Easy Math Recipes for Kids

Baking For Fun and Learning

Two fun and successful recipes for young children are "Three Ingredient Apple Danish" and "Eggless Cake." These recipes provide math skill practice and talking time for young children without feeling like work.
Dashing Danish
  These are like little apple pies found at fast food places.
You’ll need three ingredients: 2 medium cooking apples like Granny Smith or Golden Delicious, 1/3 cup white sugar, and two sheets ready rolled puff pastry.                 
  Peel, quarter, and core apples.

Young children can use a table knife to cut after adults have peeled the apples. Place in a saucepan with a few splashes of water.  Cover and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes until the apples have softened. The apples are also delicious with morning oatmeal.
  Remove from heat and stir through with the sugar. Add a small amount at a time since you may not want to use all the sugar. Then set to cool.
  Children can cut each puff pastry sheet in half and half again and then into two triangles or any other shape.  Talk about shapes with the kids while brushing each border of the pastry with water. Spread big spoonful of apples on top but not too close to the edges. 
Cut another pastry rectangle as you did before and cut a few slits across the shapes being careful not to cut all the way across. Place over the apple covered shapes so they fit together. Lightly press and firmly press along the edges. Children can use a fork to press down on the edges. Sprinkle each lightly with sugar.  Bake 12-15 minutes in a 220-degree oven or until puffed and golden.
Vegan Cake
  This chocolate cake was commonly made in cities during WWII when eggs were rationed and chocolate was saved for a special occasion.
In one bowl mix 1 ¾ cups nondairy type milk (almond, soy), 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce, 2/3 cup canola oil, and 2 teaspoon vanilla. 
In another bowl sift together (or gently mix well with a spoon) 2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons flour, 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. 
Slowly mix (with a mixer) dry ingredients to liquid ones. Children can put their hand on top of yours to get the experience while talking about safety. Mix until very creamy. 
Place in cupcake papers or a cake pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cook in 350-degree oven 25-30 minutes, less for the cupcakes. Check the center with a toothpick.  It should come out clean. 
Let cool. Eat with ice cream and a few raspberries on top.
Sketch: Mark Nowicki
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Kids Cooking Creative Veggies

Make Veggies Fun & Creative

Children love to cook when the food is made quickly and looks interesting. Potatoes are a good choice because they cook quickly and can be dressed up or dressed down for picky palettes. They fill kids up with a variety of vitamins and minerals.
  In 1995 potatoes became the first vegetable to be grown in space as an experiment for long voyages. The Incas in Peru started growing potatoes in 8,000 B.C., but the Spanish did not introduce them to Europe until 1536. Later the English brought them to Jamestown, Virginia.
  Thomas Jefferson introduced French fries in 1801. As we know, they taste good but are not healthy. Good alternatives to fries are roasted potatoes easily made with children’s help.
Roasted Potatoes
  Cut the potatoes to look like chunky fries. Adults can do the peeling and cutting into fourths the long way. Then children can use a table knife to

Even Shopping Is Learning

cut them into strips. If they need help, put your hand over theirs to apply a little more muscle.
  Place in a bowl and add a few tablespoons of olive oil, enough to coat the potatoes.  Sprinkle a little salt and pepper and toss until evenly coated. Children will enjoy carefully pushing them around. Then kids can organize them on a cookie sheet in rows one layer thick. Place in a 450-degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  Check and gently stir or turn occasionally. When slightly cooled, children may dip in ketchup.
  For variety try some of the 3,800 kinds of potatoes. In the U.S. potatoes are blue, purple, red along with yellow and white. Add sweet potatoes (not real potatoes) for the orange color. If children will eat them, leave the skins on for more nutritional value.
Dinosaur Spuds
 

Baked Potatoes + Veggies

Baked potatoes can be made into many animals and objects by decorating them with vegetables like raw carrots, cooked peas, beans, and peas. Speed up the cooking time by placing in a microwave.  First cover one thoroughly washed baking potato with olive oil and pierce the skin on each side with a fork. Cook on high in the microwave for about three–five minutes, turn over and cook for about three more.  Test for "doneness." It should be squishy. Check on it or you will have a rock.
  To make dinosaurs cut two wedges off the top of the potato to use them for a dinosaur neck, head, and tail and set aside. Mash up the inside and add butter to melt. Carefully arrange one wedge to like a neck and head sticking out of the potato and add the other for a tail. Children can add little pieces of tomatoes, beans, or sweet pepper for eyes and tail plates. 
Photos: Fran Darling: fdarling fotos 
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Fun and Thoughtful Fall Art

Make a Family Tree

Late fall is a good time to do family activities with small children that teach kindness and caring for one another, especially for family members who may be ill, alone, or lonely.  This Thanksgiving project creates a family tree full of pictures and messages.
  You’ll need some brown wrapping paper, colored paper, children’s scissors, glue, markers, crayons, and family and pet photos.
Caring Family Tree
  Draw a tree with a trunk and branches using markers and crayons. The tree can be very large or the size of two pieces of computer paper.  It can be sent in pieces in a large envelope ready to be put together at its destination.
  Young children will enjoy coloring the bark and adding squirrel holes. To make leaves, trace hands on colored paper and cut them out. Print family members’ names on the leaves with messages of love, sentences remembering good times, and reasons to be thankful.  Children can dictate sentences about  good times with relatives. Fun and humorous times like swimming, fishing, or playing ball will bring smiles to someone who needs them.

Glue Photographs to the Leaves

  Draw
  Children  can add drawings or glued on photographs to the leaves. Do this activity over a few days in very short periods of time since children need time to think and draw. Take a break often and do an active fun activity or snack and read if you want good quality drawings.
   Adapt this idea for different ages.Very young children can make circles and color them or add string for balloon. They can trace their little hand on a bigger leaf.
All ages can dictate short sentences to an older child about something fun they did with Grandpa and Grandma like visiting the fair, attending a college football game, or cooking.  It’s a good chance for older children to practice penmanship.
 Include the family pet.  They can make paw prints on the leaves. Children may add a few messages of love from the pets. Trace their paws or if you’re adventurous, dip their paws in poster paint.

Write Messages on the Leaves

If mailing a tree, a few leaves may be cut into large puzzle pieces while keeping the rest the intact. Relatives offer need help putting up the family tree so offer to visit and bring along the children. Young children can be taught how to visit someone who is ill and what to say and do to bring them comfort.
  Children may want to add little extra decorations like a squirrel, a few birds, or bird’s nest in future visits.
  The leaves may also have quotes from famous people like Mark Twain or Yogi Berra. “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” “Take it with a grin of salt.”
Photos: Fran Darling fdarling fotos 
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Keeping Children Happy Traveling

Everyday Objects - Great Discussions

Grandparents often need to transport children around town for shopping, to activities, the library, and home from school. These car seat times can be frustrating for both children and driver unless there is a plan for the trip. Of course, you can take along snacks, drinks, favorite blanket, toys, and books to help pass the time.  With the addition of verbal games children stay interested, take turns, and learn while the driver does not need to take eyes off the road no matter how long the trip.
 Discussion Games
   One game is called “What Do You Know?”  The adult makes up simple questions and children take turns giving their answers.  Questions are based on the age/interest/vocabulary and experience level of each player.  For example: Driver (for the younger child): “How many colors do you know?” or “What are the names of the people in our family?” or

What Do You Know?

“What are the names of the seasons?” or “What foods are orange?” or “What do we call a person who takes care of us when we get sick?” or “Who grows food for our grocery stores?”
  For the older child, the questions could be related to geography, history, etc.  Example: “How many states can you name that begin with the word New?” or “How many bird names can you remember?” or “Name a holiday for each season”, or “What is 9 X9?”  Once you get started, you will think of many, many possible questions.
  Another car game is called, “I’m Thinking of

Something” (pick a color). Children watch out the window to find something this color.

  Reading signs is a great way to encourage signal and word awareness.  “Can you find a sign with a number or an arrow or the name of a store?” “Can you find a sign that starts with the letter “S”,  etc.?”

Find a Sign That Starts With...

Learning Games
  Car games can help develop curiosity and improve thinking and speaking abilities, in addition to making the ride more fun and enjoyable for everyone.  Recalling facts, comparing, putting things in categories, reading signs, counting items, listening and taking turns, are important skills that will help prepare children for school
  Sing favorite songs, and make up your own words. Sing along with favorite children’s cd’s.  Look for cows, horses, and trucks of a certain color.  Retell a favorite storybook or movie.  Discuss favorite foods or places to visit. Think about how two things are the same or different. Example “How are a bird and an airplane the same or different?” Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest