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No fear of getting dirty!

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No fear of getting dirty!

One of the perks at Little Cookhouse, is the immense satisfaction we get when we see how a child became a lot more confident after attending just one session with us.

When Lionel joined us for his first class 2 weeks ago, he was quiet, reserved and very afraid to get his hands dirty. The class he attended was to create Sushi-lookalike sweet cakes, and i can imagine his ‘horror’ as he gets his hands dirty during the mixing of the cake batter. Even though he was curious to learn, from time to time, he will ask for permission to wash his hands.

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Lionel preparing the cake batter, but doesn’t like getting his hands dirty

Such fears of not wanting to get their hands dirty are actually common with young children, given the clean environment they grew up with, whereby we adults will ask them to wash their hands at the slightest bit of dirt.

Fast forward to one week later when he attended the 2nd class on creating Bento Sushi, the quiet and reserved Lionel became chatty and very comfortable being amongst us, and throughout the class, we can see him enjoying the entire process of cutting, moulding, and assembling his own bento, despite his hands getting dirty! He is now able to understand that ‘it’s alright to get your hands dirty, as it can always be washed when we are done with our tasks’. Throughout the session, Lionel has smiles beaming and he will even engage in small talks with us.

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The bento box which Lionel created

Baking and cooking are great ways to expose children to getting dirty and making a mess, and also an opportunity to introduce the importance of washing hands before handling food sources. Our 3 year old went through the exact same process of fearing getting his hands dirty, to now being able to play with paint, dirt, cake mixture etc. So parents, expose your child and let them handle food… it’s a great way for them to learn, and don’t be surprise that next time, they will be the one volunteering to cut your fruits and be a great help at the kitchen!

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Why we need to teach children to wash their hands?

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Germs are everywhere and your hands may carry them and cause infection to yourself and your loved ones. Children are most vulnerable to get infections, hence instilling good personal hygiene in children such as inculcating hand washing habits is vital for their health and well-being.

We had recently attended the course on Food & Beverage Safety and Hygiene Policies and Procedures by NEA, to increase our awareness on maintaining food hygiene during the preparation process, and we found that even adults are not aware of the proper hand washing technique nor the importance of it.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hygiene interventions including hygiene education and promotion of hand washing can lead to a reduction of diarrhoeal cases by up to 45%, as well as prevention of germs, infections and spread of diseases such as the hand food mouth disease.

Getting children to wash their hands thoroughly may not be easy at first, but once they learn the proper hand washing techniques and understand the reason behind it, they will pick up this habit in no time. I’m sure even many of us do not know the proper 8 steps to wash our hands (see below).

wash

It is important to instill a sense of fun when teaching children how to keep their hands clean. For instance, parents and caregivers can add in a hand washing quiz or game that kids can participate actively and perhaps be rewarded at the end for their efforts. This helps them to remember the various steps in hand washing.

Parents and caregivers can use the Washy Washy Clean song to teach children the correct technique of washing hands the fun way. The duration of the song serves as a timer to demonstrate the hand washing process. All it takes is 30 seconds.

Why we need to teach children to wash their hands? Read More »

Teaching Children about Working Safely with Kitchen Equipment

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I always recall how in my younger days, my parents will forbid us from entering the kitchen, for fear that we will injured ourselves. No doubt, there are dangers around, but we can take precautions to lower this risk! Here are some basic rules parents can adopt

  • Keep young children away from hot appliances like ovens, toasters and kettles
  • When you are cooking, always use the rings at the back of the cooker and turn pan handles towards the back. This way they can’t be grabbed or knocked over by active children of any age
  • Push your kettle to the back of the worktop and choose one with short or curled flex so that it can’t be pulled off the top
  • Keep knives and scissors in a high drawer which is out of reach
  • Keep cleaning products high up and out of sight and reach and, for low cupboards, fit safety catches
  • Use cleaning products which contain a bittering agent to stop children swallowing them
  • Don’t hold your child and a hot drink at the same time and don’t pass hot things over children’s heads
  • If using any hot appliances, such as a kettle or oven, make sure children understand how this can be dangerous and keep young children at a distance
  • Show older children how to use an oven glove when taking anything out of the oven and how to put it down safely on a heatproof surface
  • Pick a recipe that is easy to follow and doesn’t have too many ingredients so that you can focus on supervising your child and not reading through the recipe – this also helps to keep it fun
  • Before you get started, allocate tasks to children which are right for their age and ability, for example buttering a cake tin, sifting flour or cracking eggs
  • Supervise and show children how to use kitchen equipment safely, i.e. when grating vegetables or whisking eggs
  • Always supervise children when they are using knives or other potentially hazardous utensils

Adapted from http://www.childalert.co.uk/article.php?articles_id=327

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4 Simple Breakfast Recipes that you can prepare with your kids

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Adapted from http://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/easy-breakfast-meals.html

french

1. French Toast
loaf sliced bread
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
sprinkle cinnamon
Blend eggs, milk and cinnamon in flat dish. Heat griddle. Soak both sides bread in egg mixture and fry on griddle.

eggs

2. Microwave Eggs
In a small glass or microwave safe bowl, crack open 1 or 2 eggs inside. Cook in the microwave 1 minute. Sprinkle with cheese and chopped ham or vegetables. Continue to cook until egg is set about 30 seconds or less. Serve with toast and fruit.

vegetable-quiche-mini-cups

3. Quiche Cups
This are great to make ahead and freeze. Pull out of the freezer in the morning and heat in the microwave 30 seconds -1 minute.
In a mixing bowl, blend eggs (depending on how many you are making ahead of time) Add in any of the following ingredients you like.

  • Shredded cheese
  • Chopped onion
  • Chopped, cooked spinach
  • Mushrooms
  • Diced ham
  • Crumbled sausage
  • Bacon, chopped
  • Chopped green peppers

Blend together and pour into a muffin pan lined with muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool, bag and freeze it for breakfast or snacks.

waffles

4. Whole Wheat Waffles
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup oil or applesauce
4 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
Heat waffle iron or use a waffle mold for baking. Add all ingredients in mixing bowl. When waffle iron is heated add a scoop of batter into waffle iron and cook until brown. Serve with peanut butter, maple syrup or fresh fruit.

4 Simple Breakfast Recipes that you can prepare with your kids Read More »

10 Things Kids Can Do in the Kitchen

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Came across this article written by Julie Bosche, featured on spryliving.com.

Here are some kid-friendly kitchen duties for kids:

  1. Set-up.Even the tiniest hands can gather the necessary ingredients for a recipe (except maybe the eggs), and you’ll enjoy the convenience of having everything you need at hand.
  2. Measuring. A math lesson and a kitchen task in one! Older kids will feel particularly helpful with a measuring cup and a few pourable ingredients.
  3. Pouring. Once everything is in place and you (or they) have measured out ingredients, let your kids pour them in the bowl. More fun—and far more practical—than playing with a sand-filled dump truck, this job is especially suited for younger children.
  4. Stirring. Hand over a spoon or a whisk and let them have at it. Ignore the splashes and spatters that will probably happen; spills wipe off.
  5. Washing. Fresh veggies need a good rinse, and it’s a perfect job to hand off to your kids. Give them a colander and a step-stool, if needed to reach the sink.
  6. Crushing and pounding. These jobs are so satisfying you might not want to share them. But a recipe that calls for flattened chicken breasts or crushed nuts is a good way to show your kids the joy of going to town with a rolling pin.
  7. Sprinkling and garnishing. Put kids in charge of sprinkling on a breadcrumb or shredded cheese topping, or hand them a few lemon slices or parsley leaves and let them get creative with garnishing a finished dish.
  8. Table setting. It may not sound exciting, but it’s an important part of getting ready for the meal. To make it more interesting, let them fold the napkins however they want, create a centerpiece for the table. Disregard table-setting faux pas like forks being paired with spoons.
  9. Serving. Older kids can use a ladle or serving utensils to help serve up the dishes you’ve prepared together. The job gives them a sense of ownership and a pleasant dose of responsibility.
  10. Clean-up. One of the best perks to having your kids help in the kitchen? They’re more likely to engage in clean-up tasks with less moaning and groaning. Have them clean as you go during dinner prep so there’s less to do after the meal.

10 Things Kids Can Do in the Kitchen Read More »

Locate Us at our Home Studio

87 Dawson Road Singapore 141087 
Sat-Sun (By Appointment only)

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+65 81280129

    hello@littlecookhouse.com.sg

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