This week our Yellow Butterflies continued their exploration and extended their inquisitive minds through their cooking interests. To begin the week, we learnt about how we can make delicious scones (8/8). The children listened to all the ingredients and shared with their educator that they would like to share the recipe at home with their mums to cook.
Following this group experience the butterflies engaged in a cooking experience making their own scones. Children measured the ingredients, and each had turns mixing all the ingredients in the bowl. The scones were then placed in a tray to cook, and children all ate some delicious scones during their afternoon (8/8).
The Butterflies continue exploring cooking through various forms including digital technologies. The Butterflies watched a short clip about how to prepare pizza (9/8). Through this group experience our little learners were able to develop their cognitive thinking skills and social skills as this activity prompted children to ask questions. Children also learnt about healthy foods including how to make a capsicum salad (10/8). This discussion led to children learning about different vegetables and their appearance. Children also extend their learning about vegetables drawing their own images of the vegetables they observed as part of making the capsicum salad.
Children’s contributions to the program also contributed to the group’s cooking interest as from family input children role played being bakers in the home corner baking peers for their peers (10/8). Children continue to explore, and role play through their dramatic play area where children engaged in safe practices of cooking in their role play and washed their hands where children recalled their earlier discussion about germs and hand washing before coming to the dining table during their pretend play (11/8).
To conclude their week of learning children extended their knowledge of food through the Healthy jarjums activity and incorporating healthy foods through an Aboriginal perspective (12/8). The preschoolers explored the poster ‘when my family eats’ and engaged in a discussion about which foods they like the most and what foods are healthy.
What the Yellow Butterflies have learnt this week:
* Cooking experiences provided children with the opportunity to develop their communication skills by sharing how they can make foods and have meaningful and intentional discussions with children about food and the cooking process.
* Cooking experiences allow opportunities for social emotional development as hands on cooking experiences assist children to develop their skills and confidence.
* Learning about cooking encourages the development of problem-solving skills.
* Children further develop their physical skills developing their hand/eye coordination and fine motor movements as they mix the ingredients.
* The Butterflies continued developing their language as they spoke about what they were learning and what they were doing through various experiences throughout the whole week.
* Educators discussed the recipe prior to implementation of cooking experience allowing children to hear how to make various foods and transfer what they have learnt from one experience to another.
* Children learnt about safe practices in the kitchen and role played these practices during their dramatic play experiences.
Next week (week beginning 15th August) the Yellow Butterflies will continue:
* Continue exploring the Healthy Jarjums healthy eating program and building children’s knowledge on health and wellbeing.
* Exploring Aboriginal foods e.g. gum nuts and using these in our creative arts experiences.
* Discussing our first meal of the day ‘breakfast’ through the Healthy Jarjums program.
* Exploring the ‘Grow, Glow, Go’ food chart to assist children to learn about the important foods which help us grow and keep us healthy.
Links to Early Years learning Framework:
3.2 - Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing
4.2 - Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, enquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating
5.1 - Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
5.5 - Children use information and communication technologies to access information, investigate ideas and represent their thinking
Links to National Quality Standards:
1.1.2 - Each child’s current knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests are the foundation of the program.
2.1.3 - Healthy eating and physical activity are promoted and appropriate for each child.
3.2.2 - Resources, materials and equipment allow for multiple uses, are sufficient in number, and enable every child to engage in play-based learning.
Further reading and links for families:
Article: 16 Benefits of cooking in Early Childhood
25 Preschool Cooking Ideas
21 Fun and Easy Cooking Activities for Kids
Easy Scone Recipe