Seedlings: Food Preparation in the Toddler Classroom
If there is one work in the Montessori classroom that is guaranteed to grab any child’s attention; it’s food preparation. We begin food prep early in the school year, starting with wooden food chopping and moving towards soft food items, including bananas, melon, and avocado.
The children are first shown a lesson during group time. Once work time begins, one teacher is stationed in the practical life area with the food preparation tray. They learn how to peel bananas, use the slicer, and chopping knife.
We have also just begun cooking with the children in the mornings, preparing snack for the entire class. One dish we make is mini quiche with scrambled eggs, a vegetable, and cheese. The children help to beat the eggs, pour in the toppings, and then wait patiently for the timer to go off. When it is finally snack time, the children are very proud of the work they have done.