Happy Friday! We know there are a lot of things on many people’s minds and hearts these days. We hope the resources we have shared for families have been helpful. Next week is a regular week for the Lakewood at Home blog, and then we will be taking a week to reflect and reevaluate. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Science/Sensory Invitation: Making bread in a bag
Ingredients
- 1 gallon size zip-top plastic bag
- 1 cup all purpose or bread flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 packet yeast (rapid rise or regular) (2 ¼ teaspoons if you are scooping it out of a jar)
- 1 cup warm water (95-degrees)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon salt
Open the zip-top bag and fold the top back. You can set it in a bowl with the fold over the rim of the bowl to support it. Place 1 cup all purpose or bread flour, sugar, and yeast in the bag.Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, and yeast packet in the bag. Add 1 cup warm water. Seal the bag, pressing out any air.
Invite your preschooler to shake the bag to mix everything together really well.
Set the bag aside to rest for 10 minutes (proofing). This might be a good time for a snack, or to do some puzzles or read a couple of books…
After ten minutes, the dough in the bag should be bubbling.
Add the two cups of whole wheat flour, the salt and the melted butter
Seal the bag, and mix until the dough pulls away from the side of the bag. Your child can shake the bag, punch it, wiggle it, etc.
Pull out dough and place on a floured surface.
With floured hands, knead dough for 5 minutes (You and your preschooler can do this together!), until it feels fairly smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a greased loaf pan (8 ½ x 4 ½ or 9 x 5 will work, or you could do 2-3 mini loaf pans).
Lay towel over the loaf pan and set it in a warm spot in your house. Leave the loaf to rise until it has risen to 1 ½ times its original size, 45 minutes to an hour. During the last 15 minutes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, until dark golden and the loaf makes a hollow sound when you thump it on the bottom.
Fine Motor Invitation: Magnets and cookie sheet
For this invitation you will need a cookie sheet or other metal pan, and a collection of magnets. These could be Magnatiles, alphabet magnets, Tegu blocks, or any other small magnets. You can prop the cookie sheet up so it is a more vertical surface, or leave it horizontal. Invite your child to explore building and making patterns.
Dramatic Play Invitation: Fabric and stuffed animals
Loose parts add richness and more scope for imagination in dramatic play. This morning, offer your child fabric to use with their favorite stuffed animals or dolls. They might want to create outfits, blankets, or a tent for their inanimate friends. Make sure you talk first about expectations for the fabric (is it okay to cut it, for example).
This invitation is an avenue for creative expression, building fine motor skills and using cognitive skills.
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