Decorating Christmas Cookies

 our favorite holiday activities - week 2

**With each RDI family working towards their own RDI goals, remember that there are a TON of different ways to do each activity that can specifically help you work towards your own goal for your child. Please let us know if you have any questions of how to adapt any of these activities to fit your own child!

 DECORATING CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Do you enjoy baking? If not, just head over to the store and buy some unfrosted sugar cookies, a couple tubs of frosting, some sprinkles, and some Christmas candy.

Below are some ideas of how to make decorating Christmas cookies into a RDI activity. REMEMBER that every child has different abilities and needs, so here are several ideas of different ways to do this activity. Find which way would work best to your child and adapt it to fit your at home situation.

- Have the already prepared cookies out on the table as well as a tub of frosting and a can of sprinkles. Bring your child over and hand them the can of sprinkles to be their "job" (when buying sprinkles, make sure to get the bottle that lets out the sprinkles VERY slowly. Often times it comes in the bigger colorful sprinkles from the grocery store). Work together to decorate the cookies by having your "job" be to frost the cookie and then set it down on a plate and have your child put the sprinkles on. Remember that your child will most likely NOT do this job perfect. Some cookies may have very little sprinkles, and other cookies may be completely covered. That is just fine. Remember that this activity is to work together and help your child feel valuable in the activity.

- Before you tell your child about the activity that you will be doing, have the cookies made, frosting out on the table, and any additional supplies out on the table. Have a few cookies already frosted and then bring your child over to help you decorate the top of the cookie. There are a couple of different ways to decorate the top - you could share the same cookie and each choose something to put on it, or you could both have your own cookie and decorate them side-by-side.

- Have the cookies made and all of the supplies layed out on the table. Bring your child over to help decorate the cookies with you side-by-side. Doing it this way, you chose how you want your cookie to look, and allow your child to choose how they want their cookie (even if it is COVERED in sprinkles and candy).

After decorating the cookies, sit down at the table with your child and a glass of milk to enjoy the cookies together!

Please remember that each of the three different activity ideas cater to different children with varying RDI needs. Choose which activity fits your child and your family situation, and then adapt the activity specifically for your own child. We would love to hear how the activity went for your family!