Cooking is such a fantastic experience to include in your early childhood programs. Mathematical language, science, health and creativity are just few of the benefits that spring to mind, not to mention the pure joy that cooking brings to little ones. Start early and they will develop a life long love of cooking - an essential life skill and definitely a lovely, theraputic activity that so many of us have a great passion for (kids are no exception!)

I was teaching Kindy full-time when Masterchef had just come out, and we had lots of fun in the sandpit, home corner, and with real cooking experiences at least once but often twice a week! Here are 5 of my favourite sing-song action rhymes for cooking experiences. Perfect for making bread (perhaps you are reading The Little Red Hen?) or pancakes (lots of fun to do with beanbags for pancakes!) or cookies and even gingerbread men!   Enjoy! xx

1.

The farmer gave us golden grain

For us to grind and grind.

Now it’s flour brown and white,

Soft and very fine.

Add the water, yeast and honey,

Mix it with our hands.

When it’s soft and not too runny

Let it stand and stand.

Shape the dough into a loaf.

Put it in to cook.

When it’s crusty, crisp and brown,

We’ll have a look.

((Children sitting down - actions to match the words))

2.

When I was a farmer, I sowed the wheat, sowed the wheat, sowed the wheat. When I was a farmer I sowed the wheat, sowed the wheat today.

And now the farmer will mow the wheat, mow the wheat, mow the wheat. When I was a farmer I mowed the wheat, mowed the wheat today.

And now the miller will grind the wheat, grind the wheat, grind the wheat. When I was a miller I ground the wheat, ground the wheat today.

And now the baker will stir the bread, stir the bread, stir the bread. When I was a baker I stirred the bread, stirred the bread today.

And now the baker will bake the bread, bake the bread, bake the bread in the big oven. When I was baker I baked the bread, baked the bread today.

And now we all give thanks for the bread, Mm-m-m - delicious!

((Children standing up - actions to match the words))

3.

Mix a pancake,

Stir a pancake,

Pop it in the pan;

Fry the pancake,

Toss the pancake,

Catch it if you can.

((Works well if you give every child a beanbag to throw in the air when you come to the toss the pancake section!))

4.

Five little gingerbread men in a row (5 fingers)

Not going to eat one no, no, no. (shake finger and head side to side)

But they look so sweet from head to toe (point head to toe)

Crunchy, munchy...uh oh! (Rub tummy, then hand to face- uh oh!)

Continue until...

No little gingerbread men in a row

Wasn't going to eat one, no, no, no

But they looked so sweet that it's sad to tell

Crunchy, munchy... oh well! (Hands up in the air)

5.

I am making cookie dough

Round and round the beaters go! (arms go round)

Add some flour from a cup (pretend to pour)

Stir and stir the batter up (pretend to stir)

Roll them, and cut them, nice and neat

(roll hands, pretend to cut)

Put them on a cookie sheet (lay out cookies)

Bake them and count them 123 (count with fingers)

And serve them to your friends with tea!