Yesterday, we had fun making menus and playing restaurant. Peanut did a great job with her menu and loved acting as the owner of her restaurant. She even served us on a tray (cookie sheet). Sunshine wasn't as enthusiastic about creating a menu and rushed through the process, but she enjoyed the imaginary play. She is quite the drama queen!
Peanut's menu
I got a little chuckle out of how she spelled ham sandwich. So cute- love beginning writing. As you can see she is still working on some reversals- not bad for 6, though.
Sunshine's menu
Sunshine, age 8, didn't put as much detail as little sissy. Just not into this activity. Meat Lover's Dream- cute!
Momma's menu
Like reading in front of our children, I think it is important to model creative thinking and writing. This was fun!
Why make a menu and play restaurant with your kiddos?
-writing skills
-creative thinking
-imaginary play
-fun
-fine motor skills (cutting)
Materials needed:
Advertisements
glue
scissors
markers
paper
props(optional)
Directions:
Fold a large sheet of paper in half.
Have your child name their restaurant and decorate the cover of their menu.
Brainstorm the types of foods your child will serve.
Use ads from grocery stores or restaurants to cut out pictures of food or draw foods.
Guide your child with the different categories- breakfast, sides, drinks, etc.
Have fun acting out restaurant with your kiddos!
Enjoy your day being creative!
Jen
Don't forget to enter my CSN stores: Bazoongi Play Hut Giveaway! (ends 6/30)
Super cool idea =)
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! Perfect for an indoor activity this week. (It's summer vacation and STILL rainy here! Blah.)
ReplyDeleteI'll take an order of the meatlovers dream, a side of pancakes, and a PBJ.
ReplyDeleteHi Jen,
ReplyDeletePlaying restaurant is such a great way to combine writing skills, creativity, and imaginary play! A dimension that could take this activity a step further is to actually make the meals on the made-up menus! Getting kids involved in cooking is a great way to spend quality time together and further improve motor skills and eating habits. Try the Pineapple Carrot Muffins from The Kids Cook Monday website (www.healthymonday.org/the-kids-cook-monday/), it’s sure to be a hit at your restaurant! The Kids Cook Monday, a new program of the Healthy Monday Campaigns that I work with, aims to get families to cook and eat together each Monday to encourage healthy eating. Children who eat family dinners get better grades and are better at social interactions, and getting them involved in the kitchen teaches them about portion control and eating right. There are more kid-friendly recipes on the website, as well as more information about why family dinners are important.
We’re looking for blogs to get involved with The Kids Cook Monday by starting off each week with a family-cooked meal then sharing their experiences. If you’re interested in participating, please email me at TheKidsCookMonday@gmail.com.
Mayo