Just a Teaspoon of Sugar and a Whole Lot of Fun- Cooking with Kids

Just a Teaspoon of Sugar and a Whole Lot of Fun- Cooking with Kids

Since I am a teacher, I feel that everything can be a learning experience. What better way to learn and have fun then playing around in the kitchen! Here are five games for cooking, baking, and bonding with your kids:

1) Shapes. Using cookie cutters, have children choose which shapes they would like to use to make their cookies. Things to note are the number of sides and angles of each.

2) Predator vs Prey: This is a science project using skittles and m&m's. Use one color of skittles on a plate to create a "habitat." sprinkle assorted colors of m&m's in the mix. The child is the "predator" and has ten seconds to use his pointer and thumb like a beak to "catch" the m&m's within the mix. At the end of 10 seconds see how many m&ms he captured, did he accidently pick up any skittles? Discuss camouflage and how animals use it for protection. Repeat with different colored habitats. Any difference?

3) Colors: Challenge your kids to make a meal using all one color. For example: a breakfast of scrambled eggs, banana, pineapple juice, and corn tortillas. What about a rainbow meal? Since fruits and vegetables come in a variety of brililant hues, this could be a healthy adventure as well!

4) Scavenger Hunt: A great way to practice reading and following directions. Have the child look through a cook book and find something yummy and new that they would like to make. Then have them search around for all the necessary ingredients.

5) Measuring: This is a great way to learn fractions. 1/2 a cup vs 1/4. Try making several cups of kool-aid or ice tea using different measurements. How does each one taste? Which one is your favorite, the one with more or less sugar? We all know what that answer is, but it's fun to watch them look like they are actually considering both options:)