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Four nurseries in the county have started offering weekly cookery classes. The nurseries, which are all part of The Old Station Nursery Group, have launched this to boost early years education for children aged up to five. The Good Manors Day Nurseries, which include Manor Lodge in Fareham , Miller Drive, Stubbington Lodge and Queenswood Lodge, hope to instil a lifelong pleasure in cooking and eating good food.
READ MORE: New 3G sports pitch opened at Testwood secondary school County nurseries introduce weekly cookery classes for young children (Image: Supplied) The classes aim to provide children with the skills, smells and tastes of home cooking. At the sessions, the children wear aprons and chef hats as they measure, weigh and mix ingredients using special cooking and baking tools. The nurseries have set up new Mobile Mini Kitchens, equipped with a 'cool touch' oven and child-friendly equipment, to ensure a safe and controlled cooking environment .
Emma Pittam, the early years director, said: "We are so delighted to roll this enhancement out to all our nursery settings. SEE MORE: Hampshire disabled people demand council U-turn on cuts to bus pass Weekly cooking sessions to teach kids essential skills in a fun way (Image: Supplied) "Learning to cook at a young age is thoroughly enjoyed by the children and is an excellent, engaging way to build basic math skills through activities such as counting eggs or measuring water, along with exploring scientific concepts, such as chemical reactions when the baking powder makes the cake rise. "By exploring their senses, an adventurous palate and confidence grow, and a host of homemade goodies are proudly taken home for everyone to enjoy.
"So far, the children have been busy making yoghurt flatbreads, raspberry banana oat cookies and pizzas." The nursery group believes that connecting home and nursery creates a strong foundation for children's development. To encourage this, the children can take recipe cards home to practice their skills and build confidence.
Parents are kept in the loop about their child's learning journey through daily updates on the nursery's parent app, which includes explanations for each photo. The nursery's Facebook page also provides updates..
