DR. MARIA MONTESSORI
Toddlers can bake? Yes, they can and they love it! In our toddler community the children bake banana muffins or bread and are delighted to eat them for snack! Children are more likely to eat food they help prepare as they are more engaged in the process of making it. The ingredients are sequenced in order on our baking table. The child pours, scoops, mashes, and mixes until all of the ingredients are well blended.
Baking with the toddlers aids in their logical sequencing and concentration skills. It also aids in the development of their vocabulary by naming the various utensils used. Using different tools in the baking process helps build stronger muscles in the hands and arms. This is all needed later on as they progress into academic materials. It's also a bonus that the children are so enthralled with the work!