Spend Quality Time in the Kitchen with Your Preschooler

Preschoolers love to help in the kitchen. Baking is a particularly interesting task for them, but it can prove to be messy and challenging for the parent. Use these tips to teach your preschooler how to bake and minimize the mess.

Preschoolers who Bake Can Dump Ingredients

Often eager to get the batter going, preschoolers will dump the ingredients into the bowl with glee. Usually, half the flour ends up on the table instead of in the bowl. Instead of guessing how much you have to re-measure, increase the chances that all the ingredients will make it into the bowl the first time.

Use a larger measuring cup than necessary so you don't have to fill it to the top. Break the measurements up into increments. If the recipe calls for one cup of flour, fill a one cup measurement up to the halfway mark twice, letting your preschooler dump the half-filled cup into the bowl. Use a very large mixing bowl. It's much easier to pour and stir without splashing over the edge.

Preschoolers Love to Taste the Batter

Baking with preschoolers can sometimes become a futile attempt to keep their mouths off the mixing spoon and their hands out of the batter. Establish a no-tasting rule until all the ingredients are mixed. Once all the batter is mixed, scoop a small amount on a teaspoon that has been reserved for tasting only. Hold off on further tasting until it's time to lick the bowl.

Preschoolers who Bake Can Crack Eggs

Young children can become adept at cracking eggs sooner than most people think. While your child is still learning, have him crack the eggs into the bowl before any other ingredients are added. This way, any shells that end up in the bowl can be easily spotted and picked out. Simply use a large piece of the egg shell to lift out the fragment.

If your preschooler has already added other ingredients to the mixing bowl, have him crack the eggs into a separate bowl. Once any shells have been picked out, he can dump the eggs into the larger bowl.

Preschoolers Can Stir Batter

When preschoolers are baking, they most likely will want to stir the batter. Give them a good, sturdy spoon with a long handle. Teach them to stir with the spoon near the bottom of the mixing bowl. Their natural tendency is to stir the top of the batter only, which splatters batter everywhere. Keeping the spoon in the batter will prevent most splatters.

Practice Makes Perfect when Baking with Preschoolers

As with anything, the more your preschooler has a chance to bake with you, the quicker his skills will develop. If your preschooler bakes with you often, he will soon know how to stir the batter, how to crack eggs and how to dump and even measure ingredients. It's a fun and satisfying way to spend quality time with your preschooler.

For more ideas on how to spend time quality time with your child read Raise Your Child to be an Avid Reader.