Getting children interested in cooking is a popular TV theme in combatting childhood obesity along with Jamie Oliver’s quest to encourage cooking in parents and children as a diminishing skill. Izziwizzi Kids supports healthier lifestyles for children, encouraging active play, cooking and extends this to participation in to many everyday activities. When children participate in any everyday routine activity from a young age, they learn a huge amount of skill. Children start developing physical and intellectual skills at an early age. Everyday activities can often prompt questions that lead to engaging conversations helping to develop lanuage skills in context. Children also get lots of satisfaction and confidence through completing easy tasks. The educational benefit of these activities is the meaningful context they provide for abstract concepts. For example, counting spoons, knives and forks as you lay the table helps children understand a reason for counting.
Encouraging and trusting children to get involved in activities such as cleaning and tidying, baking, laying the table, making the bed, feeding the pets, sorting the washing matching socks and gardening gives them a sense of self-worth and personal satisfaction. They also love the one to one time spent with you.
So don’t feel bad about getting children involved in chores. They love to be involved, chat away and having that special time with you!
But, a word of caution. Expect that things will not go exactly to plan. Be prepared for jobs taking longer than normal, but the rewards are immense and provide valuable learning opportunities.
March 1st, 2009 at 11:20 am
Hi, as a granny with three little ones who love to help I think this is a great idea. Keep those ideas coming.
July 29th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
I think it’s great too – we get so worked up about “proper” so called entertainment that we forget to teach our kids about life basics – like cooking.
My oldest is 7 and she loves cooking with me she’s very efficient now at understanding cooking times and why and how things are added into the pot!