About This Book
Food and cooking are natural—and fun—ways for kids to learn about many subject areas, from science (biology! chemistry!) to math (fractions! measurement!) to language arts (reading comprehension! vocabulary!) to social studies (food from different regions and cultures!). Cooking engages kids with different interests and abilities, fosters creativity and problem-solving, and creates a whole lot of deliciousness along the way.
Each of the kid-tested and kid-approved recipes in chapter 1 has a “Food for Thought” section. These learning moments focus on a wide range of subject areas and are designed for learners ages 8 to 13. Depending on kids’ ages, abilities, and their experience in the kitchen, they may be able to tackle these recipes on their own (or with minimal adult supervision), while other kids might need adult support.
Chapter 2 includes experiments that highlight the important role of science in cooking. Kids will answer questions such as “Why don’t oil and water mix?” and “How does whipped cream work?” The hands-on activities in this chapter encourage kids to explore everything from where salt comes from to designing a package that keeps food cold.
Chapter 3 is full of educational, food-focused games, quizzes, and paper-based activities. Some are designed for kids to do on their own, such as Word Searches (this page) and Design Your Own Food Truck (this page), while others are fun to play together, such as Mitsy’s Silly Stories (this page) and Would You Rather? Desert Island (this page).
Visit ATKkids.com for hundreds more kid-tested and kid-approved recipes, experiments, activities, and quizzes to bring learning to life in the kitchen.
Food, Cooking, and STEAM
Cooking is an engaging way for kids to learn and apply STEAM content and practice STEAM skills. What is STEAM, you ask? It’s more than just the vapor over a pot of boiling water; it’s also an acronym for a group of highly integrated subject areas:
Science: The study of the natural world and its physical properties.
Technology: Anything made by humans to solve a problem or meet a need.
Engineering: The process of designing solutions to problems.
Arts: Activities involving skill and imagination, such as visual arts, theater, music, and dance.
Mathematics: The study of numbers, operations, patterns, and shapes.
Science helps us answer questions such as “Why does meat turn brown when I cook it?” and “What does baking soda do to cakes and cookies?” All the tools in your kitchen, from the stove to the whisk to the dish towel, are technologies. They’ve been designed by humans to solve specific problems. Engineering results in innovative cooking tools and techniques, new or improved ingredients and recipes, and more. Cooking also involves the creative arts, from thinking about how to beautifully plate food or decorate a cake to designing a piece of music inspired by a dish. And math is an integral part of cooking and baking. From measuring ingredients to keeping track of time to taking the temperature of food, it’s nearly impossible to cook or bake without using math.
As kids work their way through this book, point out when you see them engaging in these STEAM subjects. So often kids (and adults) think of learning as confined to the classroom. Highlighting learning as it’s happening in the kitchen draws real-world connections to what kids are learning in school.
Check out Kitchen Classroom (ATKkids.com/kitchen_classroom) for additional ideas on how to incorporate STEAM learning into cooking and baking.
Let Kids Take the Lead in the Kitchen
As adults, our instinct is to do whatever we can to ensure that kids’ projects succeed, in the kitchen and beyond. This often comes at the expense of letting kids do the work themselves. Think of yourself as their sous chef. You’re there to provide encouragement and support when needed and to help with the dangerous bits, of course, but let kids do the lion’s share of the tasks. You might be surprised by how much they are capable of when we adults give them the space to try on their own.
Things might not turn out perfectly (and they might not follow the recipe as carefully as you would like), but giving kids ownership over a recipe or experiment builds their confidence in the kitchen and beyond, and instills a sense of pride in their results.
Questions to Inspire Confidence
To foster kids’ confidence in the kitchen, here are some questions you might ask while enjoying the (delicious) fruits of their labor.
• You worked hard! Tell me about how you cooked (or baked) this. What was it like? What steps did you take?
• What part was the most challenging for you? How did you get through it?
• Would you do anything differently the next time you try this recipe? What would you change?
These open-ended questions focus on the process of cooking, not the end result. They help kids reflect on their hard work and what they learned, rather than just how their dish turned out.
One Way to Handle “I Don’t Know”
If kids respond “I don’t know” to all your questions, choose one question and casually respond to their “I don’t know” with “If you did know, what would you say?” That simple turn of phrase—if you did know—frees kids from feeling as if they have to say the “right” answer and lets them say what’s on their minds. Deploy this strategy strategically and sparingly—use it too often and it loses its power.
There will be times when things don’t turn out the way kids had hoped—the pizza burns or the muffins are misshapen. Teaching kids how to persevere through failure and framing failure as part of the learning process helps them move into a growth mindset (“With persistence and learning, I can improve”) instead of a fixed mindset (“My ability and intelligence can’t change”). Remind kids that just because a recipe didn’t turn out the way they expected doesn’t mean they aren’t a good cook—it means they’re still learning. And even imperfect recipes are usually still delicious. Here are our tips for supporting kids when things don’t go as planned:
• Put a timer on sulking. Tell kids that it’s OK and understandable if they’re frustrated or sad. You’re going to give them 5 minutes to be upset and then you’ll work with them to figure out what happened.
• Share a time when you failed in the kitchen. Kids don’t often get to see grown-ups fail. Telling kids about your own kitchen disappointments helps normalize failure as something that happens to everyone. Emphasize that failure is part of the learning process.
• Reflect and retrace. Together, talk through what might have happened. Reverse engineer: Based on the outcome, what do kids think went wrong? (What could have made the pizza burn?) Walk through each step of the recipe and see if kids can identify the problem (Was the oven too hot? Did you bake it for too long?).
• Don’t solve it for them. Even if you know why the cookies turned out flat (they added double the amount of butter!) give kids space to figure it out for themselves. This small act shows kids that you believe they can overcome a challenge on their own.
• Let kids know you believe in them. Tell kids that you understand their disappointment but that you know they can succeed if they try again. Reiterate that you’re here to support them and help them.
• Ask if they want to try again. Once you’ve talked through what went wrong, provide kids with the opportunity to try again. They don’t have to immediately bake another batch of cookies, but encourage kids to use what they’ve learned and make another attempt in the future.
Failure and Experiments
Experiments for kids often have expected results—when you mix baking soda and an acid, carbon dioxide gas forms. But what if kids’ results are different from what’s expected? Reassure kids that scientists get surprising experiment results all the time. Sometimes they lead to new discoveries! Scientists also repeat their experiments to see if the same thing happens again. If time allows, have kids reread the instructions and try the experiment again. Do they get the same results? If so, spend some time together trying to figure out what they mean (see Encourage Curiosity, below).
One of the most powerful things you can do for kids is model and encourage curiosity and wonder. Helping kids carefully observe their world builds observation skills and mindfulness, and helps them make connections.
As you’re cooking and eating together, ask questions, listen to kids’ responses, and share what you observe. Try using some of the prompts below.
• What do you think will happen when ?
• What do you notice about ?
• Why do you think happened when we ?
It’s OK to Not Know
Kids are naturally curious. The frequency and breadth of their questions can be astounding and sometimes overwhelming. Repeat after us: It’s OK to not know the answer to every question. Another facet of modeling curiosity is saying, “I don’t know, let’s find out.” Showing kids how to find answers, whether through research and reading or exploring the physical world, broadens their knowledge and builds their problem-solving skills.
Table Talk
Conversations around the dinner (or breakfast or lunch) table can be another opportunity for informal learning. As you’re enjoying a meal or snack, talk about the flavors, smells, and textures of what you’re eating. This not only encourages kids to eat mindfully but also provides opportunities for them to use their observation skills and broaden their vocabulary. Texture Bingo! (this page) and Bracket: Condiment Madness (this page) are playful ways for the whole family to talk about food.
It’s important to remember that everyone experiences food (and flavor) differently. Our food preferences are highly personal—they’re influenced by our genetics and our experiences. Use these conversations as a way to celebrate differences of opinions about food. Remind kids that there isn’t one “right” answer about whether something tastes good or not.
Mealtime can also be an opportunity for family conversation. Use the prompts below to spark discussion around the table.
• If you could open your own restaurant, what would you call it? What food would you serve?
• What is the first food you can remember eating?
• When is a time you felt proud of something you cooked or baked?
• If you could invent a new gadget or tool to use in the kitchen, what would it be?
• If you could have one superpower while you cook, what would it be?
• Is there a food you changed your mind about (one you didn’t like before, but now you do)?
• What’s the most challenging thing you’ve ever cooked or baked?