Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Charleston, SC

I spent some time baking with my four-year-old daughter this weekend, and knowing that the topic of cooking with kids was coming up, I tried to actually pay attention to everything we were doing.

Baking, as it turns out, is full of teachable moments.  Measuring teaches counting and math.  Adding ingredients and mixing them up challenges both fine and gross motor skills.  Discussions of baking powder and baking soda lead to impromptu chemistry lessons.  And explaining about Salmonella and the need to restrain oneself from eating so much of that raw dough -- well, I suppose we'll just call that a little microbiology lecture, why don't we?

(Note that you don't get all of that from the break-and-bake cookie dough, though I won't blame you from using it in a pinch!)

Of course, spending time with kids in the kitchen is also messy.  And inefficient.  And did I mention messy?  But it really is worth it to relax the process, put on an apron, and let the flour spill and the eggshell fall into the bowl.  Personally, I'd rather my children remember the time we spend together in the kitchen than have the prettiest cookies at the bake sale. 

With Thanksgiving this week and the holiday-filled month of December to follow, take the opportunity to get into the kitchen with your kids and mix up something yummy.  My daughter said it all when I asked her what she liked most about our time together in the kitchen: "I just like hanging out with you, Mom."

Nothing is sweeter than that.