A few weeks ago Brandon mentioned that we needed some ideas of new games and activities to do with the kids at work. We were feeling a little burnt out with doing the same things week after week, and we got some good ideas, so thanks to those who contributed! Brandon himself came up with a great idea as well. He called me while I was at the store two weeks ago and asked me if I would want to bake with the children. If you know me, you know I love to bake, so I was very excited about the idea.
My two favorite (and easiest) recipes are Nestle chocolate fudge brownies and chocolate chip cookies. So while I was at the store I picked up the ingredients to bake those two things.
The first week I made brownies with the younger kids, and the second week I made the chocolate chip cookies with the older ones. When I asked the kids if they knew what it meant to bake things from scratch, nobody knew. And most of the kids said that they never bake anything at home with their parents. Well, one kid said his mom bakes Papa Murphey’s pizzas, but that was about it! :)
It was so much fun to be able to do this with the kids. I have a lot of fond memories of baking cookies with my grandma, and I want them to have those experiences as well. I could see the excitement on their faces as they waited for their turn to come measure something out, crack an egg, or stir the batter. And I heard a few kids exclaim, “This is so much fun!” which I absolutely love to hear.
Today we tried making “pikelets” with the kids, which are like sweet mini pancakes. We got the recipe out of a cookbook from New Zealand which our AIMers introduced us to during their cultural breakfast presentation. These little cakes are often served with jam and whipped cream. I was a little nervous to have the little ones flipping them on the stove, but since the pikelets were so small, most of them didn’t have too much trouble. They were super tasty too!
I’m so glad Brandon came up with this idea. It’s a chance for me to do something I love while sharing that with the kids. And it also gives me the opportunity to grow in my patience as well. :)
March 5th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Oh neat, Katie! That is just wonderful! I’ve taught home economics lots of years so I can relate 100% to your experience. I hear too what you’re saying about growing in patience! Bet they will always remember getting to help you bake. (Homemade pizzas using canned biscuits are a hit too, BTW.) Keep up the good work!
March 5th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Katie,
I am so proud of you and I so much enjoyed seeing these pictures. What memories you have made for the kids and you too! I’m sure this is something they will always remember. I appreciate you sharing this. It is always such a pleasure especially being far away. I’ve always enjoyed baking with kids as it teaches them so much, including some math. And, yes it helps the teacher with patience too! Nice you look at that as being an opportunity to teach you.
Love and miss you dearly,
Your Mother-in-love ;^)
March 13th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
I”m so glad that you are taking the time with the kids so they can learn to bake!!! I did the same with Allison and I loved it! It’s a total bonding experience while being educational. I’m sure those kids are now going to forever remember you because of your dedication and showing them that they can do something. Keep it up! :) (even if your recipes get egg shells in it.)