Food with Children!

Having children involved in cooking is so much fun! Messy... messy fun! But fun!
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Getting children of all ages involved in cooking snacks and meals gives them valuable experiences with fine and gross motor skills, social experiences, executive function skill refinement, math practice and more. The simple act of combining ingredients to make a snack or a meal provides muscle movements that strengthen developing muscular systems. Tearing pieces of lettuce for a salad exercises small muscles in the hands and wrists. Stirring a bowl of batter exercises large muscles in the arms and shoulders. Talking with friends and teachers about what step is next, where a vegetable comes from, or how much flour to add provides valuable social experiences. Following multi step directions and recalling past experiences and knowledge refines executive function skills. Measuring 1 cup of raisins with half a cup of peanuts, almonds, and cashews to make a simple trail mix is a real-life math equation. Cooking adds so much value to everyday tasks and turns academic ideas into applicable experience.

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Fine motor skills:

• Tear up lettuce leaves and put them in a bowl
• Rip broccoli and cauliflower florets from the stalks
• Dip foods into sauces, breadcrumbs or batter
• Scrub potatoes and other root vegetables
• Chop soft fruits or vegetables with a plastic butter knife or pastry cutter
• Arrange food on a cookie sheet or tray
• Pick items off the tables and floors and put them away

Gross motor skills: 

• Stir batters and mixes
• Shake contents of a bag to coat pieces of food with crumbs or spices
• Carry items to the table or shelves
• Hold and twist a pepper grinder to grind pepper into a dish
• Scrub plates and cups in a sink of warm soapy water
• Wipe down tables and chairs after lunch
• Sweep crumbs from the floor or table

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***Does this topic interest you?***
You could enroll in our new course titled Preparing Food with Children for 3 clock hours. 
Click here to enroll.

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Comment some of the fun recipes you've done with children!

Here are a few of mine:
Yogurt mixing is super fun! It changes colors with berries which is exciting for children.
Another one is Ants on a Log! Yum!!