Class in the Kitchen

So far, today has been one of those days when I feel like my homemaking responsibilities and my mommy responsibilities are meshing nicely. We were out of granola, so I enlisted Jackson's help in the kitchen. His help is no doubt more work for me, but it is worth every bit of extra energy because we're spending time together and he's learning new things.

It's amazing what our children can learn while helping us cook or bake. Jackson practiced scooping and pouring oats with different utensils - measuring cup, scoop, fork, and bowl. He listened to me count the endless cups of oats. He worked on following directions. He used all of his senses. He saw the different colors and shapes of the oats, coconut, cornmeal, nuts, etc. He listened to the sounds made while scooping and pouring, stirring and whisking, and chopping. He tasted the oats (stuffed them in his mouth several times as if he hadn't eaten in days), the cinnamon stuck to the wet fork, the wet mixture, the oven-ready granola, and then the finished product. He also tasted some water, which he used to "clean" his scoop and fork. Gross! He felt the different textures of the oats, cornmeal, flour, nuts, peanut butter, water, coconut, etc. And he smelled the wonderful aroma of baking granola!

He also got lots of practice with cause and effect. For example, flicking the mixture too hard with his fork causes oats to fly out of the bowl and onto the counter and floor. Putting too much weight on one side of the cup causes it to tip over and spill water all over the counter and his clothes. Using a dry sponge will soak up the water, and then squeezing the full sponge will cause the water to drip right back onto he counter...or the bowl that Mommy finally put in front of him. And after a long time of making messes, Mommy will eventually encourage him to take more care or lose his prized possessions!

We had so much fun making two different types of granola - peanut butter granola and coconut macadamia granola. They are both great, but I recommend making the latter. It is very good!

Here's Jackson scooping water from the cup to the bowl and then from the bowl to the cup:

And why not drink the water?! Drink it from the scoop, from the cup or even from the bowl!

That must be tasty water!

Now, I need to stop writing and start cleaning while my little man is napping. I also need to do my Bible study, exercise, return emails, buy his tux for his aunt's wedding and prepare dinner. Oh, so much to do and so little time!