The Mom I Want to Be

Shape-ly Sculptures

 

Learn about numbers and letters with these tasty bread sculptures.

 

• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp quick-acting yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp oil
• measuring cup
• wooden spoon
• bowl
• plastic knives and forks
• wooden board
• baking sheet
• cookie cutters (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.  With your child, measure the water, sugar, and yeast into a bowl, and mix. Wait two or three minutes for the yeast to soften. Stir in one cup of flour. Then add the oil, salt, and remaining cup of flour. Ask your child to sprinkle flour onto the wooden board. Place the dough on the board, and knead for about five minutes. Put the dough into the bowl and cover it, letting it rise for about 45 minutes. Have your child punch the dough down, and work it into a ball. Next, separate the dough into smaller portions Using the plastic knives, forks, and craft sticks, help your child mold the dough into different shapes, such as letters, numbers, squares, circles, and spirals. Encourage him to decide what shapes to make or use cookie cutters. Place your sculptures on a baking sheet. Bake at 400º for 15 minutes.

• fine-motor skills
• measuring and comparing
• shape recognition
• letter and number recognition