Learning Areas Children Grow From Cooking

Learning Areas Children Grow From Cooking

Young Children encounter Opportunities to develop socially, emotionally, physically, cognitively, and creatively as they cook. Cooking activities also enhance or refine key skills or concepts. (REF 2)

Social and Emotional Development (Ref 2 pg 31)

Developing Self-Confidence

Cooking activities gives children self-confidence by giving them a real hands-on experience to act independently and use "grown-up" materials to create something that they can eat.

• Give children lots of opportunities to become familiar with cooking materials and procedures. Repeat favorite recipes several times and adding more tasks for children to do independently each time you do them.
• Mark the measuring cups and spoons with tape so they can visually "measure to the line." When appropriate, pre-cut fruits and vegetables into large pieces to make chopping easier.
• Keep ingredients in familiar containers so children can recognize them.
• Children will be able to see that working with others can help reach a goal.

2-3 year oldSet up simple food preparation activities (arranging cheese and crackers or adding toppings like yogurt) so they can work independently and successfully.


4-5 year olds

• Use more complex recipes and introduce them to new techniques, but one at a time.
• Offer opportunities for practice toward mastery.

Cooperating and Sharing

Children will learning that working with others can help achieve a goal.

• Set up the environment where children can choose to work on a task that interest them the most. 
• If you have food left over come up with ideas of who to share it too.

2-3 year-olds

• Not ready to share yet, but they may be more willing to if their own needs are met first
• Offer them snacks if they are hungry. Don't force.

4-5 year-olds

• Love to share the creation that they made.
• Talk to them about how others may feel when sharing food with them.

Multicultural Awareness

Food is a great way for children to understand the similarities and differences to different cultures. 

• Introduce the culture positively
• Talk about the same and different
• Talk about which foods are healthy and will help us grow
• Be careful with stereotyping  say "This is what people eat sometimes" or "This  is what people eat at special occasions
• Choose foods that can be cooked different ways. (Examples: bread or noodles)

2-3 year olds

• Begins to develop positive attitudes toward adversity

4-5 year olds 

• Interested of where foods come from and how to prepare food.   

Physical Development (REF 2 pg 32)

Fine and Gross-Motor Skills

Developing coordination transfers to other important skills such as cutting with scissors and holding pencils

• Cooking that uses hands-chopping, cutting, rolling dough, etc

2-3 year olds

• Need lots of practice-repeat the same task. 

4-5 year olds

• Perform delicate cooking techniques (Crack egg)

Healthy Eating and Nutrition

Healthy foods now will create a habit that can influence their eating patterns for the rest of their lives. 

• Healthy Recipes 
• Fresh
• Whole grain
• Free from preservatives
• Children cook or bake food
• Sharing with neighbors (the cooks)
• Talk about what makes food healthy 
• Model

2-3 years olds

Talk about healthy foods and show healthy eating patterns

4-5 year olds

Teach children about what is healthy and not (also a cognitive skill)

Cognitive Development (REF 2 pg 32-33)

Emergent Literacy

Children learn to pictures and words with recipe cards.

•  Talk about materials and procedures that are being used and how they are changing by mixing ingredients together. 
• Ask open-ended questions "How do you think...?" "How do you feel...?"

2-3 year olds

Talk about what you are mixing ingredients with.

4-5 year olds

Follow recipe cards. 

 Science Process Skills

Children practice science skills as they observe, investigate, and experiment with the changes in shape, form, texture, and color. 

• Predict and mix-Use what will happen if...." 

2-3 year olds

Simple changes shakes into a blender or shaking cream into butter

4-5 year olds

Learn about parts of food or parts of grocery store (field trip)

Mathematical Skills

When you cook with children, they learn about matching, sequencing, patterning, sorting, classifying, counting, measuring, graphing, and notices shapes. 

• Graph which foods they liked better. 
• Recipe cards

2-3 year olds

Sort two different things or categories. 

4-5 year olds

Multiple step sequencing recipes.

Creative Recipes (REF 2 page 33)

Funny face pancakes or food of themes of what you are talking about in your class.