Undoubtedly there is a great deal of time spent preparing for the holidays. Enlisting children’s assistance is a great way to get them involved, to get extra help you need and to keep the festivities rolling.
Future Chefs: Cooking, however simple, can be fun for children of all ages. Encouraging children to help you make easy-to-prepare desserts and trimmings can be real treat for them and a great learning experience as well. Some of the best Math lessons take place in the kitchen while measuring ingredients, setting timers or checking temperatures. The key here is to remember basic kitchen safety, especially with little helpers moving about, and to schedule in plenty of extra time for children’s efforts and inevitable mishaps and messes. It is probably wiser to cook with children the day before a holiday since it requires a little extra patience, time and clean-up. It will also give children something to look forward to! Remember, keep it simple! Just making popcorn for those football fans parked in front of the Thanksgiving Day TV can make children feel important .
Holiday Helpers: Enlisting children’s help on the holidays will not only keep them busy, but can help you out as well. Basic table setting, clearing the table between and after courses (You may wish to refrain from having them carry the fine china!) taking coffee or tea orders etc. will give children a well-deserved break from sitting too long and will keep them part of the action. You’ll be surprised how much they can help out! Don’t forget to recognize and praise their efforts and maybe even provide a special treat for a job well done. Who knows, with a little positive reinforcement this just might become habit forming!
For more holiday information, please see:
Little Ones "Twelve Weeks Before Christmas" Holiday Toy Series: This holiday series is designed to help parents and grandparents make smart choices by featuring outstanding/award winning "toys that teach," accompanied by reviews which highlight and explain the educational benefits and specific skills children receive from these types of toys.
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