By Emily McMason
Elementary schoolers count down to the final day of school. Yet within hours of the start of vacation, if your house is anything like mine, you begin to hear the two most dreaded words of summer: “I’m bored.”
How can we help our kids fill the hours with something exciting, entertaining and educational? The offerings at Bayview School of Cooking are a great place to start. Kids Summer Camp classes are available for young chefs ages 5 – 13.
Why start with kids so young in the kitchen? The school’s Caroline Willard reflected on her own experience “I started very early. When I was two, my mom and dad would let me help make pizza for dinner. I guess I just took to it and I’ve loved cooking and baking ever since.”
While one of the goals is definitely to have fun, Willard explained how it goes beyond simple exploration, helping children develop kitchen skills that directly translate into ways they can contribute to family life. “Each camp day we will be making a full menu including a main course, side dishes, and even dessert. In making each of these, kids will learn about kitchen safety, knife use and measuring different types of ingredients, among other important skills. The hope is to help them feel confident enough that they can go home and prepare the menu for their family,” she explains.
New Summer Focus Includes Link to Literacy
The Bayview School of Cooking opened its doors in 2003, and has been offering children’s classes for nearly a decade. Willard has been a part of the Kids Summer Camp for two years now. “I’ve always loved working with kids, especially in the kitchen. This is the first year I’ve been a part of organizing and leading the camps, and I’m really excited. The kid’s camps and classes are wonderful because they expose kids to cooking and teach them skills that they’ll be able to use for the rest of their lives. They also gain confidence in the kitchen and learn that cooking is fun and easy, not scary or something they can’t do,” she says.
With the eight or nine years of tradition, Willard is adding new twists to the programs this summer. “I wanted to tie the cooking camps to children’s literature because it provides some fun themes and hopefully encourages the kids to read the books that we’ll be cooking from. The books I chose are set in many different times and places, and I think that by showcasing that fact with the food we’re making will spark kids’ imaginations.”
Curious George in the Kitchen
“Storybook Cooks” is geared to younger children, ages five to eight. The classes run for two days on a Monday and Tuesday, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Session I is July 8 and 9, and session II runs July 29 and 30. The meals are each inspired by favorite childhood stories, H. A. and Margaret Rey’s Curious George and Ludwig Bemelman’s Madeline. If you remember these classic books, you won’t be at all surprised by the menus. On Monday they get to create Chef Pisghetti’s Summer Spaghetti, Nutty Banana Green Salad (does not contain peanuts), Banana Pudding and it is served with chocolate milk. Tuesday’s meal takes them to France with Ratatouille with French cheese, Easy Parisian French Bread, Madeline Cookies and is served with lemonade.
Lions, Witches and Wolves in the Kitchen
“Cooking with the Classics” is aimed at the older set, spanning ages nine through 13. Each class runs for four days, Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am until 11:30 am. There are three sessions: June 24-27, July 15-18 and July 22-25.
The book titles are a great mix of older classics and newer favorites: Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, Brian Jacques’ Redwall, Jean Craighead George’s Julie of the Wolves and C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Kids who are avid readers will be drawn to the menus from their love of the books and children who may be more reluctant readers will be invited into the stories by way of their cooking experiences.
The menus are imaginative and charming. Monday is inspired by James, and kids will be making Stink Bug Eggs (special deviled eggs)Turkey Mudburgers, Peach Salad, Plate of Soil with Engine Oil (decadent chocolate cake with sauce), all served with peach juice. The week is wrapped up in reference to The Lion and the menu is Cair Paravel Mawmenee (a lightly- spiced chicken stew served on toast), The White Witch’s Extravagant Lunch Green Bean Salad, Oaten Cakes, Turkish Delight, and is served with fresh apple cider. Tuesday and Wednesday’s meals are equally enchanting.
All of this is great for the kids. What is the benefit for the parents? Willard knows it well “not only will you get to have a morning to yourself, but hopefully your child will come home eager to make YOU dinner!”
For registration and additional information about the classes, click here.
