Favourite cooking activities with 2years to 5 year olds

[Fredbear]

Thought it might be fun to make a folder of new cooking activities we might explore with the children this year. As a very (incompetent cook) hee hee, I'm looking to you wise folk of tried and tested ideas to share with the children.

Any thoughts and suggestions would be gratefully received, as well as a delivery of said items in the post all in the name of research.:):)

[lashes2508]

Bread - we love making bread , simple soda bread to pizza bread and bread rolls , add the yeast to make the dough grow , children love the whole process , great for Harvest from fields to flour , lots of maths, motor skills, changes and yummy yummy .

[Mouseketeer]

None Fredbear...I hate cooking activities

[Guest]

popcorn for the surprise factor

porridge to explore taste alongside the 3 bears

peppermint creams? never again!!

[Panders]

Officially we aren't allowed to cook anything under the terms of our rental arrangements, however, I do sneak in a very small cooker from time to time for a bit of pizza making, biscuits during December to decorate, that type of thing. Would love to do bread with them, so envious. So many things to cook with children ends up being sweet stuff. How about doing a soup or kebabs, they might be easy.

[Panders]

popcorn for the surprise factor

porridge to explore taste alongside the 3 bears

peppermint creams? never again!!

We do have a popcorn machine and regularly have that at snack time, it's in the shape of a duck and popcorn spouts forth from his bill! Children love the process and the results.

[Fredbear]

Haven't explored bread for quite some time so that could be fun. We make soups, pizza, cakes, cookies. Lovely ideas thank you, anymore.

[lsp]

Stir fry. Using senses to explore food. Children look and explore raw items (lots of our children are not able to name everyday fruit and veg) chop veg, listen to it cook, smells, taste. Yummy! All the multicultural links.

[finleysmaid]

someone put a post on here some time ago with some fantastic recipes (lots from other countries too) i'll go and have a search!

[finleysmaid]

http://eyfs.info/forums/topic/35758-cooking-activities/?hl=recipes

 

AH HA!

[blondie]

i wish we could cook but have no facilities to do so - we are based in a classroom within a school and there is nowhere for us to do this - has anyone some recipes that don't need cooking ?

[finleysmaid]

blondie...look on pintrest ....loads of no cook for children recipes on there....also have you considered the use of a microwave or slow cook pot? might extend your range!!!

[narnia]

Bread, pizza, naan breads, Christmas cakes, gingerbread men, cupcakes,biscuits , fruit salad ( I know, not strictly cooking, but it's a lovely way to get fruit into reluctant fruit eaters! By the time they've chopped it they're usually eager to have a taste), really have a go at anything.................but bread is definitely one of our favourites.......all that kneading and pummelling, watching it rise etc

[sunnyday]

Note to self: must do better on the cooking activity front :rolleyes:

 

Love the popcorn making idea - sure that I could manage that - well possibly/maybe........

[lsp]

Delegation Sunnyday!!!!

[Fredbear]

Thank you for your lovely ideas.

Think we could try bread again next term.

[MegaMum]

I have a soup maker at home (LOVE IT!) and I take it to Pre-school occassionally. The children enjoy chopping all the veg, and I like it because inevitably someone sneezes all over the food, so the veg have a good rinse and then we pop them in the soup maker add a Knorr stock pot and some water and 20 minutes later the children have delicious soup for snack. With warm crusty bread of course!

[lashes2508]

Tortillas are also nice and easy and they can then wrap up cucumber etc for snack , as you can see I love a bit of dough . I made roti last week again very easy and you don't need chapati flour , you can make with half wholemeal and half plain .

 

We always make cakes for birthdays but children help prepare snack , fruit kebabs

 

 

Pasta sauce is another easy one and cook pasta to go , tinned toms , fresh basil and garlic and use a hand blender too , then they can add to their pasta yummy

[blondie]

blondie...look on pintrest ....loads of no cook for children recipes on there....also have you considered the use of a microwave or slow cook pot? might extend your range!!!

oooh great idea - could use microwave - but do not have slow cooker - would love a small freezer too as our fridge was supplied by cool milk so doesn't have an ice compartment.

will look on pinterest thanks finleysmaid

might be speaking to our chair person for some resources for cooking - can anyone tell me how they plan it so all children have a turn / make something - how does it work with others who dont make something?

our children don't attend every day so how do we work that out?

really into wanting to do some "cooking"

Edited August 20, 2015 by blondie

[Guest]

Sandwiches are great for fine motor skills - some children find spreading really difficult.

We made toast last Winter too when we realised that many of our children simply didn't have the word for it, calling it 'bread'.

[finleysmaid]

we've just had a new supermarket built next door! looking forward to food spontaneity !

[Mouseketeer]

As much as I don't like cooking...full stop

 

We do cook at preschool..we either plan it across the week and group children on day they are in and have a diff member of staff lead it (KG where possible) so all have a turn, that's done during morning session, or we do at same time in PM sessions ( not so many) and split into 2 groups....when I say 'we' I obviously don't mean me ;-p