Kenowa Hills — The smell of breakfast meats and eggs wafted down the hallways of the Early Childhood Center to the front door, where parents typically drop off their kids for school and daycare.
Today, families were invited to go inside and eat breakfast together in their children’s classrooms.
The masterful chefs who prepared the breakfast feast: Kenowa Hills’ youngest learners.
Alongside their teachers, students worked together to make egg casserole, pigs in a blanket, cheese danishes and cinnamon, blueberry and banana breads.
“Cooking with children is an amazing learning experience. They’re learning literacy skills by reading a recipe, and math with measuring,” Learning Center Director Cali Lipscomb said.
Lipscomb also explained how each classroom taking on a different recipe based on the various age groups, helps build basic skills, a more adventurous palate, explore their senses and boost confidence.
“Children love to show what they can do and working through a recipe provides opportunities to gain a sense of accomplishment,” she said.
The ECC has been putting on the event at the start of every year since 2007.
After a two-year hiatus amid the pandemic, Breakfast in the Classroom returned for families to share in their students’ learning.
“This event incorporates learning, and brings us together as a school and community,” Lipscomb said. “Kids love showing parents their classrooms.”
The ECC staff got creative to include the youngest learners. Willow Room teachers put bananas inside plastic bags for infants to mash for banana bread while in their highchairs.
In the Birch Room, preschooler Lilly Bumstead ate with her dad, Jason.
“Did you help make the egg casserole?” he asked his daughter.
Lilly paused before putting a forkful of casserole into her mouth and mumbled through chewing, “Yes!”
