Cooking with children is not just about making food. It’s a rich opportunity for developmental learning, from enhancing fine motor skills to understanding basic math and science concepts. For nannies working with children, incorporating age-appropriate tasks in the kitchen can help foster these skills effectively. Below, find a breakdown of easy recipes and cooking activities designed to support children’s development from 18 months to 5 years old.
Ages 18 Months to 2 Years: Sensory Play and Basic Actions
Recipe: Fruit Salad
Developmental Focus: Sensory exploration, basic motor skills
Activities: Washing fruit under cold water, tearing soft fruits like bananas or strawberries with hands
Why It Helps: This activity engages toddlers in sensory exploration while improving their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. The textures and temperatures provide sensory feedback that is critical at this stage.
Ages 2 to 3 Years: Enhancing Fine Motor Skills and Following Simple Steps
Recipe: Simple Stir Fry
Developmental Focus: Fine motor skills, following directions
Activities: Stirring ingredients in a bowl, sprinkling cheese or toppings
Why It Helps: Stirring helps improve wrist movements and hand strength, which are foundational for writing skills later. Following a recipe’s simple steps boosts cognitive development and helps toddlers begin to understand sequencing.
Ages 3 to 4 Years: Introduction to Measurement and Basic Science
Recipe: Waffles
Developmental Focus: Measurement, observation of changes (science)
Activities: Measuring flour and milk, mixing batter, observing bubbles form in cooking
Why It Helps: Measuring ingredients introduces basic math concepts, while mixing them helps refine children’s gross and fine motor skills. Watching the batter cook and form bubbles introduces basic scientific concepts like change of state and cause and effect.
Ages 4 to 5 Years: Advanced Preparations and Understanding Complex Sequences
Recipe: Baked Chicken Nuggets
Developmental Focus: Advanced measurement, time concepts, sequence understanding
Activities: Coating chicken pieces in flour and breadcrumbs, arranging them on a tray, setting a timer
Why It Helps: This recipe requires following multiple steps in sequence, which enhances cognitive development related to memory and process understanding. Setting a timer introduces the concept of time, and waiting for the food to cook teaches patience and anticipation.
Cooking Tips for Developmental Milestones
Encourage Autonomy:
Allow children to do as much as they can themselves, even if it’s messy. This builds confidence and a sense of achievement.
Talk Through the Steps:
Use cooking time as a chance to expand vocabulary and explain what each step does. For instance, explain how heat helps cook the chicken and why we use oil or butter.
Health and Safety:
Always supervise closely, especially when using knives or heat. Teach children about kitchen safety rules, like washing hands before cooking and not touching hot surfaces.
Make It Fun:
Remember, the goal is to make cooking enjoyable. Praise efforts, not just results, and don’t worry too much about spills or imperfect shapes.
For nannies, incorporating cooking into your routine with children can significantly aid in their developmental growth. By choosing age-appropriate tasks, you can help children advance from simple grabbing and pouring to more complex tasks like measuring and sequencing. This not only prepares them for academic learning but also instills life skills that contribute to their overall growth and enjoyment of food.
