The Great Treetops Bake Off

Emily Sturgis Treetops Nursery

Author
Emily, Deputy Manager

Getting in the spirit of the Great British Bake Off, our Deputy Manager Emily has been feeling inspired at home over the Summer holidays and putting some great plans in place for the term ahead for out Cooking Club! You’ll be surprised just how much ‘playing chef’ will help with your child’s development and appreciation of their surroundings.

Treetops Nursery Cooking Club
Treetops Nursery cooking club picking pears
Treetops cooking club mixing

We absolutely adore the ‘Great British Bake Off’, so much so that we decided to create our very own ‘Cooking Club’. A chance for children to play at being chefs, experiment with new foods and flavours and learn about the importance of nutrition. But that’s not all that the children benefit from. 

Each week we bake, cook and become little Jamie Oliver’s in the kitchen as we cook something different linking to our weekly planned topic. 

Cooking in the early years is a great, fun experience which offers a wealth of learning and development. Through just one cooking activity a child is able to promote all seven areas of the early years foundation stage – from counting and number skills to talking about different textures and tastes.

We all know that at home children sometimes become a little choosey when it comes to meal times. Our cooking club gives them the opportunity to work alongside their buddies watching others be adventurous with flavours which can in-turn encourage them to try something they wouldn’t usually contemplate.

The cooking technique can aid their fine motor skills which will help with their ability to draw, colour and write, as well as gross motor skills through mixing ingredients and kneading dough. All helping to aid things like balance and coordination.

Cooking also gives children knowledge about food, where it comes from and what is healthy and unhealthy which develops essential life and self-care skills.  Not only do these provide an invaluable learning opportunity – the children can learn some yummy recipes along the way as well as have something special to take home to their parent of care provider.

Keep an eye out for our Cooking Club blogs, where we’ll be talking about what’s on our weekly menu and showing what our lovely little chefs have created. Take a look at other activities we include to help our children grow, learn and develop.