Tips for Tots Tuesday: Mix It Up in the Kitchen

Seth helping make Christmas Cookies in December 2007. We are looking forward to making more soon as the holidays draw closer!

I love to bake, when time allows of course. To be honest we do make cookies or a dessert for lunches at least once a week and now fresh bread once or twice with the help of a bread maker. Through it all Seth has grown a fondness for helping in the kitchen. We have a decent size peninsula area in our kitchen where he can sit and help me. We get out my mixer, known to Seth as "round round" and we make cookies, cakes, brownies, muffins, pies or whatever sounds good.

Seth and I rolling out a pie crust this past month. He loves pie but the "a la mode" always goes first!

Our last two weeks of "home school" we have been learning about measurements and baking. Seth has taken a strange liking to using my oven, which is certainly not turned on while he uses it, but I have found that it allows him to truly copy what he sees in the kitchen. Why not? When it is cool, it can't hurt him. He "baked" me cookies just the other day and my imagination told me they were delicious! He also has learned that the oven is hot therefore when Tate came in the kitchen while he was "cooking" he told Tate, "Stay away from the oven. It is hot. I am baking you cookies to take home with you and Baby Claire." Apparently Tate's imagination is not so well advanced at the age of almost two and he wanted some "real" cookies. I had to laugh at the exchange that took place.

We have a small fridge that holds play food and dishes that Seth loves to pretend with. I think it is a great way for him to use his imagination and the stuff he comes up with to feed me is pretty amazing. I have to say I am impressed. All purchased at a garage sale or hand me down from family it cost me less than ten dollars to pull together too.

Seth in our apartment in April 2007 learning his way around the kitchen. Though loud, it was a great learning time!

Simple things like helping to dump ingredients in a bowl, pounding wooden spoons on pans, or giving them a cup of flour and a teaspoon to play with can be simple ways of learning. Learning should be fun as often as possible and the toddler stage makes it rather easy to do. Are you getting your kids active in the kitchen? I would love to hear ways you are getting them involved. Please leave a comment and share with us all!

Note: Our next unit is construction and thankfulness. I know Seth and Tate will love this one! I will try to have a new book list up by the end of the week!