by Sara Silva, STARS Coach, Child Care Connections | May 19th, 2022
Did you know that a child may need to be introduced to a new food 10 or more times before they will try a bite? At the same time, a child is more likely to try a new food if they helped to grow or make it. Young children love to do the same things as their loved ones soooo…this month let’s have an adventure right in our very own kitchens by inviting our little ones to help prepare a meal! 😊
Preparation: Make sure that your child can safely access the meal preparation surface and that there are meal preparation tools that they can safely use and manipulate to help with the meal preparation. Additionally, think through the meal’s contents and plan how you can safely engage your child as much as possible in working with you to prepare the meal.
Introducing the Activity: Invite your little one to make the meal with you. Let them know what you’ll be making together and then look at the recipe and have a scavenger hunt as you find all the needed supplies in the refrigerator, pantry, and cabinets to bring to your work surface. Step by step, let your child know what the next step is and complete the step together. For example: wash the vegetables together at the sink, provide a child-safe chopper for your little one to cut the avocado while you chop the onions, and/or take turns stirring, etc.
When the meal is all done and ready to eat, take a moment to enjoy your accomplishment, “Yay! We’re all done making lunch! Thank you so very much for all your help. I had so much fun making lunch with you today.”
Adapting the Activity: For younger children provide real kitchen utensils that are just their size, such as mini whisks and spoons. Child-safe vegetable choppers and plastic knives can be used by young children to cut vegetables. Younger toddlers can be given lettuce to tear into smaller pieces, while older children can help read and decipher recipes (particularly recipes with visual cues that are written specifically for younger children).
Not quite ready to have little hands in the food you will all share? Get your feet wet with this easy playdough recipe:
2 cups of flour
2 tablespoons of oil
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons of cream of tartar
2 packages of kool-aid (for color, scent, and to keep the playdough in good condition for a longer period of time)
Up to 1 ½ cups of boiling water
In a bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients (help your little one to measure and pour each ingredient into the bowl). Add the oil and boiling water (make sure an adult adds the boiling water and does the first few stirs before your little one takes over the stirring). Stir, stir, stir, and then lightly knead the resulting dough into a pliable playdough. Play together with the dough (strengthening those hands to get ready for the hard work of writing)! When you’re all done with the fun, store in an airtight plastic container until the next time it’s time to mold and play with the playdough. 😊
Learning that is Occurring: As children help you cook, they are learning math and science (physics and chemistry)…they are experiencing volumes, quantities, operations, tastes, textures, colors, and smells. They are engaging in small motor development as they use their hands – the beginning of writing. They are exploring literacy as they watch you read the recipe and learn that writing has meaning. They are developing their social skills as they listen, wait, and take turns. And they are developing their language skills as they hear new words (in context) and explore communication…So much learning in an everyday task!
CCC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocating for the well-being and quality care of children. Learn more at cccmontana.org.
