Charlotte Johns
Nicole Ryan
Lindy Ashurst – Head Teacher at Waiuku Kindergarten
The lead-up to Christmas can be busy—and expensive—especially with little ones at home! That’s why our Waiuku Kindergarten has created an easy festive activity that’s budget-friendly, eco-conscious, and full of fun! This is always such a popular activity with tamariki, and we can see why. It’s the perfect way to add a sprinkle of Christmas magic on Christmas Eve!
Keep reading for their easy, Child-Friendly, Eco-Friendly Reindeer Food Recipe and grab your FREE printable Christmas Reindeer Food label to make this tradition extra special.
Ingredients
- Rolled oats (energy for the “reindeer” and safe for local wildlife)
- Puffed rice breakfast cereal, e.g. Kellogg’s® Rice Bubbles® (to help the reindeer float)
- Coloured sprinkles (for festive colour and sparkle, but make sure it’s biodegradable and food-safe)
- Dried coconut flakes or desiccated (like edible snowflakes)
Instructions
1. Put 1 cup rolled oats and 1/2 cup of puffed rice cereal in a bowl.
2. Add a teaspoon of coloured sprinkles for festive sparkle.
3. Toss in 1 tablespoon dried coconut flakes.
4. Place in small paper bags and get the kids to decorate! Download our free printable Christmas Reindeer food poem/label here.
5. On Christmas Eve, sprinkle the reindeer food on the grass or soil (not on pavement or near water), for the ‘reindeer’, and so birds and small animals can also enjoy it safely.
Coloured oats or coconut
If you want to add some additional colour, you can prepare some of your oats or coconut with food colouring ahead of time. The measurements below aren’t exact—think of them as rough estimates and adjust as needed. The main goal is to use as little liquid as possible so the mixture doesn’t turn soggy, while still allowing the colour to coat the dry ingredients.
This method works for roughly 1 kg of oats or coconut. You can see in the pictures that Waiuku Kindergarten used a 50/50 split of red coconut and uncoloured coconut, which looks fantastic and very festive!
What You’ll Need
- A leak-proof container with a lid or large Ziplock bag
- A cup
- Baking tray (or two)
- Fork
- Measuring spoons (optional)
Ingredients
- 1kg of oats or coconut
- Food colouring of your choice
- Water
Instructions
1. Place the oats or coconut into your container.
2. In a cup, mix about 4 tablespoons of food colouring with water until you have roughly half a cup of liquid.
3. Pour the coloured liquid over the dry ingredients. Seal the container and shake well to distribute the colour.
4. If clumps form, break them up with a fork or your hands, then reseal and shake again.
5. Check the colour and add more dye if needed.
Drying
Spread the coloured oats or coconut in layers no deeper than 2 cm on baking trays. Dry them in a warming drawer or in the oven at 50°C, checking regularly to prevent burning.
