Newsletters: March - April 2007
Kids in the Kitchen
By Jennifer Ohlsen
Anyone with a young child knows the catchy Wiggles tune. These guys are really onto something: cooking with children is fun and educational. I can remember cooking with my mom as a kid in my pink gingham apron with sticky flour on my hands. I never knew how much I was learning.
Children are taught healthy eating habits through planning menus and preparing dishes. Planning, shopping for and preparing well-balanced meals with organic or responsibly grown foods help children learn about healthy living and being a smart consumer. And no more turned up noses! Those picky eaters at your table will become eager eaters when they have washed, cooked and served a food themselves. A child who "hates" veggies will happily taste the corn he prepared, and will probably like it!
As a social experience, cooking and eating together can't be beat. With older children and teens, conversations seem to spring up around the sliced veggies and simmering stews. Talking to toddlers and preschoolers as they cook helps them follow directions and reflect on what they've done. These are very important building blocks to early literacy. And there's more: measuring is math; making lists is writing; following a recipe is reading; mixing ingredients is science! It's hard to think of anything else we can do with our children that is this educational.
Here are some helpful tips for cooking with kids:
- Plan ahead: include the little chef(s) in making menus, writing lists and doing the shopping. Bonus: when children are busy finding ingredients for their recipes they are not begging for candy!
- Be safe: teach children how to wash their hands thoroughly. Also teach safety rules like using hot pads, holding knives properly and paying attention when using tools.
- Taste test: encourage children to taste ingredients. Help them explore the textures and flavors of foods before they are mixed into a recipe. Do not taste raw meats or eggs and do not allow toddlers to eat raw honey.
- Be prepared: have the tools needed for the job, and when appropriate let children use them. Make sure your child is doing a job he can be successful at. Toddlers can mix, preschoolers can cut with supervision, older children and teens can sauté.
- Talk it up: research shows that children who hear many words read better. Talk about the cooking experience and other things as you work. Strengthen their vocabulary and your relationship at the same time!
- Have fun and make memories: laugh at spilled milk, smile when the water boils over and embrace every attempt your child makes with love and appreciation. Positive attitudes are contagious!
Bon appetit!
Jennifer Ohlsen is an educational consultant and former Kindergarten teacher from Tallahassee. Jennifer holds two degrees in Early Childhood Education from Florida State University. She provides services that help early learning programs for young children meet and exceed state and national quality standards. Her workshops for educators and parents are filled with laughter and excitement. She is the proud mother of a first grader and high school junior.
