{"id":825,"date":"2018-01-16T19:27:07","date_gmt":"2018-01-17T02:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yycmontessori.ca\/?p=825"},"modified":"2018-01-16T19:27:07","modified_gmt":"2018-01-17T02:27:07","slug":"let-your-children-help-in-the-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yycmontessori.ca\/let-your-children-help-in-the-kitchen\/","title":{"rendered":"Let Your Children Help in the Kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a>When children come to a Montessori school, they are delighted to be able to do all those kitchen tasks that are sometimes deemed “too dangerous” for them at home. The Montessori curriculum is unique among preschools because making snacks, serving food, eating, and cleaning up are all everyday learning activities.<\/p>\n Popular with most children, these Practical Life exercises help them develop fine motor control and improve concentration. What’s more, food and cooking can reinforce concepts in science, gardening, health, and nutrition, as well as math and reading.<\/p>\n The First Exercises<\/p>\n The very young children can learn manners while serving and eating their snacks. Two-year-olds can set the table, put food on serving plates, clean up, and wash the plates. Some teachers work with small groups to make fruit cobbler or muffins. The children take turns adding the already-prepared ingredients, then stir, bake, and finally eat the finished product.<\/p>\n Here are some individual food exercises for two-year-olds:<\/p>\n In the Primary Class<\/p>\n Children from three to six years love preparing food, especially those who need extra practice to gain coordination and concentration. The following exercises are easy to incorporate in the primary class:<\/p>\n Upon completion of the exercise, children practice Grace and Courtesy. When a child has finished cutting the apple or cheese and placed it on a dish, she passes it to classmates with the question, “Would you like a piece of apple (or cheese)?”<\/p>\n For additional ideas, see our article,\u00a0Cooking with Children in the Montessori Classroom<\/a><\/i>. If space is limited on the classroom shelves, various food activities can be rotated weekly.<\/p>\n Snacks in Class<\/p>\n\n
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