First Foods & Creative Kitchen Time

Image credit: What's Cooking with Kids (http://whatscookingwithkids.com/)

It's Spring Break! If you only have very young children who are not yet in a formal school setting, this may or may not mean anything to you. However, if you're looking for some fun things to do inside to beat the boredom blues this week, why not try some creative kitchen fun? Try baking with your child. (Not convinced this is a good thing or doable? This parent thinks it is: http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2012/03/children_cooking_how_young_can_they_be_.html) The library offers a variety of cookbooks with ideas for cooking not only for but with your children. There are also countless blogs online featuring ideas to inspire you - like here, here, here and here for starters. The Oregon State University Extension Service also visits our Corvallis Library once a month during Bedtime Storytime to present a healthy snack, nutrition and advice for feeding your family, and share recipes for families.

What if you have just a wee one at home that may be still nursing or just transitioning to solids? We've got you covered at the library, too. The library owns books on breastfeeding, first foods, making your own baby food, and even books on what to eat while you're expecting. Or maybe you've hit that picky eater stage with your toddler or preschooler. There's a book for that, too. (We've got DVDs on many of these subjects, too!)

But back to the topic of boredom busters for Spring Break. You don't have to just cook meals or snacks in the kitchen. The kitchen is also a great resource for science experiments, learning basic math skills (measuring!), and even the beginnings of chemistry (homemade volcanoes, anyone?). But even simple things like making goop or play dough with your child can turn a dreary afternoon into a time of creative fun and laughter. My favorite recipe for stove-top play dough is found in Feed Me, I'm Yours by Vicky Lansky.

Happy Cooking!