Painted Cookies

What You Need:

• Sugar cookie dough
• Clean paintbrush
• Water jar
• Damp dishtowel
• Liquid, gel or paste food coloring
• Egg yolks (one per color of paint)
• Small dish

What You Do:

1. In advance, roll out your favorite sugar cookie dough and cut round or square "canvases."
2. Mix the "paint" together. If your child can handle the food coloring container, let him add a few drops to one yolk. Or add color yourself and let him stir with the brush handle.
3. Show him how to clean the brush handle by rinsing it with water before mixing the second color. Have him to mix the other paints and clean the handle between colors.
4. Now it's time to start painting! Place one raw cookie in front of him on floured wax paper. First, show him how it's done. Move through the steps slowly, using few words. First dip (in the paint). Now stroke (on the cookie). Now dip (in clean water). Now wipe (with the towel). Use each color so he can see and hear the steps repeated.
5. Invite your child to have a turn. As cookies are finished, slide them off the wax paper and onto a baking sheet. Take another turn yourself and model the steps again as needed.

Bake the cookies according to the chosen recipe, and viola — beautiful pieces of edible art! These cookies are fun to eat, and they make great gifts, too!