Research Project For Foundation Degree

[LKeyteach]

Hi everyone. I hope you won't mind me asking for some feedback. I am new to this forum. I have over the last year or so looked in but have not been brave enough to post, so here goes. I in my second year of my foundation degree and find myself struggling with a research project.

My chosen subject is cookery with 2 and 3 year olds, and I would like to know your views.

How often do you do cookery with children of this age?

What would your main objective be?

Do you use utensils specifically designed for young children?

These questions may just give you an idea of the types of response I need, but just to hear your views will be of interest.

 

Thank you

[Guest]

Hi!

 

I childmind and cook at least once a week with the children, often what we'll be having for lunch! They do a great pasta bake now and today we made pizza, using bagels as the base, although we've previously made bread too. (the children are 21 months and 17 months old)

 

So many of my 15 year old daughter's friends can do little more than add water to a Pot Noodle that I'm a one-woman campaign to teach children how to cook from basic ingredients rather than a packet or ready meal!!

 

We often use ingredients we've grown in the garden and eggs from our own chickens, too so the children know where their food comes from.

 

We use full size utensils as I've found the children's versions quite flimsy particularly when stirring.

 

Nona

[LKeyteach]

Hi!

 

I childmind and cook at least once a week with the children, often what we'll be having for lunch! They do a great pasta bake now and today we made pizza, using bagels as the base, although we've previously made bread too. (the children are 21 months and 17 months old)

 

So many of my 15 year old daughter's friends can do little more than add water to a Pot Noodle that I'm a one-woman campaign to teach children how to cook from basic ingredients rather than a packet or ready meal!!

 

We often use ingredients we've grown in the garden and eggs from our own chickens, too so the children know where their food comes from.

 

We use full size utensils as I've found the children's versions quite flimsy particularly when stirring.

 

Nona

[LKeyteach]

Thanks Nona.

 

Is there any particular area of development that you see as important when cooking with young children?

[SueFinanceManager]

Hi LKeyteach

 

Can I draw you attention to the cookery forum area here

 

Although there are posts where people are sharing recipes there also discussion about cooking with the children and so there may be some useful information in there too.

 

In terms of development areas....wow, health and hygiene, maths...weights and measures.....fine motor skills in stirring, cutting etc.......K & U about where food comes from......science as in how things change form through the cooking/chilling/freezing process.....language skills in folowing instructions and then descriptive language as to ingredients and senses as to how they smell etc

 

Jolly.....could go on for ages!!!!

 

Sue

[Inge]

we cooked once a week , well I did with them, others were not alwysa as brave as I was..

 

things from soup, bread, piszza salads all sorts really

 

we used adult size for most things, knives were small vegetable ones and sharp!

 

area of learning.. well, we found that it covered so many we gave up setting one.. as Sue says it covers so much,to pick out one is impossible. from sharing, turn taking, science, changes, creative, aware of tools, use them correctly..and all the others.. and so all the learning covered in one .

 

Inge

[LKeyteach]

Sue

 

Thank you for pointer to cookery area, I will look at this next.

 

Thank you to all have posted so far. Keep posting.

 

It is great to hear from others who are enthusiastic about cooking with the little ones.

I will share further when I have completed my research project, as I don't want to predjuice any answers.

 

It is good to hear about the areas of development you think are supported and furthered by cookery activities, does anyone feel brave enough to cite examples?

 

And does anyone have any feedback from parents about cooking with this age group of children?

 

Look forward to hearing more.

[LKeyteach]

Thank you everyone who has posted. I would still like more feedback.

 

If you were pushed what do you think would be the most important area of development that would be supported by a cookery activity?

 

Thanks

[finleysmaid]

we cook as often as possible (about 1 x in 2 weeks)(due to cost/time etc) i was trained in catering and feel passionately about the life skills part of our job.

what we do - anything and everything except meat products - we try to avoid too many sweet recipes

- everyone does their own product - the whole point is the process and you need to be doing it, to see it, not watch others.

- everyone takes their items home to show off and share with family

Why we do it - life skills /experiences / using senses as appropriate can cover all areas of learning but we usually base ours on particular problems - so if a child is not eating /being fussy/ throwing up at meal times(!) etc.etc. then this would be a reason for doing the activity

someof our children with additional needs just need to experience the sensations....

i suppose the most USED area of learning is using senses as appropriate ie smell taste touch sight etc though i'm not sure i would always say this is the most important one.

My favourite cookery lesson was shushi.... the kids loved it and several of them demended it for lunch for several days

hope this helps!

[LKeyteach]

Thanks for that.

 

Could I ask what age group you work with and do you use specific sized equipment for the children? If you do , in your opinion, does this make any difference?

Do you implement your children's social development into your cookery activities?

 

[finleysmaid]

i work with the nearly three's! to five....yes we do use special knives which are rounded at the end and have small serrated edges (on one side ) to help with cutting (ofsted approved!!) i use graters from ikea which are flat and have a container underneath which seem to work well.smaller bowls/short handled spoons/small rolling pins/small aprons and pictogram recipe cards . also tend to use soft margerine as butter difficult to rub in etc.( think these are the only changes!) yes i do think the equipment makes a difference cooking can be quite difficult and small bowls etc mean your not leaning over to see what you are doing. can you clarify your social development question? as i pre-school pse is in everything we do

[LKeyteach]

I am in the process of writing my definition of social development for the purposes of the assignment. Fear it make take some time, but I am thinking of including the following:

 

Being understanding of taking turns

 

Sharing conversations about process and relevance to their own lives

 

Being inclusive to each other

 

Being aware of social rules such as clearing up when finished

 

Having confidence to tackle a challenging activity

 

Being confident with the small group during the activity

 

Being proud of their achievements

 

I know some of this is emotional development but it is hard to seperate the two in the very young.

[finleysmaid]

ok...

turn taking -yes this is included depending on the process(i try to make sure all children have their own equipment - hate sharing one bowl...one of my pet hates...i have spent years formulating recipes that work for the individual!)

conversation -of course.try shutting my lot up...even if its not in English! relevence to own life i have several children who have mums and dads as chefs so yes but also similarities and differences in food like when we are making dough some will connect with making chapatis at home etc etc

inclusivity - not very evident in these sort of activities apart from when the children make comparisons

social rules - hygiene and cleanliness definately - washing up difficult in our setting!

confidence aided by smallgroups - pride always and take home to show off to parents!

challenging activity...this makes me laugh last week they made pretend cakes with flour/marg and water..baked them and then decorated with ublick icing all by themselves...next day gave them a simple recipe and let them get on with it themselves...with a very mixed results! then they had to tidy up...they definatley need more at the cleaning bit

Of course all these things happen but are not always in the plan....but at pre-school children will always take their learning in surprising directions...thats why i love it

[LKeyteach]

Finleysmaid and all

 

Thank you. Can I have your permisssion to use your replies in my written work?

I particulary like your last comment aboout children taking their learning in surprising directions! It's so important that we don't forget this. It's definately the funnest parts of our job, learning about how children see their world and the oddest connections they can make.

Must get writing , but if anyone has anything else to add please do, I'm open for more of your thoughts until the end of this week.