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Getting your kids cooking with kid-friendly recipes is one of the best ways to foster hands-on learning. Although cooking is often seen as a life skill learned in the teen years, you can begin introducing the concept to kids at a much younger age. Not to mention, this is one of the most overlooked subjects that can be used to foster much-needed educational experiences.


Here are three ways cooking with kids adds a new dimension to your hands-on learning experiences!


1. Cooking provides kids with small and large motor skills practice.


Using your hands is how cooking gets done; so, as your child mixes the batter, pours in the liquid, and prepares other ingredients - they are getting large and small motor skill practice. Most parents do not consider this an important aspect to overall health and development, but it does play a major role in a child?s life.The next time your child asks to stir the eggs, let them! They?re getting practice in more ways than one.


2. When kids cook, they are using thinking, problem-solving, and creativity skills.


This may not seem like much in the hands-on area, but the cognitive processes that happen while a child is cooking is in direct correlation to what they do with their hands and arms. As kids are cooking, they are exercising parts of their brain that subconsciously tell their arms, hands, and fingers to move. For example, when you tell your child to stir, they don?t really have to think about it, but they may need direction on how to do it. This is where critical thinking, problem-solving, and getting creative comes into play.


3. Cooking with kids combines multiple learning subjects together.


Again, unless you?ve taken early childhood and development classes, you may not consider the variety of learning subjects that are visible within cooking. For starters, reading and comprehending a recipe is English and Language Arts. Measuring, counting, and sequencing are all math concepts. Combining ingredients together, making new consistencies, and using heat to activate it all is science. Last but not least, learning how to follow directions, following through, and having confidence are extended life skills learned from cooking.


With these benefits in mind, below are three recipes your kids can make that help foster fun hands-on learning.


3 Kid-Friendly Recipes to Help with Hands-On Learning


Sloppy Joe Sliders

Ingredients:


Directions:


  1. Cook the hamburger meat over medium to high heat, crumbling until completely brown. You may want to use a tablespoon of oil in the pan before cooking.
  2. If necessary, drain any excess oil from the hamburger meat.
  3. Turn the heat down between medium and medium-low. Add the can of sloppy Joe mix and stir.
  4. Once heated, place 1-2 spoonfuls of the sloppy joe mixture onto individual slider buns and serve with your choice of side (chips pair wonderfully!).


Optional toppings to consider: sliced cheese and pickles. 


Crunchy Breakfast Tacos

Ingredients:


Directions:


  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit). Warm the taco shells on a baking sheet, about 5 minutes.
  2. Crack the eggs into a bowl and add the taco seasoning. Whisk well with a fork. 
  3. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the skillet until it begins to foam and bubble.
  4. Add the eggs, then reduce the heat to low. Cook the eggs, stirring regularly with a wooden spatula to break them up, until they are set. (This can take 3-4 minutes.)
  5. Line the center of each taco shell with about 2 generous tablespoons of the scrambled eggs. 
  6. Top, garnish, and serve with some of the toppings of your choice.


?Turkey & Cream Cheese Pinwheels

Ingredients:


Directions:


  1. Choose the best romaine lettuce leaves and wash and dry carefully. (Try not to tear the leaves.)
  2. Combine the cream cheese, spinach and basil in a food processor and puree until smooth. For added flavor, consider seasoning the puree mix with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  3. To make the pinwheel, lay one of the tortillas on a clean work surface and add one of the romaine leaves to fit neatly on top. 
  4. Place 2 slices of turkey next to each other to cover the lettuce. Spread 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture over the surface of the turkey. 
  5. Roll up the wrap tightly. 
  6. Place the wrap seam-side down. 
  7. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
  8. Once complete, cut the wraps into 1-inch pieces and serve.


Optional: keep the pieces in tact with a toothpick or skewer.


Practice Kid-Cooking Safety


While these recipes are ideal for children of all ages, be sure to never leave your kids unattended in the kitchen. Take into consideration their level of development and give them tasks they can do and will not put them in harm's way.


If you have multiple kids, give each one of them a job that will contribute to the overall completion of the recipe. Smaller children can do the stirring and gathering of ingredients while older kids can do some of the tasks that may involve a knife or using the stove.


Always use your own discretion. Some kids may be ready for harder tasks, so don?t hesitate to use every moment as a learning opportunity. As your kids learn more, give them a bit more responsibility.


Final Thoughts


Allowing your kids to cook not only provides them with valuable hands-on learning, but it also helps them learn practical valuable life skills. They?ll also build memories in the process! The next time you?re cooking in the kitchen, invite your kids to help. They will be learning in more ways than one!


I?d love to hear from you! What are some of your most favorite kid-friendly recipes? Share them in the comments below!