While teaching your children to cook has some amazing benefits, is learning to bake something they really need to know? I think so!
In addition to being a fun way to spend time together, teaching your children to bake has a variety of positive effects on them.
These five fun reasons to teach your kids to bake will have you inspired to get your kids in the kitchen to bake some cookies this afternoon.
Improve their study skills
Baking makes use of a variety of skills your kids learn in school every day. Let’s start with the scientific reactions we see in baking.
Put some room temperature butter and sugar in a bowl and beat it with a mixer – the two ingredients instantly mesh into one fluffy concoction.
Put egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat them for several minutes. What was once a clear liquid magically turns into a fluffy white substance. Or add some yeast to bread dough and let it rest in a warm place – your dough will quickly double in size!
And think about the skills required when making any recipe.
First, your children will need to read (and follow) the instructions laid out in front of them.
Next, they’ll be asked to measure out each of the ingredients using fractions and other math concepts they talk about each day in the classroom.
Finally, they’ll be asked to time their treat as they wait for it to cook.
And this is only the tip of the iceberg! Baking offers you so many opportunities to reinforce the lessons your kids are learning in school. And they’ll have a blast while they’re doing it.
Encourage experimentation
Kids are naturally curious beings, so an activity that encourages experimentation and creativity is perfect for children.
As you begin teaching your children to bake, it’s best to stick to recipes and the basic skills needed to create various desserts.
During this stage in the learning process, your kids will likely have fun learning how to make their favorite cakes and cookies. But after you feel confident that your children understand baking basics, you can move on to more fun experiments in the kitchen.
Although baking does need some structure, there are tons of variations you and your children can take on recipes after the basics are learned.
Whether you swap out chocolate chips for pretzels and candy in your favorite cookie recipe or go wild and turn a boxed cake mix into something completely new and exciting, your children will have a blast experimenting in the kitchen.
Teach independence
As much as we don’t like to admit it, our children want (and need) to become independent from us. By teaching your kids to bake, you’re giving them a skill that will allow them to do something fun and exciting all on their own.
They’ll relish in the fact that one day, they’ll be able to make you a dozen chocolate chip cookies as a snack or whip up a birthday cake for their brother.
And the sense of independence that comes with learning to bake will also extend to other aspects of their life. By becoming confident in their baking abilities, your children will likely gain confidence in other aspects of their daily lives, from homework to friendships.
Introduce life skills
Life skills are important skills your children need to learn, but it’s not necessarily a subject taught at school. These skills include cooking, cleaning, and other basic household tasks we do every day as adults.
Teaching your kids life skills at a young age will help instill these skills in their minds as they grow older. Baking and cooking are important skills to have as an adult.
Think about how beneficial these skills will be when your children go off to college on their own!
In addition to giving your children a skill they can use for the rest of their lives, you can also use baking to teach your kids how to be better neighbors and community members.
Whether you help them bake a batch of cookies for your next-door neighbor or help them cook up some delicious treats to host a bake sale to raise funds for their favorite charity, baking can open up a world of philanthropic possibilities for your kids.
More family time
Families today are constantly barraged with activities and responsibilities, so it’s often difficult to find ways to spend time together. Baking is a wonderful activity that will instantly bring you and your kids together for a few hours of fun.
Your kids will learn an amazing new skill, and you’ll get to enjoy their company without the pressures of everyday life on your shoulders.
On top of getting together to enjoy each other’s company in the kitchen, you’ll also end up with a sweet treat to eat together when you’re finished baking.
