Loads of Learning—In the Kitchen!

At-Home Learning Opportunities to Share with Families



Look around your kitchen. Did you ever realize it is a sensory playground for the developing brain? Whether it's colors, textures, smells, temperatures, or tastes of different foods, many learning opportunities exist in the kitchen.

Share the Connect4Learning Ants on a Log recipe with families today!

Connect4Learning Ants on a Log Recipe

We like this activity because it uses how-to instructions to help children make something fun and useful. Your child will think about following the right sequence or order of steps, problem solve, and learn to get information from how-to text as you make a snack together. You and your child will use the words materials, straight, and steps, as well as sequencing words such as first, second, next, and then.

Materials:

• Cream cheese
• Celery (washed)
• Raisins
• Child-friendly knife
• How to Make Ants on a Log poster (download here)
• How to Make Ants on a Log sequence cards from the C4L Pre-K Kit (download here)

Instructions:

1. Briefly discuss the role of recipes, showing the How to Make Ants on a Log poster.
2. Explain that the how-to-text will help them learn the steps to make a snack.
3. Point out the materials section. Explain that materials are things needed to do a task. Have your child say the word materials.
4. Point out the steps section. Explain that steps are what we do to complete a task. Ask the children to say the word steps. Read each step aloud, using sequential words and pointing to the photos. Discuss the steps a little as you read. For example, say that the second step is to put three raisins in a straight line.
5. After reading, give a general retelling of the overall procedure, using the sequential words. Or, ask your child to describe the steps in order, using the photos as a guide.
6. Invite your child to make the snack for himself. Once finished, remark that he or she must be proud for making the snack.

More Challenge:

If your child is able to follow the steps, challenge him or her to think of steps needed to make something else. What are the steps, and what materials would they use? Another option is to think of foods you could substitute in the recipe, such as peanut butter instead of cream cheese. Your child could make this snack for the whole family on another day!