Fun Kids Recipes!

Super fun kids recipes here!

Kid's Size Loaf of Yummy Bread

Here's a recipe for a kid's size loaf of delicious, wholesome bread. It's perfect for little hands to knead and mold.

In a small bowl, mix together:

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/2 tsp. yeast
• 1/2 tsp. honey

Stir together and then let mixture sit for five minutes. The yeast will start to bubble and rise. Then add:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt

Knead the mixture for ten minutes, adding sprinkles of flour as needed so little hands don't get too sticky.

When the dough is smooth and like elastic, place it in a bowl and let it rise until it is twice the original size. Make sure it is warm and free from drafts.

Spray vegetable cooking spray on the sides and bottom of a small loaf pan.

Punch the dough down. Form it into a loaf. Place the dough into the prepared loaf pan.

Let the loaf rise until double the size.

Bake the loaf in the oven at 350 degrees F. for 20 - 25 minutes.

@MyCozyKitchen2011

In the Childhood Memories

"In the childhood memories of every good cook, there's a large kitchen, a warm stove, a simmering pot, and a mom."

Barbara Costikyan

Quote: Sermon in a Loaf of Bread

"In a sermon on the feeding of the five thousand by our Lord, a minister lately spoke of the lad who brought the barley loaves and the woman who made them. Little did she think as she pounded the grain, and mixed the dough, and tempered the heat of the oven, that her loaves were to feed the gathered companies, who sat down in orderly ranks on the green grass, and were refreshed by a meal presided over by Christ. As little do we know whereunto one small act of ours may grow. The obscure agents in this world are oftener stronger than those which are seen."

~

Signs 5/29/1884

The Kitchen, an Interesting Room

Edith Schaeffer shares insights from her experience as a homemaker and mom in her book "The Hidden Art of Homemaking". Her goal is to share creative ideas for enriching everyday life. I love how she expresses herself and shares what sounds to be a very delightful time in the kitchen with her children.  See what you think.

"For growing children at play, there is nothing so interesting as really 'doing things'. To 'help cook' is one of the most enjoyable things of childhood --- to say nothing of being a sure way of producing good cooks.  A child can cut up carrots at a very early age, with no more risk of injury than from falling down outside at play! A child can mix and stir, knead the dough and be given a piece to make a roll man, cat or rabbit with raisin eyes. A child can fry eggs or make scrambled eggs ---- one of mine did every morning from the age of three! The kitchen should be an interesting room in which communication takes place between child and mother and also among adults. It should be interesting in the same way as in an artist's studio, as well as being a cosy spot in which to have a cup of tea while something is being watched or stirred, or while waiting to take something out of the oven."

Now, doesn't that just create the most pleasant word picture in your mind? I hope it inspires you to make your kitchen such a place! It inspired me!

Cooking up Math & Science Concepts

Cooking experiences are a great way to teach math and science concepts. Quantity, temperature, time, size, and shape can all be taught and reinforced during food preparation. Here are some terms to assist the teacher-parent as they teach their child these concepts.

• QUANTITY:  degrees, package, pint, a few, dozen, tablespoon, both, cupful, quart, square, less, long, some, pound, a dash, enough, pinch, double, slice, approximate, short, more, ounce, teaspoon, whole, cup, half, bunch
• TEMPERATURE:  hot, degrees, chill, cold, heat, lukewarm, cool, preheat, frozen, warm, boiling, steaming
• TIME:  instant, gradually, timer, overnight, slowly, alternately, next day, hour, second, minute, a little while, quickly
• SIZE:  large, huge, small, miniature, little, bite-size, tiny, chunks
• SHAPE:  round, cube, square, rectangle, circle, oval, oblong, fluted

More about Tasting Games

Tasting games are an ideal way to encourage children to note how foods taste, look, smell, feel, grow, identify what part of a plant they are from, and how they are used. It is good to ask your child "do you know what you are tasting without peeking?" or to extend the game by using a blind fold to keep them from seeing the food they are trying. Ask them "can you tell what you are tasting when you can't see it?" Or "try holding your nose when tasting".

Here are some sample tasting experiences:

Bitter - baking powder or orange rind

Salty - potato chips or peanuts

Sour - lemon or pickles

Sweet - brown sugar or sweet chocolate

• Variety of fresh fruits like apple, banana, peach, pineapple, grape, or strawberry
• Variety of cheeses like cheddar, Swiss, Jack, Roquefort, cottage cheese (or vegan alternatives)
• Variety of raw vegetables like tomato, carrot, peas, celery, cauliflower, spinach
• Variety of melons like watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, or cranshaw
• Variety of milks like soy, rice, whole dairy, skim milk, buttermilk
• Variety of white creamy foods like mayonnaise, Veganaise, sour cream, sweetened whipped cream, unsweetened whipped cream

Tasting Parties and Language Arts

Tasting parties are a fun way to expand a child's food experiences and to reinforce verbal skills. They also assist the child in developing problem-solving skills. To conduct a tasting party, the parent-teacher selects a variety of foods, both familiar and new. Care should be taken to select foods that have varying qualities and flavors. Variety is key! Generally, it is best to stick to sliced, whole foods rather than mixtures and blends. To participate, the child is blind-folded and then given a food to taste. From their bite of food, they guess what it is and then use as many ADJECTIVES as they can to describe it. Have them describe flavors and textures. It is fun for them to rate each food on a scale of 1 - 10. The teacher-parent can place the items in order (or make a list) so that the child can see and evaluate how they rated the food tasted after the tasting party. They might be surprised which food(s) they liked best! 

Here are words that the teacher-parent can use to guide the child with their descriptions:

• Flavor:  tart, bitter, spicy, bland, sweet, salty, mild, tangy, blend, mellow, sour
• Texture:  mealy, smooth, tender, crisp, rough, wet, stiff, hard, lumpy, tough, stringy, dry, compressed, mushy, soft, creamy, firm, crunchy, moist, granular, sticky
• Mixtures:  batter, dough, sauce, gel

Peanut Butter

Expand Vocabulary through Cooking Experiences

Ingredients used in cooking frequently consist of terms that children may not be familiar with.  By using the correct names for things, a child's vocabulary can be expanded naturally as they participate in food experiences. Here is a listing of some ingredients that you might consider when preparing food and talking about it with your child.

• ginger
• parsley
• sage
• rosemary
• thyme
• salt
• cinnamon
• cornstarch
• brown sugar
• honey
• molasses
• shortening
• margarine
• butter
• nuts
• nut meats
• coconut
• cheeses
• beans
• rind
• stem
• leaves
• stalk
• vanilla
• whole wheat flour
• white flour
• rye flour
• baking powder
• yeast
• cream of tartar
• grains
• legumes
• lentils
• grated peel
• seeds 
• fruits
• vegetables
• rolled oats
• juices
• evaporated milk
• soy milk
• powdered milk
• sour milk
• whole milk
• skimmed milk
• homogenized milk
• pasteurized milk
• eggs
• oil
• peanut butter
• baking soda
• wheat germ
• kale
• carrots

Orange Julius

Language Arts in the Kitchen

Language skills can be learned during food preparation. When a teacher-parent uses the correct term for food, utensils, and equipment, both listening and speaking are developed. The process becomes a valuable learning experience.  Here are examples of ACTION WORDS that can be used throughout any cooking experience. Purposefully use them to help expand your child's understanding and vocabulary. Older children can benefit by learning to spell these words as well.

• combine
• scrape
• beat
• pop
• crack
• ice
• whip
• refrigerate
• grate 
• grind
• boil
• simmer
• bake
• broil
• divide
• brown
• cool
• digest
• nut
• toss
• spread
• stuff
• sprinkle
• butter
• skin
• sizzle
• bubble
• store
• heat
• sift
• chop
• dice
• slice
• strain
• steam
• freeze
• melt
• coat
• cover
• dredge
• squeeze
• peel
• pit
• stem
• pare
• core
• let rise
• grease
• soften
• compress
• knead
• half
• quarter
• toast
• roll
• shape
• mix
• smell
• scrape
• crack
• pour
• dissolve
• cool
• measure
• warm
• chill
• yields
• drop 
• bite
• cut
• chip
• add 
• melt
• press
• preheat
• chew
• swallow
• drizzle
• fold
• dip

Share Soup: Story

Sharing stories that involve food are a great way to tie other subjects to cooking experiences. Here is a story that can be used to teach cooperation, sharing, and self-reliance. It can also be used as a topic starter on problem solving. 

Once upon a time there was a small village.  The sun was going down and it was dinner time. As usual, everyone was in his or her own little house thinking about the same thing --- what shall we have for dinner tonight?  But on this particular night everyone thought and thought for a very long time. There was a problem, and it was a problem that everyone shared. No one had enough food in his or her house to make a dinner. Everyone had the same problem!

Because this was a friendly little town where everyone knew everyone else, the word soon got around. Neighbors were talking about their problems with each other in the street, on front porches, and over back yard fences. They all agreed that something had to be done soon because everyone was getting very hungry.

There was a man in the town who happened to be a very good cook, and as he was thinking about this problem with his wife, she came up with the answer. "We will make a new and different kind of soup called Share Soup, and you will direct the cooking," she said. Her husband thought this was a wonderful idea that his wife had, and as the townspeople in the village found out about the idea they became more and more excited and happy. But what was Share Soup, they asked? The man's wife explained, "Share Soup is a soup you make with a big pot of water and everyone's share of food.  If everyone brings their little share of food from home, we can make one big delicious soup for everyone. I call it Share Soup." 

"First we'll need a large pot," he said. The people brought the largest pot they could find. "And now," the man said, "water to fill the pot and a fire to heat it." It took many buckets of water to fill the pot. A fire was built on the main street of the town and the pot was set to boil.

"Soup needs salt and dried herbs," said the man. He began to stir and the children ran to get salt and dried herbs.

"Salt and dried herbs make good soup, but if there were carrots it would taste much better."

"I think I have some carrots," said one woman, and she ran home. She came back with a handful of carrots and put them in the pot.

"Share Soup should really have some cabbage," said one man, and he returned soon with a big head of cabbage which he cut up and put in his pot.

"How I wish we had some potatoes and onions; then this soup would be the most delicious soup ever," the man said. Some children remembered where they'd seen some and hurried home to get them.

A delicious soup --- and all from some water and everyone's share of food. It seemed like magic! As the man stirred the soup he thought, "If we had a little rice and a cup of milk, this soup would be the best soup in the whole world." More people ran home to get a little milk and rice. Soon everyone from the town had put in his or her share of food. 

The man who was such a good cook stirred and stirred the soup while everyone watched happily. And then the soup was ready.

"Everyone gets a taste," said the man. "But first, let's set the tables." Great big tables were place in the main street. All around were lighted candles. Such a soup! How good it smelled! It really was the best soup anyone in the town had ever tasted!

*Adapted from Stone Soup, by Marcia Brown

Mini Picnic

Planning for the Cooking Experience

At first, cooking projects should have few steps such as taking peas out of a pod (children 3 - 5), making a pudding, popping corn, or making cranberry sauce in order to give the children the experience of working with food. The careful washing and preparing of vegetables and fruits is another single activity.

Gradually, the experience should become more complex by incorporating more steps.

Always be receptive to children's suggestions if they are within reason as to what they would like to make.

Be alert to many ideas for food preparation which arise spontaneously out of other activities and experiences.

Star House Story

Once upon a time a young boy named Johnny was searching for something interesting to do. His mother suggested that he go outside and play with his toys. His train was fun as it chugged in and out of his garage. "Clank! Clank!" went the fire bell as his fire engine zoomed down the sidewalk. But Johnny was tired of his toys.

"Please, Mother, tell me about something interesting that I can do," begged Johnny. His Mother then suggested that he go outside and find a little red house that had no doors or windows, but had a star inside of it.

Johnny looked and looked but he couldn't find the little red house with no doors, no windows, and a star inside of it. When he became tired of looking he went to Grandmother's. Grandmother was always ready to listen and she was wise. She thought and thought. Finally she told Johnny that when she had a problem which she couldn't solve, she always went over to visit Farmer Brown.

Away went Johnny to Farmer Brown's home. "Please sir, can you help me? My mother asked me to find a little red, round house with no doors and no windows and a star inside of it. I asked my Grandmother to help me, but she said that when she has a problem she comes to you"

Farmer Brown thought and thought. He looked at the apple tree at the top of the hill. "When I have a problem and I don't know the answer, I go and listen to the wind. Why don't you go to the top of the hill and stand under the apple tree and listen to the wind."

"Swish. . .Swish. . .Swish. . .went the wind and an apple fell right near Johnny's feet. Johnny picked it up and looked at it. It was little. It was round. It was red! "A  little red, round house," thought Johnny. "Maybe with a star inside of it? Who ever heard of a star inside of an apple? I'll just open it and see."

"There it is! There it is! A little red, round house with no doors and no windows and a star inside of it."

*Reprinted from "Food for Little People", a booklet developed by the Berkeley Department of Health and the Berkeley School District.

This story is easily adapted to include God's gifts and how he gives us yummy fruits to enjoy and make us healthy.
It is recommended that you use an apple as an object lesson in this story, cutting it crosswise to reveal the star inside.

Kids Cooking Goals and Objectives

Cooking is a lot of fun, especially when things are in the correct sizes and proportions for small hands! The recipes we will be using for "Cooking with Kids in the Kitchen!" are designed to provide children with the opportunity to experience the taste, feel, and smell of their very own cooking. Each project is designed for young children and has been tested by eater, young cooks.

The objective is to provide hands-on, independent cooking experiences for young children.

Through individualized cooking experiences your child will learn to:

• read a recipe
• measure ingredients correctly
• combine and mix ingredients according to recipe instructions
• clean up the kitchen area according to parental standards
• identify healthful foods and develop a taste for nutritious foods

The role of the teacher-parent is important. Provide only as much help as is necessary, allowing the child to be as independent as possible. Make recipe adjustments to allow for the child's ability (for example, color code measuring spoons to assist in size identification or draw pictures beside recipe instructions to help them know what to do if they are still learning to read). Be there for your child to answer questions and to provide stimulating discussion as your child works. Encourage them to think about nutrition and why certain foods are healthy or unhealthy. Children will try foods they wouldn't usually eat if they prepared them on their own.

Story Starters

Story starters can be helpful to children when learning to organize their thoughts into a story that they tell or an essay that they write. Thinking up things on their own can be challenging, but sometimes something as simple as a picture can help them get started. Pictures that show action, emotion, objects of interest, and involve the senses are good at creating a spark that helps the child create an entire story! 

Use this picture with your child and see what kind of story results. Have your child use all their senses as they tell about what they think is happening in this picture. In keeping with our "Kids in the Kitchen" theme, this picture involves FOOD!

Apple Pie

Finger Play

Young kinesthetic and audio learners especially benefit from teaching activities like finger plays. Here is a fun finger play to use when making cookies.

I am making cookie dough
Round and round the beaters go
   (make circular motion like stirring for both lines)
Add some flour from a cup
   (pretend to pour from a cup)
Stir and stir the batter up
   (make circular motion in opposite direction)
Roll them, cut them nice and neat
   (pretend to use a rolling pin; side side of hand as a knife and 
    pretend to cut)
Put them on a cookie sheet
   (use hand as a spatula; pick up and move cookies)
Bake the, count them 1, 2, 3
   (pretend to open an oven door; hold up one, two, three fingers)
Serve them to my friends and me.
   (pretend to offer one to a friend and then pop one in their mouths)

Autumn Adventure Day

 

The school year starts in September for most families. The days are beautifully filled with autumn splendor. The sun is bright, but the shadows long on many autumn mornings. It is a great time of year. Every year our family would start studies with much anticipation and energy. After a few weeks the newness would wear off and the children would need a boost (and so would mom!). Every October or November we implemented something that we called “Autumn Adventure Day” — a day whose events were always a surprise for the children. On that morning I would wake the children up, telling them to hurry and get dressed because I had a surprise for them. A backpack for each of them was packed and ready to go, including a packed breakfast and a journal.  It was usually one I made and it was shaped like an apple or pumpkin with a colorful cover on it. We would hit the road, stopping at all sorts of planned adventures along the way. Usually we would usually include a visit to the children’s grandparents. Along the way we would do things like: pick a bucket of apples in the neighbor’s orchard; stop at a bakery to watch them make bagels; go to a park and identify trees and gather nuts and seeds; jog a lap or two around a running track; go to Grandma’s house for a story she would read; go to a tea room for lunch and learn manners; to the other grandma’s house for cookies and a nature lesson; and so on. The time line was scheduled and filled with many fun, short activities. The children would record events in their journal in the car between events. Zip lock bags were included in their backpack for collecting nature objects. And a camera was given as well, for recording things that weren’t easy to draw or write about. The journals became more sophisticated over the years — being age-appropriate as the children grew.  Our autumn adventures were chock full of learning activities and events, all mixed with a great deal of fun.  Each autumn the children would look forward to this ‘surprise’ day with much anticipation.

I highly recommend thinking outside of the box! It’s how memories are made! What a blessing it is to be the teacher of one’s own children. Having an autumn adventure day is just one way of making it a fun and happy experience.

Teaching Across the Curriculum

Use your time in the kitchen to teach across the curriculum. Relate what the child is doing to arithmetic, reading, science, and geography. Guided questioning is very helpful in expanding your child's field of knowledge.

Here is an example:

1) Have the child prepare Navajo Fry Bread (recipe below) and then answer the questions given.

2) Why do you think this is called Navajo Fry Bread? Look on a map and find where the Navajo Indians live.

3) Why did you use oil in the skillet when you fried your Navajo Fry Bread?

4) Describe how the dough felt when you kneaded it. Use as many different adjectives as you can think of to describe it.

5) What kind of shapes did you cut your Indian Fry Bread into? Which shape did you like best? Why?

RECIPE
Navajo Fry Bread

Mix together these ingredients (use a small bowl):

• 1/2 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

In another small bowl mix together:

• 4 Tbsp. flour mixture
• 2 Tbsp. warm water

After the flour mixture and warm water is mixed together, take it out of the bowl and place it on a floured cutting board.

Knead the dough until it is soft and like elastic.

Roll it out so that it is flat.  Use a rolling pin.

Cut the dough into shapes using a biscuit cutter and table knife.

Pour a small amount of oil into a skillet. Heat over medium-high heat. Put your dough shape in the skillet and fry each side until golden brown.

Take your dough shape out of the skillet. Blot it with a clean paper towel.

Fry another dough shape until all the shapes are fried.

Serve your Navajo Fry bread with honey while it is still warm.

While Cooking with Young Children

While Cooking with Young Children

• Everyone should have a chance to see, smell, feel, and possibly taste the ingredients before they are combined, and after. This gives them an opportunity to compare and contrast.
• Help children observe and talk about contrast, color, texture, size, and shape.
• Help children observe and talk about what happens when ingredients are combined, such as the effects of temperature on food. Express in words that water is a liquid; when it boils, it changes into a water vapor called steam; when it freezes, it changes into a solid called ice.
• Use complete sentences and the correct words for all actions, objects and concepts, but always accept the child's unique way of expressing himself or describing something.
• Follow through on projects. Everyone should have a chance to taste what he or she has helped to make.
• Encourage all those who participated to share the responsibility of cleaning up. Show the children how to wash the utensils and sponge the surfaces. Make sure all utensils are clean before putting them away. Even if a spot has been missed, recognize the effort of little hands. Improvement in skills comes from guidance and practice, not criticism.

The Kids Recipe

There are many ways to prepare a recipe so that they are easy for young children to use. Here is one idea that you might use when incorporating kids cooking into your daily routine. Features of a children's recipe should include:

• Visual cues; drawings or illustrations of the ingredients to be used.
• Child sized, individual portions; each recipe makes one small serving that is just the right size for the child.
• Easy to count numbers and fractions; 1, 2, 3, 1/4, 1/2, 1/3.
• Consistency when using measures; Tbsp. for tablespoon, tsp. for teaspoon, c. for cup, and so on. 
• Type or write the recipe, add illustrations, and place in a plastic page sleeve.
• Keep recipes in a 3-ring binder that becomes the child's cookbook as they participate in cooking experiences.

We are discussing "Cooking with Kids in the Kitchen", a unit study that starts here.

Preparation for Cooking

1. Post a chart (or the recipe) where it can be easily seen. This chart should include pictures of the utensils along with pictures illustrating the measurement of ingredients (such as drawing of two teaspoons for 2 tsp.).

2. Before beginning, explain to the child (children) the importance of washing hands and putting on aprons.

3. Cooking projects are easily managed if the group is kept small (2 or 3).

4. Make sure work surface is clean and point this out to the children, explaining why.

5. Go over the recipe and all directions carefully with children before starting.

6. Have a tray of utensils ready with enough utensils available to keep the project moving. More than one child at a time might have a turn, if possible.

7. Have a tray of ingredients ready.

8. Have a sponge and a bowl of water available for quick clean-up (or a sink if there is a stool for children to stand on to reach it).

9. Show the children how to use the utensils properly and supervise their use.

10. Explain ahead of time that the children are not to put the food in their mouths and, if they must cough or sneeze, to turn away and cover their mouths, then wash their hands again. Explain why. (Tasting food during preparation time is "off limits" with any age student. Decide upon a procedure for tasting to alter the seasonings, etc. --- as as one spoon, then place it into the sink). Tasting of food should take place during planned educational events or activities rather than when preparing food.

Planning for the Cooking Experience

Planning for the Cooking Experience

At first, cooking projects should have few steps such as taking peas out of a pod (children ages 3 - 5), making a gelled pudding, popping corn or making cranberry sauce. This gives the children the experience of working with food. The careful washing and preparing of vegetables and fruits is another single activity.

Gradually, the experience could become more complex by incorporating more steps.

Always be receptive to the children's suggestions if they are within reason as to what they would like to make.

Be alert to the many ideas for food preparation which arise spontaneously out of other activities and experiences.

Safety with Kids in the Kitchen

Safety is very important when children are using real kitchen equipment. Impress upon them that safety comes first and teach them how to use kitchen gadgets properly.  Make adjustments when needed, substituting safer options for dangerous tools. Here are some tips that can help your child's kitchen experiences to be safe and educational:

• Help children become aware of sharp knives, grater, parers. Solid plastic knives (from picnic sets) have a good cutting edge and can be used by very young children.
• Keep all potentially dangerous utensils away from young children. Under very careful supervision, they might be able to use a grater or plastic knife.
• As the opportunity arises during cooking, point out the dangers of very hot water, the danger of burnable objects too near the stove (hotplate), the importance of turning off appliances after using them.
• Make sure all pot handles are turned toward the back of the stove and tell the children why; make sure handles are turned away from the edge of the table.
• Show the children how pot holders are used to avoid burns. Remind them that a wet potholder does not protect from heat.

Cooking Experiences with Kids

Suggestions for creating a positive cooking experience for young children (ages 3 - 7 and beyond).  Set up a cooking area in a corner of the family kitchen which is scaled to a child's size. A low table or counter top that can be established as the child's own work space for cooking is helpful. Miniature kitchen tools that are real makes learning fun!

Basic Equipment 

• One small refrigerator with freezer OR a specific portion of the refrigerator and freezer in the kitchen. This could be a low drawer or shelf.
• One toaster oven for baking (it is safer for beginners and scaled to a child's size).
• One hot plate (same as above, although a stove can be used safely with supervision).
• A low counter/work deck and cupboards to store utensils scaled toa child's size (for example: apple boxes make nice cupboards; set a wooden top over several apple boxes and cover with contact paper).
• A low counter top to place wash basin for washing dishes; place near a sink so water is available.
• Kitchen utensils scaled to a child's size: knives, scrapers, egg beater, wire whisk, spoons, mixing bowls, spatula, pancake turner, cake pans, cookie sheets, baking brush, measuring spoons, measuring cups, grater, muffin tins, etc. (keep alert for small items that work well for children; Corning stores have mini rolling pins, gratersthat are used for garlic and lemon zest and works well for kids tograte carrots and cheeses. Tupperware has child sized bowls and dishes; Echo has cake pans, bread pans, and baking sheets that are just the right size for use in a toaster oven).
• Clean-up supplies in small scale; dish towel, sponge, hand towels, hot pads, etc. Small bottle of dish soap.

Cooking with Kids

Play is a child's work. And work is child's play. This is illustrated so well in the kitchen! Children enjoy helping with putting cans away, chopping vegetables, setting the table, and stirring up a batch of cookies. Through imitation they learn from cause to effect, how to measure and count, sequencing, how to read a recipe, and much, much more. 

Instead of discouraging them by scooting them off to a toy kitchen or to make mud pies in the back yard, enjoying their help in the kitchen can create countless memories and provide them with a wealth of learning experiences. For the next few days the discussion here will be about cooking with kids. We'll start with ideas for sharing with toddlers through early elementary children and then progress to food experiences for middle school and even high school students.  

Children who practice food experiences with their parents, starting at a young age, learn the benefits of a healthy, nutritious diet. It is a well known fact that if kids get to help prepare a recipe in the kitchen they are generally willing to taste and enjoy the end result. The kitchen experience can help them explore new tastes, textures, and nutrients. Additionally, children will achieve a sense of belonging as they contribute to family mealtimes. A sense of accomplishment will result. 

Quality time between parent and child happens naturally when time is spent experimenting and preparing healthy foods in the home kitchen! Cooking is a skill that your children will use for the rest of their lives. If children learn to eat healthy as kids, they are more likely to eat healthfully as adults. Skill in the kitchen gives children self-confidence and a willingness to try new things. These kids will be less likely to be swayed by peer pressure, and as teens will enjoy spending time in the kitchen as an avenue to avoid boredom. 

So, stay tuned the next few days for posts that will share ideas for helping your youngsters enjoy time in the kitchen with you!

The ABC's of Life

The ABC's of Life, as posted on a sign in a store window, are a wonderful guideline for living a happy and successful life --- one at peace with the world and with those around you. If everyone lived by these values, harmony would be the blessed result!

Home-parents Excel

Most mothers and fathers can provide deeper security, sheerer closeness, sharper instincts, longer continuity, warmer responses, more logical control and more natural examples than the staff of the best care center or kindergarten. Without ever ringing a school bell, monitoring a recess or opening a course-of-study manual or even knowing the inside of a college, their teaching and care in their home are for their children under eight or ten easily superior to the most skilled professors outside it.

Raymond Moore in Home Grown Kids
*And loving grandparents too!

Creating Thinkers

Teaching children how to think can be difficult.  In contrast, teaching children to merely reflect the thoughts of others is simple in comparison.  Think about it for a minute.  Requiring children to memorize and repeat correct answers can be done by practice and repetition.  Sometimes it is necessary to learn this way, like in the case of memorizing times tables or equations.  But the way a child learns best and retains knowledge is when he or she can reason and comprehend why things happen.  

Knowing how and why helps him or her understand and apply it to their field of knowledge and usefulness.  When a child learns to think for themselves, they achieve a level of growth and autonomy that surpasses students who simply memorize facts and figures.  Even the subject of spelling requires more than mere memorization.  Critiquing words and how they are spelled based upon phonics and rules of the English language requires reasoning abilities.  

Teaching thinking necessitates several things.  Using an inquiry method of instruction, where problems are directed to the student and where the student is given time to think and solve is one of them.  Comparison and contrast, evaluation, and questioning are all necessary components in creating thinkers.  Giving the student the ability to evaluate and make judgments teaches them to think for themselves.  

If you are asking your child to list, label, match, name, or recall information, you are teaching them to be reflectors of the thinking of others.  But, if your instructional technique leads them to interpret, discriminate, defend, critique, appraise, or explain something, you can be sure you are on the pathway to teaching your child how to think.  This is the challenge of educating the student, but one that reaps great rewards!

Children, the Most Precious Gift

Children are the most precious gift. According to Psalm 127:3 they are a heritage. It says that “children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.”

The dictionary defines gift as something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; a present.

Such favor from God can only be appropriately met by placing much value upon it. We can show our children that they are valued by loving, cherishing, and appreciating them. Kind words, a gentle touch, and an ear that always listens can bless them and show them their merit. It is a favor that exists simply because they exist and it is one that is not earned.

Tangible affirmation reminds children that they are valued. Years ago, when my children were in early elementary school, I cross-stitched a verse that said “Children, the most precious gift”. It was framed as the focal point between two old-fashioned art prints of children and hung as a unit over the sofa in the living room. Placed there, it held place of significance in our home and served to remind the children that they were important to us. This framed art remained as the central focus during their teenage years. Although they are now young adults and living on their own, I’ve decided that the framed art and cross-stitched message remains. No matter what the age, children are a blessing and it is our responsibility as parents to affirm this to them always.

Blessings are words of affirmation and love spoken to another. When a parent speaks these words and then exhibits them by action or deed, the child is blessed beyond measure. Gary Smalley and John Trent speak of the five elements of the blessing in their book by the same title. These elements are a meaningful touch, a spoken message, the attachment of high value to the one being blessed, the creation of a word picture of the special future perceived to the one being blessed, and an active commitment to fulfill the blessing. Although all parents can share the blessing with their children, the homeschool parent has a greater opportunity to pass this blessing along to their off-spring simply because of the dedicated amount of time he or she spends with them. The creation of a warm and responsive environment facilitates a positive sense of self-worth in children, blesses them, and helps them develop intellectually and to his or her full potential.

Today, thank God for the special opportunity He has given you to homeschool your children. And don’t forget to give your children an extra hug and words of affirmation! They are His gift.

School Store Sticker Options for Week #2

Remember that the school store activity is for extracurricular or supplemental learning. It is in addition to "core" subjects that are taught each day by the teacher-parent. Each activity is designed to be self-guided. Each week the teacher-parent will post a list of tasks and activities that can be completed to earn stickers. The teacher-parent can assign specific things that need done or the student can choose an assigned amount from the list. The student should always be encouraged to do more than the minimum. 

Sometimes the student will have an idea that he or she would like to do to earn a sticker. That is great! But be sure the student knows that they must receive approval for all projects by teacher-mom or dad first in order to receive a sticker.  

This list is for students in K - 3 (or as appropriate for your child).

____ 1) Go to the park with mom or dad. Play on the playground equipment. Make up a routine on the slide, monkey bars, pole, swings, etc. See how long it takes you to complete your routine. Then race yourself by trying to do it faster and faster each time. You can earn one sticker for each time you complete the routine. Have mom or dad time you so you can see if you improve. Limit 10 stickers.

____ 2) Help with washing the car this week. You can earn three stickers by washing and rinsing the car. Put away the washing gear when you are done.

____ 3) Find a beautiful plant that is growing in the garden.  Write a free verse poem about plants. Illustrate your poem. Earn five stickers for your poem with illustration. If you mail your poem and picture to someone else and address the envelope yourself, you get one more sticker.

____ 4) Pretend you are a plant scientist. Your assignment is to design your own seed. Draw a picture of your seed and of the plant your seed turns into. Write a paragraph about the seed and the plant you invented. Imagine how much fun God must have had creating the world and inventing so many things. Thank Him with a special prayer for all the things He created. This assignment is worth three stickers.

____ 5) There are two main types of seeds.  They are naked and enclosed. Seeds have three parts: the seed coat, the embryo, and the food storage tissue. Make a list of five kinds of each of the two varieties of seeds. Worth four stickers. Use a plant/tree identification book to help you.

____ 6) Learn Psalm 100 (It is good to give thanks unto the Lord. . .). Once you have it memorized, repeat it from memory to mom or dad at family worship time. This is worth 10 stickers.

____ 7) Cook something in the kitchen that is very high in B vitamins. Serve it to the family at mealtime.  Be sure to clean the kitchen.  Worth 3 stickers.

____ 8 ) Play multiplication bingo.  Worth 1 sticker for 15 minutes of play.

____ 9) Play vowel bingo.  Worth 1 sticker for 15 minutes of play.

___ 10) Make a collage on a topic of your choice. Do a careful job. Put a title on your collage. Hang it on a bulletin board. Worth 2 stickers.

___ 11) Make a salad for dinner. Use vegetables that are dark green and add something with orange or red color. Use at least five different raw vegetables. Put them in a pretty bowl and set on the table. Worth 2 stickers.

____ 12) Set the table for dinner with a tablecloth, napkins, and proper settings of plates, cups, flatware, and a centerpiece. Have a parent check it to make sure you put things in their proper places. Worth 1 sticker.

____ 13) Repeat the days of the week to a parent.  Be sure they are in the correct order. Then tell today's date and what day of the week it is. Repeat the months of the year. Worth 2 stickers.

____ 14) Listen to a CD from "Adventures in History" (story). You will receive one sticker for listening to the story.  You can earn a second sticker by telling the story to someone else.

____ 15) Take a trip to the grocery store with mom or dad. While you are there, make a list of ten foods that you think are healthy and nutritious. Make sure they don't have harmful ingredients or empty calories in them. Worth 2 stickers.

____ 16) When dad comes home from work, ask him if there is anything he would like you to do for him. He will be surprised. Complete the task he gives you to do. You will receive two stickers.

____ 17) Ride your bike today. Be sure to ride it continuously for 20 minutes so you can get your heart rate up. Give yourself one sticker for every 20 minutes that you ride.

____ 18 ) Write a story about a wild animal that you like. Use descriptive words to tell about the habitat, characteristics, and appearance of the animal. Research your subject in books or on the Internet. You may use the computer to type your story. You will receive one sticker for every page you write. You will receive another sticker per page if you make corrections to the spelling, punctuation, and capitalization after it has been marked by teacher-mom or dad.

____ 19) Repeat the pledge to the flag from memory. Worth one sticker.

____ 20) List each set of words below in alphabetical order:  a) house, hill, hat, help; b) up, in out, apple, yet, enjoy; c) popcorn, pickle, pears, peaches, and lettuce; d) grape, orange, cherry, apricot, plum; e) limp, ride, walk, skate, ski, run; toe, tickle, tall, tame, talent; f) smile, say, see, said, savory, sachet. Worth 3 stickers.

These are suggested activities.  You can design your own to meet the specific needs of your own children.