Fine motor skills enable us to tie shoes, fasten buttons,
operate zippers and grasp a pencil. They also help children develop their
cognitive relationship with the world. Among the activities that teach small
children to use their hands are many of the movements involved in cooking and
baking: stirring, kneading, pouring, squeezing. These actions also strengthen
the muscles of the hands and arms, especially important for kids with special
needs.
Other aspects of cooking can teach holding still, measuring,
counting, discrimination, and much more. Here are some ideas for
making the most of cooking with your kids.
Use an easy recipe. Start with a simple project like
making a smoothie in the blender or baking the most basic of cookies. The more
hands-on your child can be, the more you'll both enjoy the process. Following a
recipe provides chances to learn about sequencing, following directions, and
memory.
READ MORE: Kids in the kitchen
Point out sensations. Describe how ingredients feel
as both of you touch them. Talk about smells. Associating words and experiences
will support cognitive development and add to vocabulary.
Give your child the freedom to explore. As much as
possible, avoid holding your child's hand during picking up and pouring
ingredients. Even if there's a bit of spillage, it's their chance to exercise
and practice their hand skills. Don't be in a rush. Encourage your child to
talk about what's happening.
Take turns stirring, kneading, etc. Stirring batter
with a spoon develops forearm strength and control. Be aware that a thick
batter will be more difficult to stir. Let your child stir as long as possible,
but if you need to take over, you can always give them another chance after
they've had a rest. Activities that develop hand strength include kneading
dough and squeezing icing pouches. For coordinating both hands, try rolling
dough out with a rolling pin or unscrewing lids from jars.
Measure and count. Show your child teaspoons and
measuring cups, pointing out the size relationships and how they're used. As you
add items or scoops to the bowl, count out loud.
READ MORE: Recipes from The Catskills Farm to Table Cookbook by Courtney Wade
Discuss flavor. When the food is ready to eat, talk
about how it tastes and how it crunches or slides down the throat. Be sure to
celebrate your creation together!
Editor’s note: When my sons were six and nine, I began
to work fulltime. It became so overwhelming for me that I asked my kids if they
would help with the cooking. Each chose a night to cook dinner, (A better word
would be to prepare dinner, because sometimes there was no cooking involved.)
They would give me a shopping list of what items they needed for their next
dinner. I will never forget my youngest son’s first dinner. He got frozen pigs in the blanket which he
heated in the toaster oven and mac ‘n cheese which he ‘cooked’ in the
microwave. Definitely fun. Definitely high in carbs. Definitely not a balanced
meal. But we all enjoyed it just the same.
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