Easy Cooking with Children

It’s a fun time in the kitchen whenever children and adults cook together. Cooking is a great way to teach math and spend time conversing about ordinary things.  Cooking together is a great way to help children learn to focus, bring families together, and reduce the stress of childcare. 

What to Do:

  (Check that young children involved are not allergic to peanuts before using these recipes. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests waiting until age three to introduce nut products. Consult with your doctor.)

  Edible clay with peanut or almond butter is fun and easy to make.  The mixture works well to design edible Halloween pumpkin decorations. This is also a good activity for birthday parties. Try it out before a party to get the right consistency with your favorite nut butter. 

  Check that everyone washes hands well before cooking.  Measure equal amounts of smooth peanut butter and dry powdered milk.  Stir in a little at a time and mix together.

  Slowly add honey until the mixture is the thickness of clay. If it’s too wet add more dry milk.  If it is too dry add a little honey. Mold the mixture into animals, monsters, or pumpkins.  Children may decorate with raisins, sunflower seeds, small candies, sprinkles, frosting, or brush on cocoa powder based on how nutritious you want to keep the project. When finished you can eat immediately or refrigerate for a short time. Everyone helps clean up.

What Else Can We Do?

   Here are two other nutritious recipes made with any nut butter. A delicious toast topper is three tablespoons of raisins, five tablespoons of nut butter, and two tablespoons of orange juice. Make another spread from a mashed banana, tablespoon of nut butter, and a little maple syrup, if desired. Help children measure and stir into a small bowl. Then children can spread the mixture on hot toast. Although sometimes messy, stirring and spreading are good for eye hand coordination and building small muscles in fingers and hands. 

How Does This Help Children?

 Cooking teaches math skills like measuring, fractions, halving and doubling. Everyone loves this kind of math assignment!  Although stirring a peanut butter mixture may be too difficult for little hands, children can knead the mixture and use it to create like any other clay. Kneading helps children build strong fingers for printing letters. Cooking with adults helps children learn to carry on conversations and follow directions. Turn off media distractions to help them focus.

   Your library has loads of children’s cooking books, especially for choosy eaters.

Illustration by Mark Nowicki

For more activities to help your children succeed in school and have a life time of learning see the authors’ book Learning Through the Seasons in museums, bookstores, and in E-book form atSmashwords.com. 

Listen to this activity online at the WNMU Podcasts