Page 83 - Dinq Magazine July 2020

kids / parents

Together-Time Activities
In a Kitchen By Jessica Alvardo

www.naeyc.org

Child looking at table of foodIn the dinner plate and glassSet the table Involve your children in making
kitchen, you and your children can do with your children. part of a meal or a snack.
many things together: put away gro- Talk about opposites big and small,
ceries, prepare meals and snacks, set Ask your children to make sure hard and soft.
the table. Every family member can there is one plate, one glass, and so on, Sort and name foods after a trip to
have a job to do! Your children will for each person. the grocery store.
feel good about their successes as they Talk about how to handle the dishes
use their large and small muscles and and silverware, so they stay clean and Let your children name each food,
look for shapes and colors. Be sure the unbroken. or ask them to tell you something
kitchen is a safe place. Keep sharp ob- Involve your children in meal about each food, as you take it out of
jects out of reach. Remind your chil- preparation. the bag.
dren about family rules in the kitchen. groceries
All family members preparing food
Help your children become aware need to wash their hands before han- As you sort the groceries, ask your
of differences in foods. dling food. children to put together all the foods
Measure with cups, tablespoons, that are the same: fresh vegetables in
Talk with your children about the and teaspoons. Ask your children to one place, boxes in another place.
size, taste texture, and color of foods. guess how many tablespoons make a Talk with your children about the
Help them to recognize the differenc- cup of water. Then, help them check sizes of cans as you put them away—
es between rough and smooth surfac- it out! tall and short, wide and narrow.
es, salty or sweet tastes, and the odors Let your children pour water with Name kitchen appliances and their
of certain foods. spoons, cups, and pitchers. uses.
Ask them to talk about changes
in foods as you cook them (“How Ask your children what the toaster
did it look when it was raw?... is for, what the oven does. Give safety
when we started to cook it?... how tips for the use of each appliance, and
does it look now?”). Help your talk about who can turn them on and
children to compare the before off.
and after. Ask about other ways to toast bread,
Talk with your children about heat the leftovers. The answers
any foods that have special might be very creative!
meaning to your family. Let your children help clean up
Look for shapes or colors the kitchen.
around the kitchen in and on
the cabinets, refrigerator and dinnerware, utensils
stove.
Ask them to sort eating and
Ask your children to find circles, cooking utensils by type or use.
triangles, or squares. Let them wipe the table after
Play the game, “I see something you meals. Encourage them to wipe the
don’t see and the color (or the shape) table from left to right and collect all
IS... “ Your children can name the crumbs in one corner
the items or foods that are
in the kitchen and that fit
the description until they
get to the item you have
in mind.
DINQ magazine July 2020 #210 happy independence day Page 83