1 . It’s been said that good cooking is an art form. The truth is that it’s much more than that.

    1     It invites kids to make connections to the broader world by asking, “Where does our food come from?” and “What is the history of this recipe?” It allows them to apply what they are learning in school in a new context. They also test the math skills of young chefs. Measuring ingredients(原料)are frequent tasks in cooking or baking.     2     It is a perfect opportunity for them to learn that oil and water don’t usually mix.

Recipe failures matter as much as the successes.     3     When Helen, 11, took her cake out of the oven, she was disappointed to find that it was flat as a board. I told her about how, as a preteen, I accidentally made cookies with garlic powder instead of powdered ginger. Then we worked together to figure out what had gone wrong with her cake.

    4     It encourages kids to work with others. It also encourages them to be open to foods they otherwise might not have tried. Jad, 11, had never eaten quinoa(藜麦)before testing a recipe for quinoa with herbs. His parents reported that he was so excited about this new ingredient that he cooked it for his family the next night.

Of course, the best part of cooking with kids isn’t the basic skills.     5     This year, Olive and I have already done a lot of holiday baking, including our favorite chocolate-chip cookies. We both felt excited despite the mess that accompanied that experience.