It’s no secret that we love canning. For us, canning season is a time to learn and grow together. We have some amazing memories of canning with loved ones throughout the years and want you to know that you can build lasting canning memories as well. For canning is not valuable solely for food storage. It is also a great way to pass time, work, and even play. Even so, just as all other types of work, it can feel monotonous at times. But it doesn’t have to. Read on for some ways to break up the monotony and have FUN while canning!
Involve Everyone!
Many hands make light work, so we love to get the whole family together when we can! That includes grandparents, children, Aunts Uncles, babies, and friends. It is always more fun to can with a lot of people. You can make assembly lines to move things along more quickly. You will inevitably talk, laugh, and make many special memories as you work…you won’t believe how quickly it is all finished! Time flies when you are having fun. Of course, with so many kinfolks, not everyone always ends up canning. Some may end up cleaning while others care for the children. You can find small ways to make young children feel as if they are helping. Even if they aren’t doing the hard labor, they love to be involved nonetheless! We find that toddlers like to stand on the chairs where they can see what is being made. Babies love to be held as they watch everything come together. Even if the little ones aren’t actively helping, they learn a lot from watching!
Whistle While You Work
We wholeheartedly agree with Snow White’s song “Whistle While You Work”. You can also listen to music or sing together. Just choose whatever everyone enjoys. One part of Snow White’s song says, “It won’t take long when there’s a song to help you set the pace”. When you involve music in your canning, you will see that it truly does set the pace! There is rhythm involved in everything we do, including canning. Music can help everyone get into the rhythm of it, speed things up, and make it more enjoyable.
Compete!
Competition can keep folks more alert, liven things up, and help pass time! You can time the group and see how quickly everyone can finish the entire canning project. Challenge the group. Try to break previously set time records and get it done even faster next time. Teenagers especially love the competition, but even the adults enjoy it! You can have contests to see who can peel five peaches the fastest. Pretty soon, those five peaches will turn into ten, then 20, and so on until you have canned your entire pickings.
Keep The End Result in Mind
If you do some of the things listed above when canning, you will likely be finished with your canning projects before you know it! But should things ever feel monotonous, simply picture your family, and know that it will all be worthwhile when they are well-fed throughout good times and bad. After all, that is the main reason we can.
Of course, canning can be a lot of fun in and of itself. But if you have a larger amount of food for canning than usual or are ever in need of ways to liven canning up a bit, you now have some ideas.
Your turn! How do you keep canning enjoyable for everyone? Let us know in the comments below!
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