| Cooking to an adult is a chore, but it is a | | | | prevent accidents. Your children should also |
| fun learning experience to the children. | | | | be taught to keep the kitchen clean at all |
| Children loves cooking because it gives them | | | | times. All utensils and tools need to be |
| the opportunity to "play" around. Kneading | | | | cleaned after cooking. Teach your child to |
| and rolling out the dough is so exciting to | | | | clean knife in the proper way. Modern kitchen |
| the children, just like their Play-Doh. It | | | | comes with modern conveniences. This includes |
| not only keeps your child occupied, but will | | | | electrical appliances like blender, fruit |
| also help in development of fine motor | | | | juicer, microwave oven and many others. If |
| development and hand coordination, especially | | | | your child is old enough to use these |
| the younger ones. Cooking is also a great | | | | equipment, teach them the proper way to |
| learning tool because the child can be taught | | | | handle such items. When cooking, the hand is |
| how to read recipes. This will help them | | | | always wet. Teach them never to touch |
| improve their reading and comprehension | | | | electrical appliances and switches with a wet |
| skills. You can also take this opportunity to | | | | hand. Fun During The Holidays Cooking during |
| teach your child the different ingredients | | | | the school holidays will help kill the |
| used in cooking and many other activities | | | | boredom. Let your children and probably some |
| which is not taught in the classroom. The | | | | of their friends cook something simple over |
| school holidays will be an ideal time to | | | | the holidays. It will be a great experience |
| experiment with a few simple recipes. Help | | | | for a change. Suggest some simple recipes and |
| them develop their math skills in your | | | | guide them whenever necessary. Let it be |
| cooking session by asking them to measure or | | | | their show and never interrupt in their |
| weigh the ingredients. Get them to do | | | | planning and cooking, unless needed. They |
| conversions from one unit of measurement to | | | | will have to plan and organize the menu by |
| another e.g. pound to kilogram. These | | | | themselves with as little adult supervision |
| activities will help to reinforce what they | | | | as possible. These cooking activities will |
| learn in school. Safety Aspects In Cooking | | | | help your children feel proud of themselves |
| Cooking is great fun but as a parent you | | | | and build up their self confidence. |
| should instill the sense of safety into your | | | | Conclusion Fun and games will help in child |
| cooking session. Teach your little one to | | | | development and cooking can be one of them. |
| understand the dangers of fire and safety | | | | As parents, we should expose our children to |
| precautions to take when handling fire. Show | | | | as many opportunities as possible to help our |
| your kids how to use the oven mitts when | | | | child's development. Cooking can also be used |
| handling hot objects. Pot lids should be | | | | to reinforce what our children learn from |
| removed the farthest from you to release the | | | | school as applied to our ordinary daily |
| hot steam and most important of all is how to | | | | activities. |
| handle the fire extinguisher when things get | | | | |
| out of hand. The same goes with sharp object | | | | More information on Cooking at: Outdoor |
| like knives, barbecue fork and other similar | | | | Cooking Classes, Cookbook and Cooking |
| tools. Place these objects in safe area to | | | | Classes. |