Friday, February 10, 2012

Food Friday - Fine Motor Cooking

With Rachel's excellent posts about Fine Motor Skills and seeing that is an interest to many of our readers - we are adding another great idea for our Food Friday.


My little 5 year old and I spent a morning baking.  I have loved cooking with my kids for many years - but recently have realized what great teaching moments happen while we are cooking together and a great way to practice some somewhat technical fine motor skills.  

Our recipe for the day was Banana Bread.... 
Banana Bread Recipe


 Barbara's Banana Bread   
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 mashed banana
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cups nuts

Cream sugar and butter.  Add bananas, eggs, and sour cream.  Mix remaining ingredients.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.  
Yield - I medium loaf or 2-3 small loaves.

I had my daughter help me locate all the items so she could learn where everything was stored in the kitchen.  We practiced spelling some of the items as we gathered them on the counter
 The we started measuring each ingredient.  Motor Skills of using a spoon and accurately pouring into cup.
 We also practiced scraping the sides of the bowl each time we mixed
 Baking Soda proved to be a technical challenge - which was good as she practiced reaching in, scooping, and leveling off with the lid of the container.
 Again great time to practice counting with each mixing session.  
Cookie scooping the batter was a other great fine motor practice.  

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