It’s fall and we have pumpkins on the brain. Last week we dug into a pumpkin and explored the inside. Then, we painted our pumpkins. This week, we (finally) made pumpkin pie, much to the littles’ delight!
I had decided we would make the pie on Thursday, and everyday without fail little man would ask “Can we make my pu’kin pie today??”
On Monday we started talking about the things we would need to make the pie. L listed sugar, eggs, and butter and then went on to add cheese (he told me “cause it’s orange”). We talked about needing pumpkin and something to hold the yummy inside, called crust.
We shopped for the items and little man was SO excited to look for each ingredient on the shelves.
Once it was time to start baking, I prepped the oven (obviously an adult job) and got out our ingredients. Because we had an (almost) 2 year old helping out, I chose to pre-measure some things (like the spices and salt) into bowls for her to dump in.
We identified each ingredient prior to starting, and I showed L the recipe. I read each ingredient from the recipe and the kids took turns adding them into the bowl and mixing.
After we added each ingredient, I would go back to the beginning of the recipe and read the list. L would say “check!” after each ingredient so that we knew where we were in our recipe.
L helped me count out the small individual pie crusts and then watched as I scooped in the filling. We placed them in the oven, and when the timer went off he came racing from his room yelling “My pie is ready! Miss ‘Nana it’s ready!”
We got to taste our creation after lunch. E didn’t really like it, but little man was all about it! He was so excited!
I love cooking with kids, because it’s such a great skill for them to learn. They learn all about steps and the importance of following directions and having order. They learn patience as they wait for their turn or for it to finish cooking. Not to mention the math skills they learn as the measure and count! Making new things can also be a way for kids to be more willing to try different foods (which is a big deal for kids working through sensory issues and picky taste buds).
What do you like to cook with the kiddies in your life?
Patti Starr says
Enjoy this little peek into your life! I didn’t do much cooking with my kids til they were older. The only thing we did when they were little was cookies. Have fun. Hear there is a great week end planned. 🙂