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June 1, 2006
“Mama, I help you!” my nearly 3-year-old daughter announced as I was assembling the equipment and ingredients to bake oatmeal cookies the other day. I looked at her wide-eyed, dimple-cheeked face and couldn’t resist her offer. Cooking and baking with kids is a learning experience for adults and kids. Even though most school classrooms are empty now, home kitchens can serve as a summer learning laboratory. My little daughter learned a few things that day. I rediscovered patience. We started with a personal hygiene lesson. We washed our hands and sang “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” as we scrubbed for 20 seconds. Besides learning a little about safe food handling, my toddler discovered how to make me nervous. Reach toward the mixer beaters while they’re turning. Then do it again and giggle at your mom’s reaction. Or, roll an egg across the counter and test your mom’s reflexes. My tot learned that baking soda doesn’t taste very good, but brown sugar is quite tasty. She learned that I won’t let her eat raw cookie dough because it has “yucky” raw eggs. She settled for a few chocolate chips. She learned that patience pays off. If you help, you get the first cookie, before your older siblings detect the aroma. Even the youngest of children can do some things in the kitchen. My daughter handed me measuring spoons and ingredients when I named them and pointed at them. She carried the used equipment to the sink. She learned the word “gently” after dropping a glass measuring cup in the sink. It didn’t break, fortunately. Every child is a little different, so to avoid frustration, it’s important to match his or her skills and experience with the job. A preschooler usually can wash vegetables in a colander, tear lettuce, help mix some ingredients and peel or mash some foods with a fork. By the time children are about 8 years old, they are ready, with adult supervision, to stir food on a stove, use an electric mixer, grate cheese, and cut vegetables and fruits with a fairly dull knife (such as a dinner knife). Children learn to respect a hot stove and sharp knives from their adult supervisor. They learn language and communication skills while navigating the kitchen in search of a spatula or whisk. In fact, they may find gadgets in your drawers that you’re hard-pressed to identify. As children read recipes, they learn cooking terminology, such as “folding” and “mincing.” They learn how to follow directions in the right order and they hone their practical math skills as they double recipes. After a major flop, they may measure more accurately. Children learn about nutrition, various food flavors and even a little chemistry. Even the pickiest of eaters may enjoy a bite of spinach salad if they helped prepare it and if an adult eats it, too. Possibly most important of all, children and adults can make a connection in the kitchen. My daughter proclaimed the cookies “really ‘licious, Mama!” I have a delicious memory of the day, too. Here’s an easy snack recipe that kids of all ages can prepare and enjoy.
### Source:
Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
Market Advisor: |
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North Dakota State University |
