Whisking Flour and Water

Sweet Pea is 31 months old.

From: This was created in a frazzled moment of “I barely have time to feed us, much less do a Tot School activity, because I have way overextended myself this holiday season.” This is a quick activity for those times when you are rushing around the kitchen trying to get dinner on the table.

Material:

Large Bowl
Whisk
Flour
Water

Procedure:

Make sure that you are located on linoleum or some other surface that is easy to clean.
Put approximately 1 cup of water in the large bowl and add a couple tablespoons of flour to the water.
Leave the flour out on the counter, but not within reach of your tot!
Tell your tot that you need them to help you cook dinner by whisking together a roux. (Which I don’t consider a lie, because dinner would take much much longer if your tot wasn’t occupied.)
Sit next to your tot and show them how to gently whisk the flour into the water.
You should have a few minutes of blissful silence before your tot starts screaming for more flour. Use this opportunity to continue your actual cooking.
Add another 2-3 tablespoons of flour or more water as needed.
Your tot will probably be covered in flour paste by the time dinner is done, but at least you’ll have something to eat!

Observations: Sweet Pea had a grand time with this. She kept whisking until dinner was done and then complained when I told her it was time to clean up. She has asked me if she can help me ‘whisk’ something almost every night since.