Keeping the Kiddos Busy

Growing your own food is one of the suggested survival tips for "the new normal", and there is no reason your children cannot help out. Growing sprouts is easy. Your children will be fascinated to see the sprouts germinate, they will learn patience, and they will feel a sense of fulfilment from knowing that they have contributed to putting food on the table. According to Elizabeth Millard, who wrote Indoor Gardening , sprouts are packed with enzymes, fiber, amino acids, vitamins, and other substances that are beneficial for the immune system. And they can enhance any meal or salad. According to Millard, alfalfa, brocoli, peas, and mung beans ( monggo ) are good varieties for sprouting.  All you need are the seeds, a clean jar, and a strainer or cheesecloth or thin dish towel. First, put the seeds in the jar, add several inches of warm water, and let the seeds soak overnight.  In the morning, drain the water through the strainer or cheese cloth or dish towel.  Add wat...

At first, I hesitated to feature cooking and baking as an ECQ activity for children because it is harder than usual to source ingredients these days. But then, I realized that part of the fun of cooking is discovering what one could come up with using what is available.  For example, canned sardines make good toppings for pan de sal pizza: just shred the sardines using a fork, mix with the tomato sauce with which they were canned, spread it on open-faced slices of pan de sal, add grated cheese, and heat in a toaster oven. It's very easy to make and children can help with tasks like shredding the sardines and spreading the mixture on the pan de sal. The same recipe can be made using other kinds of bread. Even very young children can be handy in the kitchen. Under their parents' supervision, they can make simple appetizers like skewers of fruit pieces and sliced cheese.  Or crackers topped with cream cheese and cold cut slices, maybe an olive or pickle slice or two. The...

Happy Easter! It is time to get festive -- not just today but for the rest of the Easter season. But how do you get festive during lockdown? Recently, a heartwarming video went viral.  It depicts how a mom and dad recreated a restaurant for their two small sons who have been wanting to eat out and who are too young to understand what the lockdown is all about.  For those of you who have young kids who are similarly situated, they will enjoy the same treat for a meal or two.  It will also be an opportunity to teach them proper table manners. If the young kids have older siblings, the older siblings can be enlisted to help recreate the restaurant setting.  They will enjoy it, and it might even lead them to careers in food and beverage or other related fields  someday.  They can help cook, decorate the dining room (perhaps even try out some fancy napkin folding ), and play roles such as waiter or waitress. Those who are playing waiter or waitress, a...