Banana Muffins and Math with children

What could be better than Banana Muffins, Math and Children?

Who loves to bake?  Let me just say something about myself and any recipes that I might share.  I really like having one “go too” recipe for each topic.  I will try different ones, until I find the keeper.  Any that I choose to share, are the keepers.  Tried and true.  Eaten by hundreds of small children for over 25 years.  These are at least worth trying once before you pass them up.

I really hope that you have as much fun with this process as we did. 🙂

Banana Muffins Recipe

Banana Bread Ingredients needed:

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 ripe banana’s
• 2 egg’s
• 2 cups flour ( whole grain flour works great also)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 chopped nuts (optional)

This recipe works wonderful when cooking in the kitchen with small children.  I started baking these muffins with my grand daughter when she was 4 years old.  In the pictures following she is the one teaching another 4 year old how to make them.  She is now 7 and apparently has learned much about baking.  It was really fun to see how much she has learned over the years.

Everything that I have in a picture are steps that your child can do.  Have fun, take a deep breath and watch them learn.

unwrapping the butter into the bowl

In a large bowl cream together Butter, sugar, then add egg, and vanilla.  Yes it is true that vanilla is not in the list.  That is the item, all really good cooks leave out, so yours is not as good as theirs.  Then you always wonder why mine doesn’t taste as good as her’s.  Well there is the secret.  Keep it to yourself, until you get old and need to pass it on.  

These were cracked into a small bowl to keep the shells out of the batter bowl.

When working with small children it is best to have them crack the egg into a small bowl.  This way if they get shell into it, the shell can more easily be removed.  Young children love to crack eggs.  With a bit of practice they get really good really fast too.

ripe banana’s in a ziplock baggie

Let your child peal the banana, put it into the baggie, then you might want to seal it.  This is really fun for them to do.  If you have more than one child, you can give them each a baggie to work with.  To much fun.  Then you dump this into the wet ingredients and mix together well.

As you are reading the directions, make sure that you point out the words and numbers of things that you are adding.  Such as 3 ripe banana’s, then have them count them.  For each item you want to do this.

When it comes to measuring 1 cup of flour, I usually use a 1/2 cup measure and make them realize that 2 – 1/2’s equal a whole.  This is really fun to watch when the light bulb finally goes off and they know the answer before you tell them yet again. Make sure you are using correct math terms and teaching them the correct answers.  This will give them practical understanding of the word problems that they will face when they are school age.

measuring dry ingredients

When adding dry ingredients I find it is best to put them all in the bowl on top of the wet before stirring any of them in.  Scrapping the heaping flour off with the back of a knife works really well for even measurements.  She is so proud every time she does it.

filling the muffin tins

Make sure that you spray the tins good so the muffins do not stick.  I tend to turn all my bread recipes into muffins.  They seem to bake more even, are less likely to be gooey inside and are easy to hand out to children.  Don’t freak out if the child gets it on the top of the pan, and misses the whole.  It is an easy fix.  They will get really good with time, if you show them how and let them practice.

all the steps the girls took to get these beautiful muffins done

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for approx. 20 minutes.  check them in 15, then extend your time until they are done.  You should be able to touch the top of the muffin and it will bounce back at you.

This is what the muffins should look like when they’re done.

I really hope that you and your children not only enjoy making these together, but eating them also.  This is an exercise of strengthening the mind, along with the parent child relationship.  Blessings to you all.  Granny

Banana Muffins

 

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

A must-try recipe that is great to cook with children.

Author: Cindi A Mom's Take

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 cups flour ( whole grain flour works great also)
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl cream together Butter, sugar, then add egg, and vanilla.
2. Peel the banana and put it into the baggie and mash the bananas. Add the mashed bananas into the creamed ingredients and mix.
3. Add your dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda and nuts (if desired) and stir until well mixed.
4. Spray your muffin pan. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
5. Bake for approx. 20 minutes. Check them at 15 minutes and extend your time until they are done. You should be able to touch the top of the muffin and it will bounce back at you.

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