The Polar Express Hot Chocolate

By Monica Painter

Invite the magic feeling of the holidays into your home by making this simple, quick, and cozy recipe with your preschoolers. Enhance the magic by reading The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, with your preschooler while you make the hot cocoa. Watch your preschoolers enjoy "hot cocoa as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars" just as the children do while riding The Polar Express. (quote from The Polar Express)

What You Will Need

The recipe below makes one cup of hot chocolate!

1 teaspoon of Hershey's Cocoa
2 teaspoons of sugar
Approximately 12 ounces of milk
A dash of salt
A dash of vanilla
Assorted mini chocolate bars
Candy canes or peppermint flavoring (optional)

How To Make It

Mix Cocoa, sugar, milk, salt, and vanilla

Put the mixture in a microwavable mug, microwave for 1 and a half minutes or until warm

Drop a mini chocolate bar into the hot cocoa, stir as the chocolate melts

Add a touch of peppermint flavoring or put a candy cane in the hot cocoa for stirring

Top hot chocolate with whip cream and chocolate shavings, or with festive marshmallows

Enjoy!

Make It More Challenging

For added fun, read The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, with your preschooler during this experience. Ask your preschooler what he or she would choose if given the chance to pick the first gift of Christmas.

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