Capable Child

Cooking with a class of children at school is HARD work. Even in smaller groups, children may get a couple of stirs of the mixture or the chance to throw some ingredients in the bowl. This is why cooking at primary school is rare and why cooking at home is so lovely for children. They get to be involved from start to finish. Here are my top 5 super-duper easy things to cook with kids. Something  very, very easy! My number one for being very, very easy is bread making - from a ready mix packet I should quickly add! Literally, all you need to do add is water. We made bread a lot when Little Lady was a toddler. Working the dough strengthens little fingers and builds muscles which are also needed for writing, drawing, cutting, painting etc. Working the dough into different shapes and printing into it with simple objects like forks is fun in itself. The best part though is getting to eat warm, buttery bread fresh from the oven. It never lasts very long in our house. Toast!

Pantomime is all about fun and laughter and this year’s Christmas panto at Lichfield Garrick did not disappoint! Dick Whittington had singing, dancing, jokes, 3D effects, indoor fireworks, a flying fairy, a giant octopus and a rocking stage (literally!).  From the very start the audience was drawn into the show. There was poor Gary on the front row who endured the flirtations of the pantomime Dame and requests for us all to think of a name for Dick’s ‘jazz-socked’ pussycat. Audience participation was a requirement. The actors on stage really did seem to be enjoying themselves. Their personalities shone through as they interacted with the audience to get us shouting out, singing, dancing and looking for a sneaky gorilla. From the endearing Fairy Bowbells who liked to be greeted with a cheer as she arrived in a puff of smoke, to the wicked Queen Rat bringing customary panto booing. The characters were fabulous!  My family all strongly agreed on our favourite character -