With most children at home for the foreseeable future, it can be a great time for the children to gain some life skills and have some fun at the same time. If you are struggling to keep them occupied, get into the kitchen and have a go at baking. The possibilities are endless and the result will be some yummy treats to enjoy as a family.
Baking and cooking is fun but it also comes with some educational and developmental benefits too. We have picked some of the top benefits that can be gained from baking with your children and detailed them here along with some recommendations for some basic baking equipment and accessories that you may like to consider purchasing before you start.
Spending time together in the kitchen and trying new recipes helps children understand and experience different types of foods, including fruit and vegetables, and flavours. You can help your child develop the foundations of basic cooking skills that they can use for the rest of their lives. If you have older children, you could teach them some more specific skills such as bread making or how to make pastry to create a delicious pie.
Whilst it can be rather messy, children can really improve lots of fine motor skills from baking and cooking. By using both hands to roll balls from dough or use a rolling pin they are improving their bilateral coordination. Pouring liquids from a jug or spooning batter into moulds is a great way to practice hand-eye coordination and just like using modelling clay and plasticine at school, baking can also help to strengthen the hands.
Cooking provides children with practical knowledge. It is an opportunity to read and follow simple instructions and recipes, be organised and prepare what they need to carry out each step and they will even get to do a little bit of maths when it comes to weighing and measuring the ingredients. You may like to create a recipe book together or get the children to have a go at writing up a menu.
Many adults find cooking and baking therapeutic and it can be the perfect distraction or break from school work, peer pressure and other school related stress. Baking will provide a chance to recharge their batteries and learn something new.
What better way to make memories. Get everyone involved and spend time with the family. Forget the rushing around and daily routines and get baking. It is the perfect opportunity to bring the family together, share ideas and recipes and plan some delicious meals.
As your children become more confident and familiar with the basics, you could task them with preparing a family snack or a delicious treat to take on your next picnic. They may even enjoy helping to prepare packed lunches for the next day.
Whether you choose to bake cupcakes, biscuits or something else we stock a variety of basic equipment to get you and your children started.
So, make some memories that your children will hold dear for the rest of their lives and help them to develop a love for learning something different. Teaching them how to bake is the perfect way to encourage them to take an interest about where food comes from and how it's made. Cooking, mixing and decorating is a fantastic way to develop those core skills such as counting and coordination. Click here to take a look at our full range of baking tools and accessories and you'll find everything you need to get baking.
Sources:
http://www.salterhousewares.co.uk/blog/kitchen-articles/5-benefits-of-baking-with-kids
https://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/baking-with-kids.html
