Take a Trip to the Wild, Wild West!

Boy, it is hot enough to grow cactus! 

So why not try? This is a great activity for small kids to do for a theme party. There is nothing better than squirt guns some red bandannas and a few cacti to grow up on the table.

Cactus

Picture 1 - Supplies

Green paper, glue, scissors, about 20 or 30 spaghetti noodles and something to use as a pattern (I used a wooden spoon)

Picture 2 - Wooden spoon

Take your wooden spoon, lay it down on the paper, and trace the bowl of the spoon. Now move the bowl of the spoon to one side and then the other and trace that

Picture 3 - Cut

Now draw by free hand the base to the edge of the paper. Cut out two sheets of paper on the lines you made.

Picture 4 - Fold

Fold the two pieces in half to two make two separate cactus.

Picture 5 - Pasta

Using a paintbrush, spread glue all over the cactus. Cut out and sprinkle with broken spaghetti noodles to look like the cactus spines.

Let it dry completely. As you can see from my pictures, I did not. Time was not on my side and had a deadline that was long overdue. Now glue the two folded halves together and paper clip the two halves until they are dry.

Picture 6 - Finished

These make great 3-D table decorations for a party and they are also a great take-home item for the party too. Have the kids sit at a table and have the cactus cut out ahead of time. That way they only have to take one side of the flat paper and paint with glue. Have them add spaghetti and they have a wall hanging to bring home or add a magnet to the back for the fridge.

Cowboy Caviar

This is a snack that is healthy and your kids will love even if they do not like beans. I have several that will only eat beans in this dip.

Ingredients

1 Can shoe peg corn

1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

1 finely chopped green and red pepper

1 finely chopped onion

1 cup oil

½ cup cider vinegar

½ cup sugar

Allow you kids to rinse the beans and pour them into a bowl.

Cut the onion into rings and the peppers into strips and let them take a pair of paper-cutting scissors and finely cut the peppers up into bits.

Have your kids add them to the bowl of corn, and beans. Stir.

Add 1 cup of oil.

In a separate bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar, and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir until sugar is dissolved; let cool.

Now pour the vinegar mixture over the whole thing and stir. Serve with tortilla chips. Your kids will love it and it is healthy for them. I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com.

Picture 7 - Finished. Yum!