Here at Playhouse, we regularly use cooking to promote development and learning. All children participate in a cooking activity every half term. 
 
Cooking in the early years is a great, fun experience which offers a wealth of learning and development. One cooking activity is able to promote all seven areas of the early years foundation stage and because children enjoy the experience so much they are not even aware they are learning about numbers or developing skills. As well as cooking developing all seven areas it is a sensory experience engaging often all five senses making it a more memorable experience and truly engaging the children.
 
Cooking also gives children knowledge about food, where it comes from and what is healthy and unhealthy. These are all important skills to give the children in order to encourage them to make good food choices. It also gives them valuable self help skills and learn some delicious recipes along the way which they can share with their parents.
 
Whenever possible, we will use ingredients grown onsite in our vegetable garden.