Kitchens are Cookin'

There’s a world to explore: in your kitchen!

Connect:

• Build your knowledge about kitchen machines at http://www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/frame_loader.htm
• Trace the history of kitchen appliances at http://inventors.about.com/od/kstartinventions/a/kitchen.htm
• See this infographic that traces the history of kitchen design at http://www.kitchencabinetkings.com/blog/history-of-kitchen-design/
• Discover the history of the kitchen stove at http://www.oldhouseonline.com/history-of-the-kitchen-stove/
• Eat up the history of pasta: http://oldwayspt.org/sites/default/files/Pasta%20for%20Children2012.pdf

 

Create:

• This site introduces kids to cooking with beginner tips and skills and tons of step-by-step video recipes: http://www.spatulatta.com/
• If you're hungry, grab your apron and get cooking! Making food yourself - with a little help from a parent - is a great way to learn about food and meal preparation. And this site has plenty of recipes for you to try - from pizza to pancakes! http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/index.html
• Play these kitchen clerning games: http://www.cleaning-games.net/kitchen-cleaning-games
• Test these food chemistry experiments: http://a2zhomeschooling.com/explore/chemistry_kids/food_chemistry_experiments/ and http://www.science-sparks.com/2013/04/27/kitchen-science-round-up/
• Cooking with children can be fun. Here are tools that every child chef needs: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/kitchen-tools-kids

 

Care:

• What are developmentally appropriate kitchen chores for children? Find out at http://www.clean-organized-family-home.com/kitchen-chores.html#sthash.HWsnl1mO.dpbs
• Be safe in the kitchen by following the tips at http://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/house/safe_in_kitchen.html
• http://www.nutrition.gov/life-stages/children/kids-food-safety covers several aspects of good safety.
• Watch tips about knife safety for kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ICQL5H9qfY
• Kids can help with simple plumbing skills; find out at http://plumbernw.com/teaching-your-children-basic-plumbing-skills/.

 

Careers:

Look around you in the kitchen: food, appliances, utensils, furniture, interior design, cleaning. These items all lead to careers: agriculture, design, carpentry, manufacturing, services, sales, cookery, architecture,plumbing, electrical engineering.  Here are some starting websites:

http://www.pbs.org/food/tag/kitchen-careers/

http://education-portal.com/how_to_become_a_kitchen_designer.html

http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/p/chef_cook.htm

http://www.careeroverview.com/home-appliance-repair-careers.html

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/home.htm

Sleep

We spend about a third of our life sleeping – but that’s not wasted time. Keep awake to find out more about this necessary activity.

CONNECT:

• Here’s a good introduction to several aspects of sleeping: http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/JustForKids/Life/OnePagers/Pages/OnePagerSleep.aspx
• Why is sleep important? Find out why at http://www.sleepforkids.org/
• When we’re asleep the brain is still active. Find out about its work at http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/sleep.html
• How do you sleep in outer space? Find at out at http://www.esa.int/esaKIDSen/SEMAIP6TLPG_LifeinSpace_0.html
• Learn how marine animals sleep: at http://marinelife.about.com/od/marinelife101/tp/SleepInMarineAnimals.htm
• Trace the historical and cultural perspectives of sleep at http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/history

CREATE:

• Some animals are nocturnal: they sleep in the day and are active at night. Watch and listen to them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVloVe4jWMU.  Try making some animal night sounds yourself.
• Children sing lullabies around the world. Hear them, and sing along, at http://www.songsforteaching.com/lullabies/.   (And you can listen to 8 hours of lullabies at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU0fYzuypXg).
• Having nightmares? Try drawing them, or making a mask about them. Get details at http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-wisdom-your-dreams/201004/working-childrens-dreams-especially-nightmares
• Create a dreamcatcher following these directions: http://www.kidzworld.com/article/26775-how-to-make-a-dream-catcher

CARE:

• What causes sleeping, and what happens when you walk in your sleep? How can you keep safe? Get the inside story at http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/sleep/sleepwalking.html#
• Do you have nocturnal enuresis (that’s sleep wetting)? It runs in families. Found out how to deal with it at http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/bladder/enuresis.html
• What can you do if you can’t sleep? Try these tips: http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/body/cant_sleep.html
• Why do some teens have trouble sleeping? Find out at http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/take_care/sleep.html#

CAREER:

What is your dream career? Babysitting might be your first paying job that deals with sleep. Lots of adults deal with sleep: doctors, scientists, anthropologists, clothing designers and manufacturers, furniture makers and sellers, even artists. Here are a couple of leads:

http://school.sleepeducation.com/sleepcareers.aspx

http://healthcareers.about.com/od/healthcareerprofiles/p/SleepCareers.htm