We've been enjoying many nature walks & collecting more goodies on our travels. Minnie has loved exploring all our finds but I thought I'd set them up in a slightly different way, so I left them out for her to find in the kitchen.
There were...
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| Conkers |
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| Herbs; 2 varieties of lavender, rosemary & thyme |
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| Bay leaves |
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| Selection of autumn leaves |
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| Sycamore seeds & acorns |
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| Ivy seed heads |
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| Lavender seeds |
Minnie was so excited to see the setup & wanted to 'get cooking' immediately!
As she played I loved hearing her enthusiastic comments. "You add one leaf at a go to the mix", "I have to keep stirring or I'll get stuck", & "It's yummy Mummy in my tummy!"
Once she had completely mixed her chosen ingredients she popped her 'cake' into her imaginary oven under the table & 'baked' the cake! When it was 'cooked' she emptied all the ingredients out & started to mix them again, & again!
She found these in the kitchen so added them to the mix as well.
Later she asked for a baking tray, which was a great way of exploring the sound as well as the texture of the objects.
Even Peppa Pig stopped by & helped!
Minnie's next request was for a recipe book which she flicked through until she found her chosen recipe. ;-) More baking followed, this time with the addition of cupcake cases!
Through this process Minnie was able to explore texture, shape, size, quantity, colour, weight, sound, seasons, motor skills, & so much more.
Natural objects, a bowl & wooden spoon - a perfect recipe for discovery!