An exciting announcement and a simple sorting activity

Hello everyone! It has been a very busy month, which is why I have been slacking a bit on my weekly posts, but I have exciting news to share with you. While I have loved my time working in a Montessori classroom, I am happy to announce that I have taken a new full-time position with Monti Kids as their Affiliate Program Manager. I actually started working as an affiliate with Monti Kids last year, and I couldn't be more excited to join their team. While my official start date isn't until Thursday, I was able to join Monti Kids at a local event here in Costa Mesa, as well as at the AMI (Montessori International Association) Refresher Course in Phoenix two weeks ago! It was a wonderful experience getting to know other Montessorians, spreading the word about Monti Kids, and truly feeling refreshed and invigorated.

My dear friend Lindsey stopped by the Monti Kids booth at an event in Costa Mesa. Here he is working with a toy from their level 7 kit! He is also using Sprout Kids' table and chair set!

                                     

At the AMI conference in Phoenix, we were able to display our toys, meet families, teachers, and school directors!

And...because this is a blog about cooking with kids, I really want to share this very simple sorting activity that helps to stimulate a child's stereognostic sense and ability to problem solve, supports repetition and concentration, and allows a child to practice their fine motor skills as they transfer with tongs.

When preparing the activity, make sure to choose fruits (or any other object or type of food) that are different. For instance, I chose blueberries and strawberries because they are different in color, taste, size, and shape. Simply Real Foods Market has many dried fruits that would also be perfect for this activity. Place a couple of pieces of each fruit into the bowls in which the fruit is sorted as a way to guide the child to know which bowl the fruit should be sorted. Often, the preparation of this activity makes it so that you don't even need to give a lesson!

I am really excited to continue to grow in the Montessori world, and I know my new experience will allow me to bring different information to share with you all, as well as more cooking with kids activities!

Pizza Friday!

This week, I put together my Sprout Kids children's table and chair set. They have created furniture that is natural and made from environmentally sustainable materials. It was also incredibly easy to put together. I felt so accomplished and proud after setting it up in my garage. I can't wait to put it to use!

Now...let's jump right into the good stuff...

I have recently been going through a pizza obsession. Every time it is in the teacher's lounge, I always need a slice. I crave it for dinner, basically every night, so it was only natural that I incorporate it into my classroom's food preparation activities.

Having everything organized from left to right, on a tray, and in the same color really supports your child's sense of order.

You will need:

1. Some type of bread to be used as the crust. In class, I usually use bagel thins or mini bagels. They are strong enough to hold the sauce and cheese, and because they are "thins" and "minis," they are not too heavy, keeping the recipe healthy
2. A container for the bread you have chosen
3. Pizza sauce. Simply Real Foods Market has many organic, natural, and non-GMO options
4. A small knife used to spread the pizza sauce
5. Shredded cheese. This can be done with any type you have on hand. On this particular day, we used cheddar cheese, but mozzarella and other varieties are good options too
6. A small cutting board
7. Small tongs used to transfer the bread
8. A serving tray. I have the children place the prepared pizzas directly onto the tray that will be placed into the toaster oven (see pictures below)

Why do I love this activity? Besides the fact that I love pizza, this activity also provides a child with the opportunity to explore with their senses, refine their fine motor skills, and provide for their community. Additionally, homemade pizza is a much healthier alternative.

Sitting next to your child, demonstrate how to use the tongs to transfer a bagel onto the cutting board. Using slow and purposeful movements, use the knife to pick up the pizza sauce and spread it onto the bagel. Make sure to model how to use your non-dominant hand to keep the bagel steady while you spread. Using your hands (a wonderful opportunity to enhance your child's sense of touch), show how to sprinkle cheese on top of the sauce. Finally, using both hands, demonstrate how to transfer the prepared mini pizza onto the serving tray. Invite your child to repeat. Repetition allows your child to concentrate and solidify their skills and knowledge. You have the option of eating the pizzas immediately or putting them in the oven for a couple of minutes to give them a little more crispiness and melt the cheese. Yum!

Miles' grasping skills, as well as the ability to rotate his wrist while spreading, are strongly supported while using the knife.

Look how focused Miles is! Also, observe how his left hand is keeping the bagel steady while spreading.

Miles might like pizza more than I do! Food preparation truly allows a child to create and reap the benefits of their hard work.

This week, we have focused a lot on the importance of supporting a child's fine motor skills. If you are interested in other Montessori-inspired activities to support your child's development, check out Monti Kids. I love their toy kits!