Easter Biscuits and Selfies!!

Baking is always a popular choice at mine! Any celebration we'll find some yummy treat to cook, or even if there is no reason at all we're never far from bringing out the scales! So many skills can be learnt and practiced when making things in the kitchen. We build muscle by scooping and pouring. We develop fine motor control from decorating and pinching ingredients. We talk about our own families, what we cook at home and special people we like to bake with. We share stories. We engage all the senses smelling and feeling ingredients as we go. We learn to share and take turns. We develop preferences of flavours we like and those we don't. We make decisions and discuss our point of view. We listen and follow instructions and we experience pride in what we make!! So many learning opportunities in an everyday activity!

Today we are making some Easter Biscuits! I have missed out a few steps here as I needed to step in and help and other areas I got wrapped up with the children I forgot to take pictures!

'W' started out scooping the butter, we looked at the numbers on the scales and watched the arm move closer to the number we needed.

 Lots of stirring for those strong arms!

 'E' having a turn too!

 Once it was all mixed up we split up the dough and got rolling! Taking turns with the rolling pin. We have some shapes that I had picked out and we spoke about what they were and how they were linked to Easter and Spring.

 'W' knew what he was doing straight away, although I helped occasionally where the dough was getting a little too thin in places so we squished it together and started again!

Make sure those shapes are pushed down well!

 'W' and 'E' then told me what colours they would like for their icing. 'W' chose yellow and 'E' chose blue!

 A little bit into the decorating 'W' asked 'E' if he could have a bit of her blue and she could have some of his yellow! Great swapping and sharing

 Don't forget some sprinkles to finish them off

 And don't forget the best bit; tasting them!!

A lovely morning spent together chatting and creating yummy treats.

Later on that afternoon we were messing around with my phone taking some selfies!

 'E' was very interested in what was going on

 I turned my camera around so she could see on the screen what the camera was looking at.
'W' was trying to watch a film and have some chill out time so we were just bugging him really! We let him get back to his film while 'E' and I played!

 She sat for some time pulling faces at herself

 Watching the image on the screen changing as she moved.

 She has demonstrated that she is familiar with static photographs already. Both on my phone and printed out.

 Going a bit shy, trying to figure out why the 'picture' was copying what she was doing!

 Pretty girl!

This was an interesting introduction to this aspect of technology, 'E' wasn't quite sure what to make of her 'photo' moving as she did. I will look at how to introduce some more technology to my setting, in suitable ways, so we can develop her knowledge further. I will also make some time for mirror play as this is an important aspect of her self awareness