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| Cooking with Kids! |
| Scrubbing, mixing, spreading, rolling - getting your kids cooking in the kitchen is a fun way to teach them about teamwork, problem solving, math, and science. Here a few ideas to help make your cooking together fun! |
Kid Friendly Cooking Safety Rules
S - Show them the right techniques for using tools like the way to handle a knife. Demonstrate by cutting soft butter.
A - Always turn pot handles in toward the back of the range top. This way no one can accidentally bump into them and knock them over
F - Falls in the kitchen can be limited by taking some simple precautions. Teach your kids to immediately wipe up spills.
E - Electrical appliances always require adult supervision. Explain why you keep those applainces away from water and the dangers of getting shocked.
T - Tools such as plastic mixing bowls and spoons are a great idea for little chefs. They're easier to handle and lighter.
Y - Young children are facinated by ovens. always make sure the oven and other cooking appliances are turned off before you leave the kitchen.
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Age Appropriate Activities:
Match these tasks to your little chefs age and skills!
Chefs Ages 3-5
*measure ingredients
*cut soft foods with a blunt knife
*stirring and mixing
*garnishing and assembing foods
*roll and shape cookies
Chefs Ages 5-6
*The above skills plus..
*Set the table
*Finding ingredients in cabinet or spice rack
Chefs Ages 6-8
*The above skills plus...
*Help plan the meal
*Make a salad
*Prepare simple recipes
Chefs Ages 8-12
*The above skills plus...
*Use the microwave
*Use the oven with adult supervision
*Open cans
*Shred cheese and vegetables
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10 Ways to Help Build Better Eating Habits
1. Good Habits Stick- Encourage kids to build their own kabobs. It's a fun way to get them to eat more fruits, veggies and cheese. Serve kabobs with fun healthy dips. Remember they learn what they live and good eating habits started early in life are easier to maintain.
2. Expand On What They Like- Introduce veggies like carrots and peas to foods they already love like macaroni and cheese.
3. Presentation is Everything- Pack veggies or fruits in brightly colored pails or containers for a great snack at a picnic or at the park
4. Get Them Involved!- Let kids help make their own snacks and meals.
5. Little Power Shoppers- Let them choose their own fruits and veggie snacks at the store. They're more apt to try something new if they've chosen it.
6. Drink Your Fruit- Smoothies are a great way to get kids to eat more fruit and get more calcium. Keep some frozen fruit in the fridge for a great cold snack anytime.
7. Growing Taste Buds- Let your kids plant a garden-even if it's in a pot. They'll love to pick, wash and eat their own home grown veggies!
8. Mix it Up!- Encourgage your kids to prepare and try new foods. Have a theme night - Mexican, Greek, Italian, ect. it's fun way for everyone to try new things.
9. Serve Foods with Kid Appeal- let kids make faces, cars ect. with veggies like celery, carrots, cucumbers and more. If it's fun they won't care if it's healthy
10. Have a Contest- See who can make the biggest crunch with their fruits and veggies. Experiment on what is louder- carrots or apples. Have Fun!
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Roots and Shoots
1 clean empty glass jar
paper towel
food coloring(optional)
bean seeds(lima, pinto, green)
Rinse out jar but don't dry. Fold paper towel curl it in a circle and slip inside jar (cut if necessary to fit) Color paper towel with a few drops of food coloring if desired. Add beans around the jar (against glass )peel back paper towel if necessary. wet the paper towel with water. Put jar in a bright warm place. Add water often. Watch as the roots and shoots begin to grow!
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Have a Treasure Hunt
Set up the treasure hunt. hide prizes of favors and let children solve riddles to find them. Here are some examples:
It's under a place where you sit(chair)
It's in a cold place (fridge or freezer)
It's under a place where you wipe your feet. (door or bath mat)
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Alarm Clock Toss
Get two service counter bells (available at office supply stores) Draw clock faces on two 6" paper plates. Punch a whole in the center of each plate and place plates over the knobs on the bells. Have the children stand 4-6" from the bell and toss a beanbag to ring the bell. The children who are sucdessful then try to hit the bell from a greater distance.
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Scoop N' Toss
Collect two (or more) gallon plastic milk jugs and a foam ball. Cut the jugs to form a scoop. Go outside and have fun playing toss. Make the activity more challenging by moving further apart. Have fun!
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Have a Teddy Bear Picnic
Use construction paper and make a flags. Have a "teddy bear parade" and display your flags while marching and carrying bears. Have a teddy bear relay. Each child brings their bear(have extras on hand). Put all bears in a pile. Divide kids into two teams. Place one laundry basket approximately 25 feet in front of each team. Have children run on from each line at a time to teddy pile to find their bear and place it in basket. The first team to fill up their basket wins. Treat everyone to some Gummi Bears!
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July 4th "Fireworks"
Take white paper and place it on the ground or tape it to a fence. The drop some "Koosh" balls into some paint. Have the kids drop or gently throw the balls on the paper. While the paint is still wet sprinkle on some glitter. If you'd like add the following poem to your "fireworks"
"I spy with my little eye
These bright colored fireworks
On the Fourth of July"
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Make some Paper Dolls
Visit www.makingfriends.com and print off some paperdolls and clothes. You can color the clothes or print out the colored option. Cut out the pieces, cover them with clear contact paper to make them last longer. Add velcro to the dolls and clothes and get ready for hours of play time. Another idea is to purchase a square of felt, and a plastic shoe box to store your paper dolls in, that way you have a great quiet time toy for trips.
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Straw Relays
Gather up some straws, and cut out small paper/foam shapes(you can buy them at a craft store) Have the children practice picking up the shapes using the straws and suction. Once everyone has practiced. You can race: who gets the most of one color/shape fastest time ect. get creative. Remember everyones a winner!
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Junk Painting
Gather up a variety of things
Potatoe mashers, pot scrubbies, yarn,
sponges, forks, cookie cutters, etc. and let your children use these everyday things to paint and make prints with. Tempra paints work best and a brown grocery sack cut open works great in a pinch for paper!
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Playhouse
Visit your local grocery or applaince store and ask for a large box, the biggest you can get home. Mom or Dad can use a utility knife and cut doors and windows. Let the kids paint, color with markers, decorate with stickers, ect. Makes a great playhouse!
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