Children who are invested in their learning are also more interested in what s being taught. That is why play is such a strong force in learning. If you are having fun, feel what you are doing is valued and learning through cause and affect the lessons become internalized and more impactful. Sitting at a desk or table doing a worksheet is busy work but it is not true education.
Let me give you two scenarios:
Scenario 1:
Tommy (33 months) and Tilda (4 yrs), are playing in the combined family room and kitchen. Mom takes out the mixer, opens the cupboard and pulls out a box cake mix. The noise of the mixer being set up catches the children’s attention. They both leave their toys and walk over to see what mom is doing? Tilda pulls out a stool and climbs up to perch on it. Tommy gives it a try, he moves the stool away from the counter and starts to climb it. He does not make it the first time. Mom watches out of the corner of her eye but keeps gathering items needed to make a cake.
Tommy tries again and gets his balance on the rung of a the stool. Tilda reaches out her hand to Tommy, he grasps it and uses it to balance as he settles himself on the stool. Once seated Tommy grabs for the beaters. He gets one and holds it in his clenched fist, his fingers play with he curved beater. “Tilda, can you hand me the beater on the counter?” Mom asks.
Tilda hands her the beater sitting on the counter using the end that attaches to the mixer. Tommy watches. “Tommy, can you give me the other beater.” He looks at his beater and passes it over, a smile on his face. Mom walks to the sink and says, “I will wash this up, so it is clean to mix our cake with.” Once done she inserts it into the mixer.
Turning the box over she points to the directions. “What do you see?”
Tilda responds, “Eggs and cups. Oh and a 3, 5 and 0!”
Tommy, “Eggs!” Clapping and smiling.
The cake box is set in front of Tommy. “Can you open the box and give the package inside to Tilda?”
Tommy rips the box open, pulls out the mix and hands it to Tilda. Mom hands her a scissors. Tilda please cut open the cake mix and dump it into this mixing bowl.
Scenario 1:
Tommy (33 months) and Tilda (4 yrs), are playing in the combined family room and kitchen. Mom takes out the mixer, opens the cupboard and pulls out a box cake mix. The noise of the mixer being set up catches the children’s attention. They both leave their toys and walk over to see what mom is doing? Tilda pulls out a stool and climbs up to perch on it. Tommy gives it a try, he moves the stool away from the counter and starts to climb it. He does not make it the first time. Mom watches out of the corner of her eye but keeps gathering items needed to make a cake.
Tommy tries again and gets his balance on the rung of a the stool. Tilda reaches out her hand to Tommy, he grasps it and uses it to balance as he settles himself on the stool. Once seated Tommy grabs for the beaters. He gets one and holds it in his clenched fist, his fingers play with he curved beater. “Tilda, can you hand me the beater on the counter?” Mom asks.
Tilda hands her the beater sitting on the counter using the end that attaches to the mixer. Tommy watches. “Tommy, can you give me the other beater.” He looks at his beater and passes it over, a smile on his face. Mom walks to the sink and says, “I will wash this up, so it is clean to mix our cake with.” Once done she inserts it into the mixer.
Turning the box over she points to the directions. “What do you see?”
Tilda responds, “Eggs and cups. Oh and a 3, 5 and 0!”
Tommy, “Eggs!” Clapping and smiling.
The cake box is set in front of Tommy. “Can you open the box and give the package inside to Tilda?”
Tommy rips the box open, pulls out the mix and hands it to Tilda. Mom hands her a scissors. Tilda please cut open the cake mix and dump it into this mixing bowl.
Tilda cuts the bag open and quickly dumps the mix into the bowl. Some spills on the counter. “Tilda can you grab the dish rag and clean up that spill before we mix the cake, we want to keep counters clean when we cook so we keep all of our foods clean.”
Mom moves the eggs close to the kids. Let’s count. We need 1, 2, 3 eggs. She takes one out. “Can you each get one? Her hand hovers over the bowl, “Do I just put it in?” She wonders out loud.
“No!” Giggles Tommy.
Mom takes a bowl and cracks her egg into the bowl while talking through the steps; “Gently tap the egg on the side, open it up with your thumbs at the crack and pour into this bowl. Now look to see if any shells fell in. Now we can put it in the mixing bowl, she says adding the egg to the mix. She passes the small bowl to Tilda. A hard tap is followed by Tilda separating the egg shell and pouring her egg in. She notices a piece of shell and mom fishes it out then Tilda adds her egg to the mix. Tommy, getting impatient for his turn squeezes his egg cracking it. Mom reaches over, helps him add his egg to the bowl and fishes out small pieces of shell, while sending both kids to wash their hands really good with soap. When Tommy returns she lets him dump his egg in with the others.
Mom now reads the other ingredients and helps each child pour out the right amounts and add it to the cake mix. She turns on the mixer and sends Tommy to get a spatula and Tilda to get a cake pan.
The batter is put in the pan and the oven set at 350 degrees with mom explaining that is the 3, 5, 0 that Tilda pointed out. As the oven warms mom has the children clean up the counter, help rinse the utensils and put them in the dishwasher.
Scenario 2:
The classroom of 20 preschoolers is in full swing, everyone engaged and happy.
Mom moves the eggs close to the kids. Let’s count. We need 1, 2, 3 eggs. She takes one out. “Can you each get one? Her hand hovers over the bowl, “Do I just put it in?” She wonders out loud.
“No!” Giggles Tommy.
Mom takes a bowl and cracks her egg into the bowl while talking through the steps; “Gently tap the egg on the side, open it up with your thumbs at the crack and pour into this bowl. Now look to see if any shells fell in. Now we can put it in the mixing bowl, she says adding the egg to the mix. She passes the small bowl to Tilda. A hard tap is followed by Tilda separating the egg shell and pouring her egg in. She notices a piece of shell and mom fishes it out then Tilda adds her egg to the mix. Tommy, getting impatient for his turn squeezes his egg cracking it. Mom reaches over, helps him add his egg to the bowl and fishes out small pieces of shell, while sending both kids to wash their hands really good with soap. When Tommy returns she lets him dump his egg in with the others.
Mom now reads the other ingredients and helps each child pour out the right amounts and add it to the cake mix. She turns on the mixer and sends Tommy to get a spatula and Tilda to get a cake pan.
The batter is put in the pan and the oven set at 350 degrees with mom explaining that is the 3, 5, 0 that Tilda pointed out. As the oven warms mom has the children clean up the counter, help rinse the utensils and put them in the dishwasher.
The classroom of 20 preschoolers is in full swing, everyone engaged and happy.
Suddenly the teacher announces clean up time. There are grunts, some block towers knocked over and many children not responding.
“I said CLEAN UP Time.” Repeats the teacher rather firmly and a bit louder. Some children respond, others disrupt friends, thinking they are helping the teacher and others continue to do what they were doing before they were interrupted by an even louder order to clean up.
Once the room is cleaned 20 students are sent to wash their hands before gathering around the teacher. Items are laid on the table with cute, picture recipe cards for the children to read the directions. The teacher then opens the box and pours the cake mix in a bowl. She has the kids tell her the next step and ingredient to add then measures it out and pours it in the bowl. She mixes the batter while the students count the number of stirs. She then passes the bowl to her assistant teacher to take to the kitchen and bake.
The students go to their seats and color a set of picture recipe cards like the one at the table. Then tell the teacher how to make the cake. The lesson finishes with a cute story about a dog baking a cake.
Both of these have potential for learning, but which makes the strongest impact?
Which one empowers the children?
Which one values the child?
Which one will probably be remembered years later?
This year as you do your holiday baking, wrap gifts, read stories or just have empty boxes available, be sure to watch the learning taking place. It is there in the wonder and discovery that happens naturally in the season.
Kid friendly recipes
