Cooking in the childcare setting can be a fun and educational experience for young children. Children learn many valuable lessons from cooking experiences. Here are just a few examples:

• Children learn new words like whisk, knead, spatula, and grater.
• Children learn language concepts from the words in a recipe.
• Children learn social skills as they plan, prepare, and eat food together.
• Children learn math concepts like: half, a tablespoon full, and three minutes.
• Children gain science knowledge through observing, investigating, and predicting.
• Children learn social studies as they explore what food is used in different cultures.
• Children develop small muscles as they squeeze and stir.
• Children learn about nutrition and safety, too!

There are many more examples, but you get the idea. Cooking can be great for learning! But cooking also can pose dangers for young children. Knives, electrical appliances, and hot stoves can be hazardous in the childcare setting. But there are many safe ways to involve young children in cooking.

Activities for Children

Preschool children can help select menus, shop with you for the ingredients, carry unbreakable supplies, rinse fruits, break bread into servings, scrub vegetables, dip foods, tear lettuce, shuck corn, break broccoli into pieces, peel bananas and oranges, mash bananas or potatoes, pour cool liquids, mix and stir batter by hand, spread butter and other soft food, knead and roll dough, string beans, beat eggs, snap fresh peas, shake mixtures in covered containers, measure ingredients with spoons and cups, create table decorations, set the table, serve food, and help clean up!

Of course, some children can only do some of these things and others can do much more depending on their ages and abilities. Select and assign tasks that each child can complete successfully and safely for cooking experiences.

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