Fun with Food:
Cooking and Baking Projects
Related to Picture Books
Beth Hersman, Early Childhood Educator

The following books and activities can be planned together as a way to make the book “come to life”. Any way a story can be expanded makes the experience more fun and more memorable.

1. "The Gingerbread Baby", by Jan Brett
Gingerbread houses can be made as a fun and “visual” way to follow-up this story. Use an empty pint-size milk carton as your base. Rinse it and dry it before use. Staple the top to keep closed. Give your child six graham-cracker squares, some canned white frosting, a craft stick for spreading frosting, a variety of cereals or candies for decorating. “Glue” on four graham-cracker sides of the house using frosting. Slant two more crackers together to make a roof and frost to hold. Place “house” on a paper plate and use the cereals and candies to make it look like a festive gingerbread house that will be ready for a “gingerbread baby.”

2. "Growing Vegetable Soup", by Lois Ehlert
Children can be a big help when it comes to making homemade soup. You can start with canned soup stock, and let your child help prepare the vegetables for the broth. Let them scrub the carrots and potatoes. They can rinse the beans and peas pods. They can “snap” the beans to make bit-size pieces. Let them choose some of the vegetables to put in the pot during a trip to the grocery store. This is a great time to expand their vocabulary and show them a variety of different foods.

3. "The Little Red Hen", by Diane Muldrow (Little Golden Book)
Baking bread can be simple. Buy some loaves of frozen bread dough and let it thaw and rise. Break each loaf up into small sections and let your child create a fun shape with it. Bake the dough in the oven. Serve their creations with lunch or dinner. A fun companion to this is homemade butter. Take a small, clear container (such as a baby food jar) and fill with heavy whipping cream. Seal the lid back on tightly, and then let your child shake, shake, shake! Keep shaking until the cream solidifies. Spread the butter on your fresh baked rolls.

4. "The Apple Pie Tree", by Zoe Hall
Fall is a great time for picking or buying apples. Read a story about apples and making pie, and then do it at home with your children. Small pies can be made using tinfoil tart pans (size of a soup bowl). Core, peel, and slice an apple. Use already prepared pie crust dough and roll out two small crusts. Place one crust into the bottom of the pan. Place apple slices on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and then place a pat of butter on top. Cover with the second crust and poke a few holes in it to vent. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

5. "One Hundred Hungry Ants", by Elinor J. Pinczes
Make some “ants-on-a-log” for a fun snack after reading this story. Use celery sticks or pretzel rods for the log. Frost with cream cheese or peanut butter and use raisins for ants. Enjoy!