Cooking up some math

Spending family time in the kitchen is a great way to teach kids about cooking and nutrition, but can also be a valuable learning space for math skills. 

Kitchen math! 

Getting your children involved in the prep work helps them feel like an important contributor to the process, while stealthily improving their mathematical and quantitative skills.

As you cook, ask your child to hand you ingredients. For example, if you are making mashed potatoes, say “I need 5 potatoes for this recipe. Can you please put 5 potatoes in this bowl for me?”

For a sweet potato casserole you might say, “I need 40 mini marshmallows to go on top of this. Can you please put 40 mini marshmallows in this bowl?” and then “Oops! I think that is too many. I would like to use 35 instead. How many do you need to remove from the bowl so I have 35?”

It is a game that works for all sorts of recipes! How many cookies will we fit on this baking sheet? How many eggs do we need for these cupcakes?

Be sure that everyone’s hands are washed, and be generous with praise. Cooking together will create many wonderful memories that you will carry with you for years to come.