Having your child help prepare dinner is a great way to spend quality time together but it can also be very educational. Children are naturally curious and like to ask a lot of questions so this is a good time to introduce them to a variety of healthy food choices. Not only can you teach them the benefits of healthy eating but when using a recipe you are also teaching your child how to follow instructions. This activity also helps with their organizational skills when they gather together the tools and ingredients needed to complete the recipe.

Teamwork is another skill gained when you and your child work together to accomplish the task at hand. This is also the perfect opportunity to strengthen their math skills by letting your child help you measure ingredients such as flour, sugar or liquids. They can also count solid ingredients as well as adding and taking them away. The possibilities are limitless.

Make cooking fun and watch it unleash their creativity. For example, let them create their own pizza or after dinner let them design their own sundae for dessert.  These examples also help children develop their fine motor skills by coordinating the picking up the toppings and placing them on the item (fingers in coordination with the eyes). 

Another benefit is the emotional effect. You are helping build your child's self-esteem. When they see the end result and they realize what their contribution has accomplished they feel a sense of pride in themselves for a job well done. This sense of pride is increased exponentially if you are their cheerleader showing them positive reinforcement with encouragement and praise.

Who would have thought that an everyday ritual such as dinner could have such beneficial results?

For a sample of easy to use recipes visit our website at http://devotedtoparenting.com/food_fun.html