Want to teach your kids a little math? Get them in the kitchen, get them measuring. Between measuring and cooking terms you have a lot your can teach your kids, and it will not feel like learning for them.
Kids in the Kitchen – Measuring and Cooking Terms
*This post contains affiliate links, for more information see my disclosure policy.*
Don’t forget to make sure your kids are being safe in the kitchen too. Once they get hurt, whether it is a little cut or scrap they might not be as excited to get back in the kitchen. I speak from experience sadly.
Cooking Terms for Kids
Whenever we’re in the kitchen we always seem to come across a cooking term that I have to explain the meaning of to my kids. I have included some of them in the image below.
Some kitchen terms for younger kids:
- bake – to cook food in the oven
- beat – to mix ingredients together using a fast circular movement with a whisk or mixer
- boil – to hear food or liquid so that the liquid get hot enough for bubbles to rise to the surface
- chop- to cut into small pieces
- dice – to cut into small cubes
- drain – to remove liquid from food using a colander, strainer, or while tilting the container
- marinate – to soak food in liquid to tenderize or add flavor
What cooking terms get your kids thinking?
Measuring Terms and Fun
From the first time Austin started helping in the kitchen I have loved to watch her try to find the right measuring spoon or measuring cup.
It can be confusing for little learners to find the right one but this is how they learn. Laugh with them, be patient and show them what the numbers will look like on the spoon or sup to help them along. This is a great teaching moment!
Donut Fractions – Fun Math Center
I did not look forward to teach fractions because I had a hard time grasping them in school. But here we took to the kitchen because what is cooking and baking if not math?
You have the measuring of ingredients. How many 1/4 cups go into a 1 cup? How many 1/3?
Than change it up a little and do the same thing with measuring spoons. Or do the reverse. How many ways can you make 1 cup with the measuring cups you have. Get creative.
Even for little ones, it can be fun and a great time to work on counting. At three, my little guy loves to count how many scoops (cups or spoon fulls) need to go into the bowl or pot.
Fraction Circles – Math Manipulatives for Fractions up to 16ths
Resources for teaching kids in the kitchen:
Similar posts that you may be interested in:
