Apple Crumble's not the only thing you can do with Apples...Hello everyone, today's blog post is a special guest piece from Lucy at GreatAunt website about how to use your apples. If you have an apple tree, or just love apples then you should check out this post.
I’ve been a huge fan of Tree2MyDoor since 2006 when I worked in an advertising agency and they helped me send a large quantity of saplings to our top clients. I fell in love with their service and their product, especially the super cool boxes that the trees come in. Five years later, when I launched GreatAunt.co.uk, I couldn’t wait to recommend Tree2MyDoor to British aunts and godmothers. I am a huge advocate of giving trees as gifts, especially to celebrate the safe arrival of a baby, and Tree2MyDoor.com is a website every British aunt should in her “favourites” list.
GreatAunt.co.uk is full of ideas of fun things to do with your nieces, nephews and godchildren (as well as presents to spoil them with!)
Apples offer loads of inspiration at this time of year, especially as British apple season starts in September-ish and doesn’t end until New Year. There are always a glut of delicious apples through Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas.
Here is a list of eight apple activities to do with children:
1. Chocolate apples
Cover them in toffee sauce or melted chocolate then decorate with anything from Smarties to Buttons to Edible Worms! Be artistic…
2. Apple Bobbing
This was actually a Roman New Year game but these days it’s most associated with Halloween. If you don’t fancy doing it with water, pop a small piece of apple onto a pile of flour, its just as tricky to pick up with your teeth and you end up with a floury face!
3. Printing with Apples
Cut an apple in half then cover them in paint and use them to make prints. They look a little like pumpkins…
Making Apple prints is a lot of fun!4. Apple Monsters
Use dried fruit and nuts to make a spooky face, you can see a video of how to do this here on the Great Aunt YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/GreatAuntUK
5. Wassailing
Anyone in the South West of England will tell you that the New Years tradition of wassailing is good fun. If you can’t get to a local wassailing ceremony, create your own at home by banging a saucepan near your apple tree to “drive away the evil spirits” then celebrate the great harvest with a glass of warmed apple juice. Wassail!
6. Apple Tasting
Like the XFactor but with apples! There are over 1,200 varieties native to Britain and all taste very different. Which is your favourite?
7. Apple Animals
Use cloves, marshmallows and cocktail sticks to design an animal. Pigs are easiest.
8. Pick apples
It sounds obvious but this simple activity is one of my favourite things to do with my nieces and nephews. Find your closest Community Orchard and pick some apples to cook.