There are so many things that can help your child learn. From simply observing you to enjoying daily tasks, your child can learn new skills, develop skills they already have, and continue to grow. One activity that can help them learn and develop new skills is baking and cooking. While these are tasks you may often not let them help with (we know that sometimes you just want to make dinner quickly with no interruptions after a long day) it can be a fun way to spend time with them and help them learn a thing or two at the same time!
At Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center, we love regular activities that can benefit children. Exploring nature, playing board games, doing crafts, and other activities like this are not only fun for your kiddo but extremely beneficial as well! If you are looking for a way to help them learn while also having fun, try baking or cooking with them.
In this blog, we are going to go over the benefits that spending time in the kitchen can provide your little one. Read on and make fun plans to get cooking this weekend!
Teaches Them To Follow Directions
Nothing teaches you to follow directions quite like a recipe. If you are baking cookies and don’t follow the recipe exactly, you may end up with cookies that get thrown away. When you bake or cook with your children, they will begin to learn the benefits of following directions and how important it can be. Some recipes must be followed for the end results to turn out perfectly. When your child learns this the hard way, they will begin to realize how important it can be to follow directions.
Allows For Creativity
With that being said, cooking some meals allows for creativity. When you are cooking with your child, switch it up, and don’t follow a recipe. Instead, ask them what they want to make and what you should put in it. A safe way to ensure this does not turn out horribly is to cook pasta. You can truly make anything work with pasta. Let them decide what seasonings to use, what to add to the pasta, and let them get creative. Creativity is an important skill for your child to learn and this is a great way to help them! Some kids may even want to play chef where they try new recipes without you helping them. Of course, if you do this, make sure you don’t let them use any of the serious cooking utensils or appliances!
Helps With Math Skills
Cooking and baking involve a lot of numbers. When you work in the kitchen with your kiddo, you can help them boost their math skills. Have them count the eggs, help you with different measurements, and put the right amount of time on the timer. All of the math and numbers involved in cooking and baking can help them get a better understanding of numbers and will give them a head start when they begin learning fractions!
Improve Reading Skills
Since most recipes involve directions, cooking and baking can also help your child with their reading skills. They can read you the ingredients and the directions with you, which will help them develop their skills in general. But this can also help them better understand what they are reading and how reading has a purpose. When they read the directions and then understand that an action goes to those directions, it can help them better understand that the two are related. They will also begin to learn the meaning of more words, which brings us to our next point.
Boosts Language Development
Cooking and baking can help boost your child’s language development by teaching them new words and what actions go to those words. Recipes also explain each step of the process, which describes what your child will be doing, this can help improve their language development as well.
Improves Motor Skills
Cooking and baking can also help improve their motor skills. From stirring and rolling to scooping and squeezing, your child will be using their hands a lot while cooking and baking. This improves their motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Kitchen Skills
One of the more obvious benefits that cooking and baking offers your child is kitchen skills. Spending time in the kitchen as a child prepares them for the future when they have to cook for themselves. This is a life skill that many people don’t learn before they have to figure it out for themselves. By spending time in the kitchen with your child, you allow them to learn important life skills that will stick with them for years to come. Who knows, maybe one day they will be cooking dinner for you!
Willing To Try More
Cooking and baking with your child can also lead them to be more adventurous eaters. When you involve your kiddo in the cooking process they will be more willing to try new food and more adventurous foods. This is a huge benefit that will make many situations throughout their lives easier.
Healthier Lifestyle
It is no surprise that home-cooked meals are generally healthier than meals from restaurants or fast food places. When you teach your child to cook at home, you are teaching them to live a healthier lifestyle. You can also help teach them that you can cook vegetables in a variety of ways that are delicious and nutritious!
Special Bond
Cooking and baking with your child is another thing that you guys can bond over. This is a fun activity that allows you to spend time together and stay entertained. When you make this a special activity with them, it is something that they can remember for years to come. If you are busy at work just to come home and make dinner before putting your children to bed, you are likely not spending a lot of time with them. Sadly, life is hectic and busy for most parents, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spend time with your kiddos! Instead of cooking dinner alone while they play, ask them to cook with you! They may be excited to spend time with you and realize how fun helping you cook can be. This could easily become a fun weekly tradition that allows you to spend more time with your kiddos. Plus, baking together on special occasions can be a fun memory that they hold on to forever.
There are many benefits that come with cooking and baking with your child. Your child can learn new things and develop the skills they already have. This is a simple and fun activity to do with your kiddos that will provide them with a variety of benefits.
If you are looking for a child care center that helps your child learn, grow, and develop, Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center is a great option! Learn more about our programs and contact us today.
