This is lots of fun for everybody. Early in the day mothers tell the children that dinner is strictly vegetables and no fussing. “Got to eat your growing food,” we insist.
Put out a colorful table setting, washable or disposable. Instruct family to wear bathing suits to dinner tonight (hose them off afterward, it’s part of the play).
Cut from various colors of construction paper, six to eight-inch vegetables – carrots, some peas, green beans, eggplant, etc. Attach a paper vegetable to each of the following: jars of chocolate and butterscotch syrup, strawberry topping, Maraschino cherries and a can of whipping cream. Keep them out of sight until dinner.
Scoop different flavors of ice cream into large serving bowls. Attach paper vegetables to these, too.
When it’s time to eat, have everyone settle at picnic tables. In a playful spirit, mothers carry ‘vegetables’ in a parade around the table, setting them down all at the same time. You know the rest …
This is a valuable tradition we built when our children were young. Now they associate this occasion with Mom’s garden yard.
