Hobbies And Interests
Cupcake Game
Making cupcakes can easily be turned into a cooking game that will be fun for all kids. Parents can have their children play along or allow children to invite over their friends to let more kids in on the game. Start by baking the cupcakes. Have each child, or pairs of children, in charge of one ingredient, like sugar. This will teach kids about math and fractions as well as the importance of accurate measuring. Once the cupcakes are done, the real part of the game happens. Allow each kid to decorate her own cupcake or group of cupcakes and have a contest among the children. There can be a theme for kids to decorate in, such as animals, or they can decorate however they would like. Award winners in different categories, such as most creative or most colorful. The best part is that the kids can eat their creations when they're done.
Online Cooking Games
Not all cooking games deal directly with food; there are several virtual cooking games available on the Internet that can teach kids about cooking, without the mess. These games simulate cooking tasks such as cutting and peeling fruits and vegetables, and putting together four-course meals. Virtual games, such as Cooking Show, teach kids real-life cooking skills they can use later on in a real kitchen. This is a great way for kids to learn about cooking when mom or dad may not have time to supervise them in the kitchen.
Cooking Assistant
Allow your child to be your cooking assistant for the night. She can help you with dinner, and learn about cooking all at the same time. It's easy to make this task into a game. You can tally points for every task she does correctly, or give her small rewards for correct measuring or math skills. As you are cooking, have her measure things out for you to test her mathematical skills or test her on questions about kitchen safety. You can also ask her questions about foods. Having a child help you while you cook is one of the best ways for her to become comfortable in the kitchen.
Family Cooking Contest
For households with more than one child, you can have a family cooking contest. Split family members up into teams of two or more, and make sure an adult or much older child accompanies younger children learning to cook. Write all of the parts of the dinner out on notecards and put them into a bowl. Each team will be in charge of one course of dinner, such as dessert, or side dish. When everyone is done, you will have a full meal to enjoy as a family; once the meal is over, have each team vote for whose dish they thought was the best, besides their own, and declare one winner of the family cooking contest.