For a young child, preschool is an integral aspect of mental, social, and emotional development. However, you can do activities at home to supplement their educational programs and encourage their progress. For example, making time to regularly bake some delicious treats with your child provides several key benefits. 

How Baking Helps Your Child 

The process of measuring ingredients and putting them into mixing bowls is a fun opportunity for your child to practice counting, coordination, and their motor skills. Even their listening and planning skills can be improved as they figure out how to follow your directions. They can also expand their vocabulary by learning what the various tools, ingredients, and actions are called.  

Working with food further provides ample opportunities for your child to use their senses. They can see, touch, smell, and taste each ingredient individually, then together. While watching the treat bake in the oven, they may learn how heat changes the shape and texture of the dough or batter. 

Additionally, baking lets your child enjoy your attention, tutelage, and praise while creating a scrumptious treat. The sense of accomplishment combined with the quality time spent with you can boost their confidence and emotional development, which will aid their capacity to excel in preschool and all other facets of early childhood development as well. 

What They Can Do While Baking 

After providing your child with spoons and cups filled with the right ingredients, let them pour the ingredients into the mixing bowl. Some preschool-aged children may even be strong enough to pour milk into a measuring tool on their own. Have them count the eggs that you crack. Show them how to stir batter, use cookie cutters, and roll dough into balls, too.  

They may also enjoy kneading or rolling dough. Let them choose and add extra ingredients like frosting, sprinkles, and chips, which encourages their sense of creativity and ownership in the project. Whatever they have strength and coordination to do, support them in doing it. 

Your child can continue developing the skills they hone in baking with the preschool programs at Lucky Lane Nursery School. Located in St. Louis, MO, they’ve specialized in enriching and compassionate early childhood education for over 65 years. They offer programs covering a variety of important topics, including math, music, art, science, history, foreign languages, and more, all in a safe and social environment. For details, call them today at (314) 434-4462 or message them online.