A PERFECT SUMMER BEVERAGE

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Why make homemade honey lemonade with your child?

The tartness of lemons and sweetness of sugar make this the perfect cold summer beverage on a hot day. Also, it’s easy to bring together and your child will love squeezing the juice out of each lemon before sitting down to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Need I say more to why you should make homemade honey lemonade with your child? If so, then read on for more reasons.

Share a delightful summer beverage together.

Lemonade is definitely an old-fashioned beverage since the first time it is recorded was in the 10th century! Also, I found the origin of the writing to be interesting, Egypt. In short, lemonade has traveled the world and time to many kitchens today and I am here for it! Especially on a hot summer day. 

There isn’t much better than sitting on a blanket under a shade tree sipping on a cold glass of lemonade. And better yet, your mom is reading to you. Below is a wide selection of summer favorites in our home. From heartwarming classics to whimsical and funny to directly recognizing summer I think you’ll find something you and your child will enjoy sharing.

Books

• Firstly, Blueberries For Sal by Robert McCloskey
• Secondly, Summer Walk by Virginia Brimhall Snow
• Prairie Days by Patricia MacLachan
• A Boy, A Dog, And A Frog by Mercer Mayer
• The House In The Night by Susan Marie Swanson
• Fireflies By Julie Brinkloe
• Doubleday’s Favorite Poems Old And New Selected for Boys and Girls by Helen Ferris
• Summertime in the Big Woods from the Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
• Night In The Country by Cynthia Rylant
• Summer Song by Kevin Henkes
• Summer Evening by Walter de la Mare
• When Lightning Comes In A Jar by Patricia Polacco
• The Night Gardener by The Fan Brothers
• The Digging-est Dog by Al Perkins
• Lastly, Mother Goose Illustrated by Kate Greenaway or another illustrator.

Teach your child business principles by making homemade honey lemonade.

If your child is older, why not open a lemonade stand at the end of your driveway. If you live in the suburbs this can be an excellent way to meet or catch up with neighbors. The obvious things your child will learn include money sense, hard work, and responsibility. But there is more, a lot more! 

In addition, your child will learn how to set prices based on expenses and labor to make a profit. Also, there are communication and marketing skills to master. And my favorite, learning to be an entrepreneur. 

Why use honey over refined white sugar?

I definitely prefer to use honey over white sugar for my family. Honey has countless health benefits you can read about here. A short list though is it helps with allergies, the immune and digestive systems. Honey is also an antioxidant and antimicrobial.

On the other hand, refined white sugar has no known health benefits. Actually, here is a link to read the harmful effects of refined white sugar on the body. To clarify, we are not a refined sugar free household because we love our cookies and cinnamon rolls. But I do try to draw the line at simply drinking the refined white sugar. Seems like a good compromise. Let me know your thoughts on refined sugars versus natural sugars in the comments.

How to make homemade honey lemonade.

Firstly, gather the supplies. Then the children.

I first gather the necessary equipment and ingredients together and then bring my boys into the kitchen. If spending time in the kitchen with your kiddos creates stress and frustration check out Kitchen Rules. I provide tips for making the experience enjoyable for everyone and giving you the confidence to invite them into the kitchen.

Make sure you have a lemon juicer. An old-fashioned glass juicer is optimal because other handheld ones that you must squeeze are too tough for a child’s small hands. I found mine at a thrift store but you don’t have to wait to stumble across one when you can get the same one by simply following the link.

Then make lemon juice.

My boys cut the lemons in half using child safety knives and I monitor the pressing of the lemons. The boys patiently wait to take their turn as they eagerly clutch a lemon half in their hand. After a few halves are pressed I pour the lemon juice into the pitcher. 

I love this pitcher because it fits perfectly in our packed fridge and includes a strainer in the tight sealing lid. You can get rid of the pulp from the lemon juice before you do this with a strainer but this simplifies the process for me.

While they are pressing the lemons I will warm up water in a teapot on the stove for the warm water that we will need to soften the honey and make it easier to incorporate with the lemon juice and salt. 

Now mix the ingredients.

Once all the lemon juice is in the pitcher, my boys add in the premeasured honey, salt, and warm water. Mick, 4 years old, stirs the mixture first because he exhibited the most patience during the lemon juicing. 

After the spoon is gliding smoothly through the mixture is when you can add the remaining cups of water. Stir, stir, stir. And you’re all done…almost.

Lastly, taste test your homemade honey lemonade.

Now it’s time to taste your homemade honey lemonade to make sure the perfect level of tartness, sweetness, and taste depth has been achieved. Taste depth is critical to make sure there is enough body to the lemonade to withstand the addition of ice. If not, adjust accordingly. But wait! There’s one more thing, leave a comment to let others know what you and your kiddos thought about the recipe. Thank you in advance!

Make homemade honey lemonade with your child today.

Turn a simple kitchen activity into an experience with books this summer. My kids and I love this recipe because it is yummy and I know it’s healthy for them. It’s the best way to restore some electrolytes that they’ve lost while playing and sweating in the sun. And on top of that it encourages them to sit still long enough to read to them. I hope you try this homemade honey lemonade recipe with your kiddos. If you do, let myself and others know how you and yours liked it. Also, what did you do to make it a memorable activity? Share in the comments below.