J is for Jam!

When we started talking to the children about what they would like to study about with the letter "J," we came up with LOTS of ideas. 

Our first intention was to study dinosaurs of each letter for a while.  Their fascination with dinosuars is OFF THE CHARTS!  But, as we were discussing LOTS of things that started with "J" we happily landed firmly on JAM! 

I knew that there would be lots of questions about jam, since we have a SUPER smart group of kiddos.  Soooo, as the questions started I soon realized that we were going to be knee deep in the stuff by the end of the week.  They wanted to make jam.  Making jam with preschool children seems...well...daunting.  BUT, we did it!  We made some delicious jam and we also were able to talk about units of measure, ingrediants and how they mix and melt together to create something wonderfully scrumptious!

I researched LOTS of recipes looking for just the right one to try with our young group.  We needed something super easy, relatively quick that tasted GREAT!  I came across one that simply called for strawberries and sugar.  Here is how we did it...

Strawberry Jam

8 cups thawed, sliced strawberries (I used the frozen ones from Sam's)
4 cups sugar
1 package strawberry Jello gelatin

First, we let the strawberries thaw and then we mashed them until they were totally squishy.  We then added the fruit and sugar to a big pan and brought the mix to a boil.  Once boiling we brought it down to a simmer (uncovered) and gave it a stir every little bit.  Mind you, we are in the charge of 10 preschool aged children.  This includes diaper changes, potty breaks, snacks, play changes, sharing practice, meals, storytime and the occasional temper tantrum.  So, when I say stir "every little bit," this means that you CAN forget about it for 20mins and then suddenly catch an amazing whiff of strawberry in the air and suddenly PANIC that it may be scorching on the stove, run over and give it a stir and yes, it will still be wonderful... this is NOT a sensitive recipe that requires your constant attention. 

After it simmered for a couple of hours it was apparent that it was NOT going to thicken like the recipe said it would...think...think...think...  So...we decided to give the gelatin a whirl. 

Amazingly, it worked!  Once cool (ish) we spooned it into our jars and continued to allow it to cool.  Once it had set up overnight in in the fridge it was perfect.  I meant to do that!?! 

The children were SOOOOO excited to showcase their creation to their families.  They were delighted to report back to us when they had tried their homemade jam with their family.  It's so fun when children get the opportunity to experience new things, create something that makes them feel accomplished, and I get the privledge of being there helping them do it!!!

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