Under the Sea Chocolate Bark

Check out this fun and educational activity that your kids will enjoy! This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bayer. The opinions and text are all mine.

Today, I’m very excited to share a fun recipe that can also double as a learning opportunity. Growing up, I always enjoyed science class, and I even won two science competitions! As a mom, I try to incorporate hands-on activities that enable my kids to enjoy themselves while learning.

According to the Bayer 2016 Back-to-School Survey, despite a high level of interest in science, parents provide extracurricular activities for English and math more often. Only one-in-10 (11%) parents provide extracurricular science opportunities for their kids on a daily basis, compared to 38 percent for English and 19 percent for math. More than half (56%) of parents say they provide extracurricular science activities only once a week or less, compared to 26 percent for English and 42 percent for math.

I understand that science can be a bit intimidating for parents, but it doesn’t have to be. In our home, we take everyday activities and create an educational experience. Even simple household tasks, like cooking, can provide a fun learning opportunity. Today’s recipe is a great example of that. My tween was able to discuss and research the following during the process:

• Does the chocolate experience a physical change? Or a chemical reaction?
• What temperature is required to melt chocolate?
• Which form of chocolate melts faster? Milk chocolate chips? Or white chocolate chips?

This recipe is a fun and educational activity that your kids will enjoy.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups of white chocolate chips
1 cup of gummy fish
Blue food coloring
White sugar pearls
Silver sugar sprinkles (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Melt 2 cups of white chocolate chips in the microwave in 20 second increments. Once the chocolate is melted, add 4 drops of blue food coloring and mix well. Spread the melted chocolate on parchment paper. For the remaining 2 cups of white chocolate chips, melt, but only add 1 drop of food coloring for a lighter shade of blue. Pour over the chocolate and swirl around with a toothpick.

Sprinkle chocolate with gummy fish, white sugar pearls and silver sprinkles. Let the chocolate set at room temperature for a few hours, or if your kids are a bit impatient like mine, place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Cut up the chocolate bark with a knife and serve immediately. You can also save it for later, but ensure that it’s placed inside an airtight container.

Even my preschooler enjoyed this activity. I was able to introduce sea animals to her while she enjoyed the chocolate bark. As you can see, you can truly create a learning opportunity from your day-to-day activities. If you’re not sure where to start, click here to download a sheet filled with great hands-on science ideas!

What are some barriers you face when encouraging STEM learning beyond your child’s classroom? What activities are you doing to encourage science at home? I’d love to hear from you!