Incorporating Math, Science, and Art into the Kitchen

Math, Science, and Art in the Kitchen

No matter what their age, kids like the kitchen, or at least the food that comes from the kitchen. Working in the kitchen is an awesome way to sharpen up math and science skills, and is also a place to encourage a child’s artistic side. Not every child is a budding Rachel Ray or Tyler Florence, but it is always a great idea to make sure they are proficient in the kitchen as they grow up.

Math in the Kitchen

First, use those math skills in the kitchen. Recipes use math—there is no way around it. It is common to double or triple recipes for larger groups, or cut down the ingredients if you have a smaller group to feed. Kids need to be able to multiply for larger amounts and divide for smaller ones. This is a clever way to get them to practice math, and it makes for a sweet reward.

Science in the Kitchen

Next, science comes into play in the kitchen. It’s exciting to see how you mix wet and dry ingredients to create something completely new. This is fun with cake and pancake batter. And, by adding heat, you can take a solid to a liquid when melting things. (Think about melting chocolate or cheese and dipping pretzels into the melted concoction!) It’s also fun to “chill out” and take a liquid to a solid. A fun project to do is cut up fresh fruit and put the pieces in ice cube trays. Cover them with water, and then slide the trays into the freezer. Once they are frozen, pop them out of the trays and use warm water to melt the cubes. Then, everyone can enjoy the fruit.

Art in the Kitchen

You can even get “artsy” in the kitchen with your plating. Artfully arrange the food onto platters for a buffet-style event, or onto individual plates for smaller, more intimate gatherings. Teach kids about adding fun garnishes like parsley, or adding chocolate chips to pancakes to make eyes and a smile. A dollop of whipped cream could be some “hair” to top off the pancake.

Have fun in the kitchen with your kids. You have to cook and bake and feed your family, so turn those everyday events into fun, teachable memory-making moments for the whole family!