Next Thursday morning many of us are likely to be found scurrying around the kitchen in the midst of final preparations for the Thanksgiving meal. Rather than getting frustrated with our little helpers underfoot, what can we do to get our children involved and even sneak in a lesson or two?
Plan the menu as a team. Typically the Thanksgiving meal is bigger and often requires shopping for more people than usual. Compare and contrast the ingredients necessary for this holiday meal to a regular weekday meal in your home. Discuss the concepts of doubling recipes and shopping accordingly.
Get the kids involved in the pre-holiday shopping by putting together their own grocery lists. Make it even more intriguing with the Shopping Store Scavenger Hunt from Mikey R. Singlemomdom.
While shopping the produce department spend a little time weighing your cranberries, squash, and potatoes in the store's scale.
When it is time to unload the groceries into your fridge and cupboards, have your children unpack the bags. Encourage them to sort items by size, package color, shape, etc. How about making some patterns: can, can, box, can, can box...
Help your children put together one of the many kid friendly Thanksgiving themed snacks found in our archives.
Teach the children to properly set the table, perhaps making a placement like these by Mama Jenn would be helpful.
For the moments you need to work without help a Thanksgiving sensory bin activity in a large cake pan or mixing bowl with a few fun cooking utensils might be the perfect distraction. There are many examples of Autumn sensory bins to be found online. Mini gourds, Indian corn, bags of unpopped kernels, feathers, cranberries, and acorns would all be interesting materials to throw in!
Set the kids up for some fabric origami (aka napkin folding) using these creative suggestions from Suite 101.
Encourage children to imitate your mixing, rolling, cutting, stirring, and more using play dough. Pumpkin Playdough Pie anyone?
Happy Planning, Shopping, Cooking, Baking, Eating....
Posts
.jpg)
I love your place mat and how you use that as an opportunity to teach! That apple turkey is GREAT!!!
ReplyDeleteWould you mind sharing these in my Fun Stuff Fridays linky party?
http://www.toysinthedryer.com/2011/11/introducing-fun-stuff-fridays.html