Boys Can Wear Carhartts in the Kitchen!

 

Attacked by the flour bucket...

Perhaps some of the best memories can be made in the kitchen with your children...

 



 
 I made cookies this morning with Fireball and Little Sis. 

My "caught in the act of stealing sugar" grin..

Yuck, vanilla extract isn't near as good as it smells.



Don't forget to clean up...

A few weeks ago I felt brave enough to invite them to come join me in making turkey breakfast sausage.  That was a mistake!  BUT as usual, God turns our mistakes into beauty in His time, sometimes quickly sometimes it takes years, but it does happen none-the-less.


Stirring spices is fun!



So, as I think more about "Showing How" and less about "Showing Off" (a light bulb moment for me that you can read in the last post), here are some ways that I've learned to have fun in the kitchen with my kids:

#1 ALWAYS unplug the mixer before raising the beaters.

#2 Check again just to make sure....

#3 Never FORGET..... you'll have cake batter or cookie dough on everything if your little ones flip the switch, not to mention a near heart attack.

#4 Try using unconventional ways of measuring:  a medicine cup is much easier for little fingers to hold onto and keep level than a teaspoon.  The liquid 2-cup measuring glass is often easier to scoop with and carry dry ingredients to the mixing area. 

#5 Remember to "Embrace the Messes" and put on aprons and teach them how to use the small hand broom and dustpan to clean as they go. 

#6 Laugh at your mistakes, there will be lots but cookies are very forgiving.

#7Put your recipes in plastic sheet protectors.  Easy clean-up!

#8 I like to tell them to build a volcano first out of the flour and then add the baking powders and salt.  Volcanoes sound more fun than keeping your dry and wet ingredients separate. 

#9  Use short phrases for reminders, don't preach everything you know about the culinary and baking world.  Things like, "Mix, don't flick!"  "Hold on to your bowl with one hand." 

#10  Teach as you have fun together:  there's math and reading skills to learn while examining recipes and the sides of your ingredients.  You might even find some history to discuss such as, "I'm so glad I don't have to mill my own flour and milk the cow."  What was life like back in pioneer days anyway?

The kitchen is really a cleverly disguised science lab and it goes without saying you're always making art there, it's just in the shape of food.  As far as fine motor skills, yep, handling spoons and stirring and carrying and dumping measuring cups count!  Clean up after some children can actually count as PE class by the time you wash the dishes and clean the floor.

Lastly, don't forget to snap some pictures and have them write and draw about their experience in their daily journal. 

You've just spent a day home schooling in my house.  Throw in 3 more meals, some laundry, chores, reading, writing, studying for a few hours if you're older, working on projects, working on our differences, working on our attitudes, working on loving and forgiving one another, working on the house, working..... did I mention working?  OH, I forgot to mention that Playing is really work too.  I read that somewhere in a parenting book or magazine.  Except, I think we'd all agree that it is much more pleasant....