These engaging videos are for people of all ages to have fun in the kitchen! Get creative while working on fine motor, communication, math and sorting skills. Each activity provides an exciting sensory experience that anyone can enjoy. Activities also promote independence for daily living skills in the kitchen.
Materials:
- 3 different flavours of juice (e.g. orange, mango, fruit punch)
- 1 popsicle making tray
- 1 cup of berries (e.g. sliced strawberry, blueberries)
- dry erase marker.
Method:
- Have children request the flavour of juice they would like.
- Take turns pouring juice slowly into the popsicle tray.
- Have fun and choose different berries to place into the juice in the tray.
- Use a dry erase marker to label popsicles.
- Freeze for 3 hours in freezer.
- Remove popsicles from tray and enjoy!
Try This:
- Count berries while putting them into the juice
- Experiment with different fruit (e.g. kiwi, mango)
Materials:
- Yarn or string
- scissors
- cereal that can be beaded (cheerio’s, fruit loops)
- tape
- bowl
Method:
- Cut yarn or string to desired length (necklace, bracelet).
- Cover the end of each piece of string with tape (so that it will act as a sewing needle, it makes threading easier).
- Pour some cereal into the bowl and give each child their own string.
- You could demonstrate how to thread the cereal.
Try This:
- Allow the children to eat their jewelry!
Materials:
- 16 ounce package Oreo type cookies
- 2 cups cold milk
- 1 package small chocolate instant pudding
- 1 tub (8 oz. ) Whipping topping (thawed slightly)
- ziploc bag
- whisk
- large bowl
- individual serving cups
- gummy worms
Method:
- Crush cookies in a Ziploc bag using a rolling pin or food processor.
- Pour cold milk into a large bowl.
- Add in pudding mixture and beat with whisk for 2 minutes Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Stir in whipped topping and half of crushed cookies.
- Place about 1 tablespoon of crushed cookies into each cup.
- Fill cups about ¾ with the mixture from the bowl.
- Top with the remaining crushed cookies.
- Garnish with yummy worms.
(Yields about 8 servings)
Materials:
- 7-8 cups of all purpose flour or bread flour
- 3 cups salt
- 3 tablespoons cream of tartar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 4 cups hot water
- food colouring
Method:
- Measure the content and pour them all into a bowl.
- Mix ingredients together.
- Add food colouring and mix with hands.
Try This:
- Use cookie cutters and create shapes with the dough.
- Prepare part of the recipe beforehand so there is less mixing to do.
- Store in an airtight container and continue to play later on!
Materials:
- dishes
- bowls
- cups
- 3 bins
- cutlery
- cutlery tray
Method:
- Arrange 3 bins beside each other with one item from each category inside (e.g. one bowl, one cup, one dish in separate bins).
- Do the same as above for the cutlery tray (e.g. one utensil in each section of tray).
- Have the child sort bigger items into bins.
- Have the child sort cutlery into the tray.
Try This:
- For a challenge, start the bins and tray with no items inside. Let child begin the sorting independently.
Materials:
- 1 sliced apple
- 1 sliced banana
- 1/3 cup of seedless red grapes
- 1/3 cup of seedless green grapes
- 2/3 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 cup nonfat yogurt
- ¼ cup dried coconut (shredded)
- wooden skewer sticks
- plates
Method:
- Put all of the fruit onto a large plate.
- Spread the shredded coconut onto another large plate.
- Slide pieces of fruit onto the skewer and put as much or as little fruit as you want! Do this until the stick is almost covered from end to end.
- Hold your stick by the ends and roll it into the yogurt.
- Roll the stick into the coconut shreds.
- Eat and enjoy!
Try This:
- Use alternative toppings to roll into (e.g. crushed Oreos, skor bits etc.)
- Model a pattern with the fruit and have a child copy your model
Materials:
- a dozen toothpicks
- licorice
- gummy candies
- marshmallows
- jube jubes
- jelly beans (or other sift candies)
- bowls
- print out pictures of DNA (can be found on Google)
Method:
- Have child pick a pick a picture of DNA that they want to create.
- Put the food items in separate bowls.
- Insert toothpicks into candies to create an intersection and build using the picture model.
Try This:
- Use Styrofoam balls
- Use other candies
