Books and Baking, two of my favorite things. Since life is a not normal right now, baking has been something making the everyday a teensy bit better. If you’re like me and love to read books to your kids and bake, this post is for you.
Each book listed has a recipe to go along with it to enhance the read aloud and learning experience. I am highly motivated by treats. I believe there is so much to be learnt in the kitchen: patience, fractions, chemistry, measurement, how to follow directions, more patience, and the ability to take a few ingredients and create something delicious.
We have already made teacakes on a whim after reading Saturdays and Teacakes and are going to slowly work our way through this list of books and baking. Will you join me?
Saturdays and Teacakes
This book is about a ten year old boy who rides his bike to see his Grandma every Saturday. They work, eat, chat, and finally make teacakes together. My kids love this book and were anxious to make teacakes. The recipe requires few ingredients and it basically comes out like a sugar cookie.
Book: Saturdays and Teacakes
Recipe: Mammaw Thompson’s Teacakes
The Little Red Hen
This is a classic story about a hen who asks her friends to help her in doing all the things to make bread: grow the wheat, thresh the wheat, grind it into flour, and make the bread. If you’re in the mood to knead some bread, this is a great story to read followed by some homemade bread in the oven.
Book: The Little Red Hen
Recipe: Homemade Bread
Chicken Soup with Rice
This sweet book has a poem for each month of the year. It is a beloved one in our house and I’ve never thought to actually have the kids make soup. We have chicken in the freezer and rice in the pantry, so it’s a done deal.
Book: Chicken Soup with Rice
Recipe: Chicken Rice Soup
Gingerbread Baby
Jan Brett is one of our favorite authors and illustrators. Although this seems like a Christmas story, I think we all could use a little (Christmas) spirit right now. During quarantine there are no rules, except stay home. After reading this story, get busy in the kitchen making gingerbread men and, of course, decorating them after they cool.
Book: Gingerbread Baby
Recipe: Gingerbread Cookies
The Seven Silly Eaters
Have a picky eater? This one is for you. After reading this book, everyone will be heading to the kitchen to bake up a perfectly pink cake.
Book: The Seven Silly Eaters
Recipe: No recipe needed, just a box cake mix
Thunder Cake
Grandmothers are so wise. This story is about a grandma distracting her granddaughter from a storm in the form of cake baking. The cake must be in the oven before the storm is over. A great book to read on a rainy day.
Book: Thunder Cake
Recipe: Patricia Polacco’s Thunder Cake (with surprise ingredient)
Laura Numeroff Books
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, If You Give a Dog a Donut, If You Give a Moose a Muffin…
We are big fans of Laura Numeroff at our house. Almost any of her books can be used in the kitchen. Kids can make cookies after reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie or get busy making muffins after laughing how Mom never seems to see moose in If You Give a Moose a Muffin. In my eyes these are classics and you can’t go wrong.
Book: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Recipe: Joanna Gaines Chocolate Chip Cookies
Book: If You Give a Moose a Muffin
Recipe: Chocolate Banana Muffins
Book: If You Give a Dog a Donut
Recipe: Grandma’s Old Fashioned Donuts OR Canned Biscuit Donuts
Book: If You Give a Cat a Cupcake
Recipe: Lazy Girl’s Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
The kitchen is a great place to learn and connect with our kids. Although it isn’t always my favorite having my kids help (I can get everything done so much faster with no helpers), they love it so much. My hope is they will have fond memories helping in the kitchen and be semi-useful preparing food someday.
A practical tip when it comes to books and baking: Allow one kid to help at a time. This has saved my sanity more times than I can count. It used to be free rein on who could help me and now I limit it to one kid at a time. It’s the best decision I have made when it comes to baking with my kids.
Don’t feel like you need to tackle all of these books and recipes. If baking is your thing, choose one or two and see how it goes. Tell me, what baking will you choose to do with your kids?
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