5 Fun and Easy Recipes for You and Your Preschooler

Cooking with your preschooler is a wonderful way to teach measuring, counting, shapes and following directions. Here are 5 easy to make and healthy goodies for you and your little one to make together.

Cinnamon Shapes

All you need for this recipe is slices of bread, butter or margarine, ground cinnamon, granulated sugar and cookie cutters in different shapes. Some good shape choices are star, circle, diamond, heart, oval, and triangle. Toast the bread. While the bread is cooking, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Butter the toast and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Then use the cookie cutters to cut the slices of toast into shapes. Discuss the different shapes with your child and ask them to choose the shapes to cut.

Banana And Berries Sweet Shake

For this sweet and nutritious treat, you will need 1 medium ripe banana, 1 cup frozen berries (strawberries and blueberries are good choices), 1 cup milk, 1 cup vanilla yogurt and 1 tablespoon honey. Note: Do not give honey to children under one-year-old. Have your preschooler peel the banana and put it in a bowl. The child should then mash the banana. Pour the yogurt, fruit, milk and honey into a blender and add the mashed banana. Blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!

Ants on a Log

This was one of my children's favorite recipes when they were little. All you need is a bunch of celery, a jar of peanut butter and a small bowl of raisins. Using a spoon, scoop the peanut butter into the celery stalks. Then place the raisins in a row on top of the peanut butter. These will be the only ants you will not mind your children eating.

Mini-Pizzas

These tiny pizzas made with English muffins are the perfect size for preschool appetites. You will need sliced English muffins, pasta sauce, shredded cheese and healthy toppings such as green pepper, mushrooms, black olives and sliced tomatoes. Let your child spread the sauce evenly on the English muffin halves. Then add the toppings before sprinkling the cheese on top. Bake the mini-pizzas on a baking sheet for 8 minutes at 400 degrees F. Now have a pizza party.

Trails Away Mix

Many young children do not like store bought trail mix because it has unfamiliar fruits and nuts. Now you any your child can make your own trail mix filled with familiar favorites. Help your child measure 1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, 1/3 cup mini pretzels, 1/4 cup raisins, 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/3 cup cheerios or granola. Pour every ingredient into a large bowl so the preschooler can stir with a mixing spoon. Both of your can spoon the mix into small plastic bags or bowls for a quick snack anytime, anyplace. Happy Trails Away!

Jennifer Carpenter is a work at home mother of three, two teens and a preschooler. She is a writer and Internet marketer who is currently working towards financial freedom through working online. Read more about her incredible journey at http://www.livingmybigdream.com.