Cooking Fun!

Cooking is a great kinesthetic activity to do with your little one. It may get a little messy in the kitchen with your extra set of little helping hands but educational value and the fun factor in tremendous!!!! Not only is cooking a wonderful experience for the tactile learner but it is also a wonderful opportunity to introduce and reinforce basic math skills...like counting, addition, measurement, and more and less. While cooking with your little one, be certain to narrate each step. Call out the name of each ingredient and give your little one the opportunity touch and explore the different texture of each ingredient. Also open up a dialogue while mixing your ingredients. Say things like: “Let’s point to all of the white ingredients.” “Do we have more water or pizza sauce?” “Which spoon is bigger, the table spoon or the teaspoon?”

Most importantly enjoy the activity and live in the moment with your little one!

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
½ cup Pizza Sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Toppings (place 3-5 toppings in little bowls to give your little the option of choosing what he would like to  put on the pizza)

Directions

1. Combine flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Mix in oil and warm water. (Let your little one mix the ingredients together with their hands to enjoy the gooeyness and the change in texture.)
2. Spread out on a large pizza pan.
3. Spread your pizza on your dough.
4. Sprinkle on your cheese
5. Now have lots of fun discussing, selecting, and placing your topping on your pizza!
6. Bake at 375 degrees C (190 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Enjoy!