Apple Donut Snack Idea for a Healthy Sweet Snacktivity for Kids!

Snack time is notably a messy time in our home. Okay, I’m at a loss thinking of a time that isn’t messy. With six kids, there’s always someone growing and learning (and a lot of that has to do with messes!). Even when were making apple donuts!

Overall, my kids have learned their way around the kitchen and are pretty good at making things besides just the messes since they’ve been helping me out for a while. But still, they spill. They forget the towel and wipe their fingers on shirts or mess with their siblings and wipe on their shirts, they pour out the sprinkles too fast – or the flour or the eggs, depending on what we’re making or what snacktivity for kids we’re doing!

And what I’ve been learning, is that laundry will always be there, especially with us home more often, it seems like food and laundry is a never-ending cycle. But what won’t always be the case? Kids will only be kids once! 

Kids never think twice… about licking that last bit of chocolate. About pouring the milk to the tippie-top. About slurping the length of spaghetti noodles. About making mud-puddles with the hose.

Even with the messes, we want to put life before laundry.

I wanted to share what a good “snacktivity for kids” looks like… you know, a snack that doubles as an activity and keeps the kids entertained for at least a good 20 minutes! This time? We had loads of apples on the counter. To keep our snack fresh and light, we used the apples – cored and sliced across – to create donut shaped rings. 

Apple Donuts Snack Activity for Kids

Before I called the kids over for this apple donuts snack activity, I set out toppings from the pantry. Peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, frosting, sprinkles, chocolate candies, chocolate chips, granola, sliced strawberries… you could add in just about anything else! Fun toppings = the perfect snacktivity for kids!

When I mentioned that we were decorating a special kind of donut, the kids weren’t even disappointed by the lack of fried or baked rounds, and thrilled at the idea of decorating! The activity is what makes this fun, and the eating of the apples is what makes it so much better for me. 

I want to ENCOURAGE those messy moments with my kids while encouraging their creativity.

Rather than stressing about the mess, embrace the moments these little ones learn how to sprinkle, the times they laugh together, or compare topping heights. Embrace the times they learn to spread all by themselves or come up with a new favorite combination of flavors.

Yes, I’m typically the one that shudders at a mess left out, and sometimes made in the first place. But I’m learning. I’m learning that the messes happen anyway (with six kids they’re inevitable), it’s what we do with our time, our laughs, our attention, our focus in the meantime that makes all the difference. 

Because… while I DO care about our clothes, our cleanliness, our home, I NEVER want my little ones to feel like any of that matters more than they do. While I want them to be taken care of, I never want the physical side to outweigh the emotional side. They matter more than anything. Their sense of life, and adventure, the tactile way they learn. Life matters more than laundry.

Pro tip: Use it for Pre-Treating too! Rub a small amount directly onto the stain before washing.

Guys, this time really does go so fast. I’m already seeing our twins crawl and try and get into everything their bigger siblings are getting into. I’m already seeing my oldest tiptoe between her childhood and adulthood, and nothing I do can slow it down! But, what I can do is feel good about getting messy with the kids. I can have fun with the snack time, or playtime, or garden time… or whatever we’re getting into, because what is another load of laundry, really?

I want to INSPIRE you. Go ahead, take on a fun family activity, no matter how messy. After all, life should be measured in moments, and not loads.