Los Angeles, Ca, February 24th, 2015 – Is your back yard covered in snow and have your kids maxed out playtime with their toys? You are not alone. Why not give them something to do by getting them excited about cooking. Here are 5 ideas that will get your kids off the couch and interacting with food.
Time to bake – Kids love to make baked goods like cookies, muffins, pancakes, etc. Don’t have a mix? Here are some great recipes scratch for waffles, pancakes and muffins.
- All you need is ingredients, recipes, tools and an oven.
Finger paint with food – Are your kids reluctant to eat sauces, jellies, or condiments like: mustard, mayonnaise, thousand island, various jams, jellies and preserves other than their favorites? Why not try finger painting with them. Line the cookie sheet with foil and then pour the sauces into different puddles all over the sheet pan. Next let your kids have fun, encourage them to mix the different colors, different flavors and if they are really brave they can taste their different creations.
- All you need is a few different colored sauces, foil and cookie sheets that have edges.
Draw your favorite foods – Grab some paper, colors and your imagination. Sit with your kids and give them different foods to draw, like: ice cream (in a cone, in a bowl, etc), favorite pasta dish, favorite smoothie, (have them draw the finished product and everything that goes into it).
- All you need is paper and some crayons or markers.
Food collage – we all have food magazines lying around (and if you don’t most magazines have food pictures/advertisements), so use those images to have them create a collage of foods they love, they like and they will try in the future!
- All you need is food pictures, paper or poster board, glue and scissors.
A lot of smartphone apps and computer games are helping children to learn about food through interactive programs (lots are free), like-Curious George: make pancakes, or Strawberry Shortcake: make a baked good, or PBS: make a smoothie. The interactive apps offer your children a great way to learn about different foods, how to cut certain foods and the proper kitchen tools to use when cooking.
- All you need is a computer or a smart phone.
Good luck and if you have any great ideas on what keeps your kids busy during snow days, I want to know!
