Holidays!! Perfect Time for ADL Skills in the Kitchen

Holiday time for all children is very exciting: school parties filled with sugar, traveling to visit family, presents, and extra time at home. Holiday time is the PERFECT time for families to support development in the ECC (Expanded Core Curriculum) area of ADL (Activities of Daily Living) especially in the KITCHEN. Keep those little minds and hands busy over the break while having fun and building concepts!

**Challenge for adults: STEP BACK when possible. Your child should be hands on during all parts of the activity by either direct touch/manipulation or utilizing hand under hand (child's hand rests on top of adult's hand).

Introduce parts of a microwave by making popcorn
Things to do:
  • Apply a bump dot to the add a minute or 30 sec button
  • Introduce to parts of the microwave allowing time for hands on exploration
  • Have child help gather needed materials (popcorn, bowl, etc.)
Picture: Bump dots on microwave panel

Skills/Concepts (just to name a few.....)
  • Removing plastic wrap from popcorn
  • Locating door handle and opening microwave door
  • Placing popcorn in the middle
  • Closing door
  • Locating buttons (previously marked by bump dots)
  • Listening for popping sound (I was taught that it's finished when there are no more than 2 seconds between pops)
  • Listening for end signal (beep)
  • Opening door allowing heat to escape
  • Removing popcorn carefully
  • Opening bag
  • Pouring into bowl
  • EATING!!!  
Introduce parts of the oven by making cookies
Things to do:

  • Apply bump dots to buttons ("Bake", temp up/down, "Cancel/Off"
  •  Introduce the oven when it is cold (OFF), allow plenty of time for hands on exploration
  • Use pre-made, pre-cut cookie dough if it is the first time using an oven. **For advanced users make cookies from scratch.
  • Have child help gather needed materials (cookie dough, cookie sheet, oven mitts, etc.)
    • Picture: Pre-cut chocolate chip cookies

Skills/Concepts (just to name a few.....)
  • Oven safety
  • Hot/cold
  • Pre-heating oven
  • Opening cookie dough
  • Locating cooking sheet and corner of cookie sheet
  • Removing 1 raw cookie
  • Placing raw cookie the appropriate distance from edges using fingers to measure (typically 3-4 fingers for the littlest bakers)
  • Spacing cookies appropriately (hold interest by having child place every other or every 3rd cookie)
  • Standing to side of oven when opening the door allowing heat to escape
  • Use hand under hand  to locate oven rack and pull out (ONLY BEGINNERS) 
    • Child's hand rests on top of adult's hand during activity
    • Challenge experienced oven users to complete independently
  • Use hand under hand to place cookie sheet on rack and push rack in
  • Closing door
  • Setting timer
    • Use siri on iProducts
      • Turn voice over on (press & hold home button, say "Turn on Voice Over"
      • Set timer (press & hold home button, say "set timer for _____"
  • Listening for timer to end
  • Opening door and allowing heat to escape
  • Use hand under hand to pull rack out, remove cookie tray, and place on stove top or hot pads
  • Use hand under hand to remove cookies using spatula and place on plate 
  • EATING!!!!
Introduce the Stove Top by making Mac-n-Cheese

Things to Do:
  • Apply bump dots
      • Introduce the stovetop when it is cold (OFF), allow plenty of time for hands on exploration
      • Have child help gather needed materials (pot, boxed mac-n-cheese, spoon, colander)
      • Use boxed mac-n-cheese w/cheese sauce for beginners. *For advanced users use powdered cheese mix or make from scratch.* 
      • Use step stool or chair with back to raise child to an appropriate height and help maintain distance from stove top 
        Picture: Step stool in front of stove top
        Skills/Concepts (just to name a few.....)
        • Stove top safety
        • Hot/cold
        • Choosing burner (front/back??, left/right??)
        • Centering pot on burner
        • Measuring water
        • Pouring water
        • Turning on burner
        • Listening for water to boil
        • Opening mac-n-cheese box
        • Removing cheese sauce package
        • Pouring pasta into boiling water
        • Setting timer
            • Use Siri on iProducts
                • Turn voice over on (press & hold home button, say "Turn on Voice Over"
                  • Set timer (press & hold home button, say "set timer for _____"
              • Placing colander in sink
              • Listening for timer to end
              • Turning off burner
              • Use hand under hand to remove pot from burner and pour intro colander
                • Child's hand rests on top of adult's hand during activity
                • Challenge experienced stop top users to complete independently
              • Pouring pasta from colander back into pot
              • Using scissors to open cheese sauce packet
              • Squeezing cheese sauce on top of pasta
              • Stirring/mixing sauce & pasta
              • Scooping mac-n-cheese into bowls
              • EATING!!!!
                These are just a few activities which can be used to build concepts, confidence, and independence in the kitchen. If you feel extra brave, involve your child in cooking throughout the preparation of holiday dinner! Remember small burns happen to the best of us, keep aloe near by, help your child build those concepts, pat yourself on the back for helping your child develop independence, and HAVE FUN!!! 

                Happy Holidays!!
                Sarah Bussey

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