Activity for 10+ year olds
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Cooking, baking, preparing, serving... everything related to food screams cozy home sweet home! And if you enjoy making your hose feel like home, then instilling these homemaking skills in your children is a must.
Aside from the uncountable 'hard' skills that cooking and baking provide (and that we will discuss in just a little bit), it is a great opportunity to occupy your time and use it to serve others... taking "feed the hungry" from Matthew 14:16 to a nuclear level where we serve our own family and friends.
With traditional gender roles, it is misunderstood that only women should cook and be in the kitchen. Although wives play a role to nurture and serve her family, and a husband is seen as a provider, the reality of things is that you have a family before you are married, so it is important to learn how to serve and provide for others within our identity as daughters and sons of God.
Baking can be integrated into the Catholic faith in various ways, aligning with the principles and values of the faith.
Family and Community: Baking is often a communal activity that brings families and communities together. In the Catholic faith, the importance of family and community is emphasized. Baking and sharing homemade treats can be a way to strengthen bonds and build a sense of togetherness.
Celebration of Feast Days: The Catholic Church has a rich tradition of celebrating feast days, honoring saints, and marking significant religious events. Baking specific treats associated with these occasions can be a way to participate in and celebrate the liturgical calendar.
Hospitality and Charity: Baked goods are often shared with others as a gesture of hospitality and kindness. In the Catholic faith, the act of hospitality and charitable giving is highly valued. Sharing homemade treats can be a way to express love and care for others, embodying the spirit of Christian charity.
Sacramental Symbolism: Baking can incorporate symbolic elements related to the sacraments. For example, the use of bread in baking connects to the Eucharist, the central sacrament in the Catholic faith. Exploring the significance of bread in both baking and the Eucharist can deepen one's understanding of the sacraments.
Gratitude and Thanksgiving: Baking often involves the use of natural ingredients and the appreciation of the fruits of the earth. This aligns with the Catholic emphasis on gratitude and thanksgiving for God's creation. Baking can become a mindful and prayerful activity, expressing gratitude for the gifts of the Earth.
Seasonal and Liturgical Themes: Baking can be adapted to reflect seasonal and liturgical themes. For example, incorporating ingredients that are in season or creating baked goods that align with specific liturgical colors can be a creative way to connect baking with the rhythm of the Church's liturgical calendar.
Teaching Values through Baking: Baking provides an opportunity to teach and reinforce values such as patience, generosity, and sharing. These values are consistent with Catholic teachings and can be integrated into the process of baking and the sharing of the finished products.
Prayerful Reflection: Baking, with its step-by-step process, provides moments for prayerful reflection. Whether it's during the preparation, waiting, or sharing of baked goods, individuals can use these moments for prayer, meditation, and contemplation, fostering a deeper connection with their Catholic faith.
While baking itself may not be explicitly religious, the way in which it is approached, the values instilled, and the connections made with the Catholic faith can transform it into a meaningful and spiritually enriching activity.
One way to help your children serve others is to teach them how to bake. Baking is a versatile and enjoyable activity that goes beyond creating delicious treats. Engaging in baking can provide a range of skills and knowledge, including:
Mathematics: Baking involves precise measurements and conversions. It provides practical applications for concepts such as fractions, ratios, and basic arithmetic. Following a recipe requires attention to detail, and adjusting ingredient quantities may involve mathematical skills.
Science: Baking is essentially a science experiment in the kitchen. It involves chemical reactions such as leavening agents interacting with ingredients like flour and sugar. Understanding how ingredients interact and transform during the baking process contributes to scientific knowledge.
Fine Motor Skills: The process of measuring, mixing, and decorating in baking requires fine motor skills. Activities like cracking eggs, sifting flour, and piping icing help develop hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Reading and Comprehension: Following a recipe involves reading and understanding instructions. Baking encourages literacy skills as individuals interpret the steps, ingredient lists, and other details in recipes.
Time Management: Baking often involves precise timing, from the preparation of ingredients to the baking time. Learning to manage time effectively is a valuable skill that can be applied in various aspects of life.
Creativity: Baking allows for creativity in recipe selection, flavor combinations, and presentation. Experimenting with different ingredients and techniques fosters creative thinking.
Culinary Knowledge: Baking introduces individuals to the world of culinary arts. It teaches about ingredients, flavor profiles, and various baking techniques. Understanding the role of each ingredient contributes to overall culinary knowledge.
Patience and Persistence: Baking requires patience, especially during the waiting periods like proofing or baking. Learning to follow a process step by step and waiting for the final product cultivates patience and persistence.
Nutrition Awareness: Baking involves choosing and combining ingredients. This can lead to increased awareness of nutritional content and making conscious choices about ingredients for health reasons.
Problem-Solving: Baking is not always without challenges. Issues such as ingredient substitutions, oven variations, or unexpected outcomes provide opportunities for problem-solving and adaptability.
Social and Cultural Understanding: Baking often involves sharing and celebrating with others. Exploring recipes from different cultures can provide insights into culinary traditions and foster a sense of appreciation for diversity.
Emotional Well-Being: Baking can be a therapeutic and stress-relieving activity. The act of creating something from scratch and enjoying the end result contributes to emotional well-being.
Overall, baking is a multifaceted activity that can enhance a variety of skills and knowledge areas, making it a rewarding and educational pursuit for individuals of all ages.
In this particular activity, I invite you to bake cookies with your children. And whatever the occasion, make them with love, patience, and most of all, enjoying every minute of it.
Here I will share three cookie recipes that are easy, delicious, and perfect for a family afternoon of treats and love.
CREAM CHEESE COOKIES
Yields: 4 dozen cookies (48)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 oz. of cream cheese
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup of softened butter
- 2 cups of flour
- 1 tea spoon of vanilla extract
Instructions.
Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.
Grease a cookie sheet (or use parchment paper).
With a mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and butter together until fluffy.
Reduce speed to low and add flour and vanilla.
Beat until well mixed.
Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet or parchment paper, leaving 2 inches in between them.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove cookies from oven and place them on a cooling wire rack.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Yields: ∼30 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 cup of softened butter
- 1 tea spoon of vanilla extract
- 1 tea spoon of baking soda
- 2-2 1/4 cups of flour
- 1.5 cups of chocolate chips
- 2 eggs
Instructions.
Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.
Grease a cookie sheet or use parchment paper.
With a mixer, cream the butter with all the sugar.
Beat in the eggs.
Mix all the other ingredients until well blended.
Form small 1-2 table spoon balls and smash them in the cookie sheet or parchment paper, leaving 3 inches in between each other.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Pull out of the oven and let cool on wire rack.
GINGERBREAD COOKIES
Yields: 20 cookies (depending on shape and size)
Prep Time: 2 hours and 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
Cookies-
- 3 cups of flour
- 3/4 cups of brown sugar
- 3/4 tea spoon of baking soda
- 1 table spoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 table spoon of ground ginger
- 1/2 tea spoon of ground cloves
- 1/2 tea spoon of salt
- 12 tablespoons of room temperature butter (cut into 12 pieces)
- 3/4 cup of molasses
- 2 table spoons of milk
Frosting-
- 2 table spoons of butter at room temperature
- 2 cups of confectioners powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- Food coloring (optional)
or
- 2 cups of confectioner's powdered sugar
- 4 oz of cream cheese
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions.
Mix flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt in a mixing bowl.
Incorporate the butter until it is a fine crumble.
With a mixer on low, add the molasses and milk and mix well with everything else.
Divide dough in half and wrap them in plastic wrap as two big balls.
Place dough balls in the fridge for 2 hours (or over night).
Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Take dough balls out of the fridge and on a lightly floured surface, roll it until it is 1/2 inch thick.
Cut cookie shapes and put on prepared baking sheets.
Place cookie sheets in the fridge for 5 minutes.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until center is set.
Transfer to a wire rack to let them cool completely.
Prepare the frosting by mixing all the ingredients. If you want, separate it in small amounts and add 2 drops of color to each batch and transfer to piping bags if desired.
Decorate cookies and enjoy!
Whatever recipe you choose to do, remember that if you incorporate religious shapes or themes to your cookies, making them with love, patience, and most of all, glorifying God, it will make you enjoy every minute of it.
Thank you and God Bless.
Maria Ignacia
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