Cooking is an essential life skill that everyone should master. But did you know there are many learning opportunities for young kids when you get them involved? Let’s look at some of the many benefits cooking has on early childhood education and why you should entice your children to join you in the kitchen every now and again.
Measuring
Children start to develop their math skills during their toddler and preschool years, and one of these skills is measurement. Almost every aspect of cooking requires some form of measuring. Children learn about capacity and volume by measuring ingredients and how to weigh items on a scale.
Number Concept
Another benefit of cooking with our little ones is that it allows them to practice counting and develop their understanding of numbers. The best way to teach math to young kids is through hands-on, practical experiences. Let kids count out the ingredients they need, how many bowls are needed, how many biscuits they’ve made, or how many eggs they’ll need if each person has two.
Following Directions
Learning to listen and follow instructions are essential life skills. Children must follow your verbal instructions as you make the meal together. Another excellent opportunity for teaching kids to follow instructions is to use a basic recipe when you cook.
Whether you’re reading a recipe from your phone, or have it written down on paper, kids will learn that there is a process they need to follow for a successful outcome.
Early Literacy
Cooking is also a platform for building early literacy skills. Children learn how print has meaning and conveys a message between lists of ingredients, recipe steps to follow, and food labels. They also start to recognize familiar words, especially those found on labels of food items they often see.
Fine Motor Development
Cooking activities are packed with opportunities to develop fine motor skills. Children will develop coordination and control as they learn to peel, dice, stir, spread, break, and slice. Get kids involved as much as possible. Young kids could “help” you chop vegetables with a small blunt knife or stir the soup as you add ingredients to the pot. Toddlers may pretend to help you, but this pretend play is just as crucial for their learning.