Lessons from the Kitchen

Mixing, stirring and shaping dough with their hands can help younger ones develop fine motor skills, useful in learning to hold a pencil and writing. Art skills can be encouraged when you allow kids to decorate their plates with colorful foods and healthful dips. Teach hygiene in the kitchen as you encourage hand washing, especially after handling raw meat, eggs and other foods. Thermometer reading can be taught when you cook meat or even candy - definitely something the kids will enjoy! Kids can keep count and even keep a chart that tracks how many servings of fruits and vegetables they eat each day. When kids enjoy helping out in the kitchen, it not only helps you, but also helps them, too!