Combine a little flour, a little water and two little hands and you’ve got…well…a messy camping kitchen. But you also have a great opportunity to get kids started on a lifelong interest in cooking and give them tools that will help them in more ways than one.
With that, here are 5 reasons why we think your kids will LOVE helping with camp cooking.
1) When kids get to help make the food, they’re more likely to eat it.
They enjoy selecting the brightly colored fruits and vegetables, carefully washing them and adding them into recipes. This gives them a better appreciation for these healthy foods and helps them to make better choices in the long run. They are even likely to try new foods they might not have tried if you prepared and served them without their help.
2) As kids cook, they get the chance to learn in a very natural way.
They can improve math skills by counting and measuring ingredients, and enhance motor skills by pouring, dumping and stirring ingredients. Reading recipes improves vocabulary and can also give insight into different cultures when you use ethnic cookbooks to prepare new types of cuisine.
3) Cooking can often help to build confidence.
Having family members enjoy something they have prepared gives a sense of accomplishment and lets them experience feelings of success.
4) Cooking together with kids gives you a chance to talk in a very informal way.
This can help draw you together and create lasting memories.
5)No screens.
We left behind all electronic devices, and—after the initial protests—I didn't hear any complaints. What a treat.