Photo by Matthew Septimus Baking is not only fun, engaging, and educational for children, it is something you can do together.And you get to eat the results! I love children and always have.Three decades or so ago, when I was trying everything to have children of my own, my close friend and colleague Elizabeth Karmel sympathized and compassionately suggested that she would share her nephew August for me to give a class in baking cookies.

He was only about 4 years old, but she said he was exceptionally bright, so I should try it.And cookies are an ideal starter for learning baking because they are more forgiving, and the small size makes it relatable.She bought him my Rose’s Christmas Cookies book, and the class was a great success.

It went on to become a yearly tradition, and soon, he was joined by his younger brothers.I had a degree in teaching at the high school level from NYU.But the classes for those three young boys were what taught me the exceptional value of teaching baking to kids.

I learned that it teaches so many essential life lessons: art, science (the value of weighing), patience, math, sharing, and love.And as extra motivation, they get to lick spatulas, eat the final results, and share them with friends.They ended up licking the spatulas so enthusiastically, they destroyed several by biting through them! Two special teaching experien

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