Kitchen fun!

The girls have been wanting to help more and more around the house. Stuff like cleaning, sweeping, feeding the dogs, vacuuming, washing the windows, cooking etc.

Now you need to know that this is a good thing but it also has its drawbacks!

It's good because they're learning new things and learning about helping etc.

Bad because it takes so long for them to do some of these things and sometimes the outcome is messier than it was before.

It's a toss-up I suppose and it all depends upon time and our patience.

Now for their 2nd birthday Henry and Karen bought the girls a learning tower. This great piece of furniture allows the girls to get at counter height so that they can see what we're cooking as well as help in anyway that they can. It's a lot of fun for them and keeps them safe as they watch.

So, keeping their new found sense of eagerness and independence in mind we gave them plastic knives to "assist" in the veggie prep for dinner and other cooking stuff. Yes, they're helping cut the veggies, cheese, salad stuff, anything that is able to be cut with a plastic knife for dinner. 

The benefits of this has been two-fold. Firstly, it's the independence skill thing and secondly, they're eating the veggies as they cut them which has been fantastic (even raw zucchini!) and other stuff they help prepare

Here are some piccies.

First, making OJ with daddy. Yes, our orange tree kicked in massively and we have an excess of oranges (and as a result - OJ!)

Syd is helping first. Look at that determination! Kendall is learning patience and not too happy about it.

Making sure the job is done right...

Pressing it down hard to get the maximum juice out of an already juicy orange! (oh, sidenote: orange is pronounce "on-ag" by the girls - the "g" is like in giraffe not garage)

 Kendall is also as determined.

 Kendall is so focused but Syd found the bowl that they used previously to make the cupcakes with.

 

Hooking in with the wooden spoons. Mmmmm...cupcake batter! Yep, she's taking after her mummy.

 Here they are helping with the salad and veggies.

 Carrots, lettuce - all is fair in salad prep!

 Please note that Kendall has now got the concept of holding the knife the right way - sharp side down!

 Kendall is still a dribbler. She just concentrates so much and forgets to swallow. I'm not what the neoghbours think when they hear us say to her "Swallow Kendall and wipe your chin!"

 I'm looking forward to the new house where the layout of the kitchen will be better for the kids to help out with us both and keep on going with the food prep!