Reading Recipes With Your Kids

Subject Your Kids to Cooking

Teach your kids to read recipes while you cook together and they'll end up with more than just another amazing meal. The wonderful thing about reading a recipe is that it incorporates many subjects into one tidy package. A recipe is rarely longer than one page, so the lesson is brief, but the learning limitless.

Read through your recipes. In order to make the most of your kids' kitchen time, read through recipes with your children at least once before proceeding. If they are capable readers, allow them to take the lead. If not, point to the words as you read them so they can begin to understand how sentences are formed and recognize familiar written words. When you are finished, consider your child's comprehension. Ask him whether he understands the process and if he has any questions.

You do the math. Once you have an overview, take a look at the ingredient list. It's perfect for a math review. You may even want to multiply or divide the recipe out to yield more or less servings. This will teach your kids how important precise calculations can be.

Abbreviate for a change. When looking over the ingredients your kids will note that some words aren't written out completely. Now is the time to jump into abbreviations. Define what each of the different letter combinations stand for. Show them a teaspoon, tablespoon and a measuring cup to display the size differences. Fill them each with the same amount of water and you'll have a fantastic science presentation demonstrating osmosis, too.

Punctuate the ingredients. Continue with the list of ingredients. Make sure your children know what each ingredient looks like and how it is used in the recipe. Point out the descriptions next to the ingredients themselves. Explain how punctuation changes the meaning of the ingredients, just like it changes the meaning of sentences.

Make a list and check it twice. After recording precisely what you need, help your child translate this information into purchasing quantities to create a shopping list. By comparing package sizes to ingredient quantities, you can show your child how different items measure up. Once you have all of your ingredients on hand, measure them out into separate bowls to reduce your margin for error as you continue.

Stick to the directions every time. The best way to adhere to the directions is by reading them multiple times. After the first time, divide ingredients into group by how they are used in the recipe. Second, go over all of the cooking terminology and any vocabulary words that may be unclear and make sure your child understands the tasks at hand. Make sure to explain specific terms like folding, whisking or whipping before your child advances with the project. Finally, read the recipe and follow along step by step using your pre-measured ingredients. As a result, you'll share a delicious lesson and fantastic food for everyone to enjoy.