= EDUCATION IN THE KITCHEN
WHAT YOUR CHILD CAN LEARN FROM BAKING
From left to right: Dr. David De La Fuente PT, DPT, Cornerstone Graduate Mia Lancellotti, Dr. Alin George PT, DPT, and Patrick Chinjen PTA
“Before physical therapy, I was having pain in my knee due to stiffness from surgery. Now, I am no longer stiff and my pain has diminished. Plus, I’ve increased the strength in my leg.” –Mia Lancellotti
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you’re probably wracking your brain for the perfect recipe to bake for your loved one. There’s nothing wrong with store-bought chocolate, but there’s no topping the personal touch of some homemade baked goods. If you have kids, baking alongside them can be just as rewarding as enjoying the fruits of your labor. As an added bonus, baking is a hands-on opportunity where your child can learn all sorts of important concepts. Here is a short list of some of the educational lessons hiding in your kitchen. Math Baking is a numbers game. Just take a look at any recipe, and you’ll recognize the importance of math in building a beautiful cake. Having children measure out ingredients helps them learn about fractions and ratios. You can also test your kids by doubling or halving a recipe for multiplication and division practice. With older kids, practice unit conversions by asking, for example, how many pints are in half a gallon. Following Directions Not unlike computer science, baking requires a strict order of operations. The wet and dry ingredients often need to be mixed separately and then folded together. It only takes one deviation from the instructions for a pastry to go from delicious to disgusting. Spending time in the kitchen, then, is a great way for kids to learn the importance of reading directions carefully and comprehending what they’ve just read. Cultural Understanding Cuisine is a fundamental part of every culture. Introducing your child to dishes from around the world will expand their horizons. Want your child to be a less picky eater? Involving them in the cooking process is the surest way to get them excited about trying new flavors and ingredients. Nutrition Now, you might not think that baking cookies will encourage greater nutritional awareness, but hear us out. Sugar is often buried within packaged foods. When you bake something at home, a child gets to see, firsthand, just how much sugar goes into certain sweets. Meanwhile, cooking savory dishes also allows them to learn what constitutes a balanced, healthy diet.
From left to right: Dr. David De La Fuente PT, DPT, Cornerstone Graduate Anthony Paltan, Patrick Chinjen, PTA, and Christopher DaSilva, PT, Aide
“My experience here was great. There are great people here. Before my physical therapy, I had trouble with my left ankle. I could not play soccer or make any sharp turns without pain. But after my experience, I have gotten a lot stronger and can now return to my sport.”
–Anthony Paltan
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