally making those muffins in the morning, btw. Yum!

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  19. Definately going to try those muffins!

    xx
    http://thepocketbookblogg.blogspot.com/

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  20. Awh this is adorable, and the muffins looks delicious too. I used to go to a playschool before school, I think its much better than a pre school ahaxx

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  21. I intentionally physically abuse my bananas on the way from the store shelf to my kitchen in the hopes that a few get bruised enough that their fate is sealed... they will be baked into something delicious. This muffin recipe will be my next baked banana plan... bring on the banana roughhousing.

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  22. I can't wait to try this recipe : )

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  23. I want to try this now. It looks really yummy. Thanks so much for the post. I love to know more of your recipe.

    -KatzGlutenFree.com

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  24. This. is. awesome. and playing is totally learning! like seriously, I wish that schools were play schools until college. If educators kept kids excited about learning through exploring and "playing" (and building and doing and creating) then kids would stop asking why they have to learn such-and-such. But that sort of stuff is also way harder than worksheets, etc (I know, I was a math teacher). but that is still my dream. I heart this sort of stuff, big time. great job! super cute.

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  25. what a cute idea -- looks like you all had a great time! xo

    http://allthingsprettyandlittle.blogspot.com/

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  26. I did "Mommy School" Sometimes with friends and sometimes not. This looks like such an amazing time for both moms and tots! The muffin doesn't look too bad either. ;)

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  27. That is a wonderful idea!! I wish I knew more moms who had kids around the same to age to do that! I'm gonna have to try those muffins. They look delish!

    xo
    Rachel

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  28. Looks like a blast! Love the Play School idea. And...it's my day off and I have all of those ingredients, so I think my girl and I will give those muffins a try : )

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  29. Have you tried this one? http://pinterest.com/pin/107523509824288043/ I make these on the regular! Gluten-free, no sugar added (I use honey) and we like to add chia seeds. My kids always request that I toss in chopped up apple and top them with butterscotch chips. I'm actually eating one right now! =)

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  30. That's such a cool substitute for an expensive preschool, where the kids probably wouldn`t even learn about circus penguins ;)

    Some Snapshots Blog
    Jess

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  31. ...and I'll be trying these muffins this weekend. Thanks

    xo Lisa
    Making Life's Lemons

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  32. This may have been asked already somewhere but where is that awesome white rocking chair from?!

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  33. Cute. Yum! I've also substituted the sour cream for greek yogurt ;)

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  34. you have just convinced me i need a cotton candy machine.

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  35. Okay, I need to know: if I only have rolled oats on hand at the moment, can I substitute those for the raw listed in the ingredients?

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    1. Oh my gosh. Are they the same thing? And am I just learning this? Sigh.

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  36. Cutest party ever! I've always wanted a cotton candy machine. And thanks for the recipe- I'm making those tonight! :)

    xo

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  37. those muffins are seriously the best thing in the world....getting me through exams and foggy library days
    xo

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  38. I need it to be known that the take home message if this post, for me, is that I need a cotton candy machine. The end.

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  39. I made these muffins this morning. Winner!!

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  40. I had that cotton candy machine, but it ended up breaking, so I pulled out the big guns and bought an industrial size one. No lie. I friggin' love cotton candy!

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  41. I made these, using Greek yogurt for the sour cream, and they were delicious! Good find!

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  42. I used Greek yogurt too Lindsay and they're just gorgeous aren't they?!thanks Natalie x

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  43. I made these last weekend and they were great! I substituted the banana and chocolate chips for some cooked apple and toffee pieces which was delicious!

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  44. Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile .
    Play School in Tolichowki

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  45. kindergarten school in india are an extension for your child's quality learning experience that begins with our kids play school and Nursery programs and aims at preparing kids for a successful career.
    pre school education
    franchise for play school in goa

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  46. Perfect for the kids, they love oats!

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