#2 Make Cookies

First of all, who doesn't love cookies?  Here is a super simple and healthy recipe for breakfast cookies that are vegan and gluten free. But don't let that scare you, they are delicious! Plus, you can eat all the batter without worrying about getting salmonella. <------ That's the part I like the best!!

I altered my recipe from a blog I found called Sallys Baking Addiction.

Trying new foods can sometimes be a challenge for preschool aged children. It isn't uncommon for them to be picky and turn their nose up to new foods. However, many parents find that kids are more likely to try new foods if they get to help prepare them. So give it a try!

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
(**makes about 12 large cookies - double the recipe to make more)

1 1/4 cups of quick oats
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 cup of peanut butter
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 ripe banana
1/4 cup of shredded coconut
1/4 cup of chocolate chip cookies (we didn't have any this time)

First you have to mash up the banana. This is a fun and easy job for your preschooler. As they watch it transform from a solid to mush, they are learning about transformations. This concept also carries over when they watch you mix all the wet ingredients up with the dry ingredients and then again when when you bake the cookies in the oven and they go in raw but come out cooked! The idea that something can change, yet remain the same thing is pretty amazing to little ones.

Add all your ingredients into a large bowl and let your preschooler stir it up. Don't forget to show them that you are reading a recipe and measuring out the ingredients. When you talk about numbers and order, your preschooler is learning math skills!

The batter should be wet but not runny. He can help you scoop large spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. (I like to put them on parchment paper).

Bake them at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes. You want to make sure you don't bake them too long, they will seem a little gooey when they come out but as they cool, they will firm up.

Want to do some more things that encourage your preschooler to think about transformations? Try these: 

• Put several ice cubes into a bowl and leave it out until it melts. Then you can put the water back into the freezer and come back and see how it turned back into ice!
• pop popcorn with an air popper. 
• put some powdered instant pudding into a jar or baby bottle and add milk. Let your child shake up the jar until the pudding has formed. 

What other activity ideas have you tried?