The long Labor Day weekend is the perfect occasion for you and your child to do a little cooking and baking in the kitchen. You can most definitely blend in some learning opportunities in the process. During this festive and interactive activity, try baking brownies or cookies with your child and adding fun math and science facts into the equation.
Here are some math and science activities that you can ‘knead’ into your bonding time with your child:
Measuring the Amount of Ingredients Accurately
During the preparation stage of baking, you can ask your child to measure the exact amount of ingredients necessary for the mixture. For example, if you are making 24 pieces of brownies, try asking your child to measure ¼ cup of semisweet chocolate chips to be added to the mixture. This can help your child visualize the amount, allowing him or her to learn about measurements used in cooking and baking, and also providing your child with an entertaining learning experience.
Converting to Different Units
Now that you have your ¼ cup of semisweet chocolate chips, you will also need 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Instead of asking for tablespoons, try helping your child to convert the units to grams, ounces or milliliters. Conversion is an important function of math and is used on a daily basis. Therefore, it is never too early to get your child started with these basic principles, while having a bit of tasty fun!
Taking the Time and Temperature
Before you prepped your mixture of ingredients, teach your child to the basics of temperature conversion and time measurement. For example, to bake a batch of 24 pieces of brownies, you should preheat your oven at 300°F, which is equivalent to approximately 150°C. As for measuring time, a good old-fashion analog clock would help you teach the basic phrases, such as “a quarter to noon” and “half past ten”. You can even get started with teaching Roman numerals as well!
Wrapping up with Nutritional Facts
While you are waiting for your sweet condiment to bake in the oven, you can share some information about the ingredients you used. For example, the eggs you used in your brownie contain a significant amount of protein that is important for supporting one’s body, specifically our muscles. You should also note that eggs have a high level of fat that may cause other health issues.
Finally, your brownies are ready for the celebration. Going into details about the math and science behind the ingredients and methods may cost more time and cause a greater mess, but the most important goal of the exercise is to give your child a fun, interactive and educational experience that they can really enjoy and remember. We hope you have an amazing Labor Day weekend with your beloved daughters and/or sons!
Credits: Photos by Nathan Bittinger and jeffreyw
Filed under: Family Activities, Family Fun, holidays, Just for Fun, Newsletter, Parents and Kids, Technology and Kids | Tagged: Baking with kids, Brownies, Holiday Fun, Interactive Activities, Labor Day, Math Fun, Science Fun | Leave a comment »
