Ideas for celebrating Pancake Day and how it relates to the Early Years Learning Framework

Pancake Day is a beloved holiday celebrated around the world. It also provides a unique opportunity for families to bond and have fun in the kitchen. By participating in the process of making pancakes, children can learn many valuable skills, many of which relate to the Early Years Learning Framework (which focuses on developing a child’s cognitive, physical, and social abilities). In this blog post, we’ll explore the significance of Pancake Day and share tips on how children can get involved and make the most of this fun-filled day.

Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, is a traditional Christian holiday that takes place on the day before Ash Wednesday. It is a day when people traditionally use up indulgent ingredients (such as sugar, butter and eggs) before the start of Lent, a period of fasting and self-discipline. The holiday is celebrated around the world, with different countries having their own unique traditions – just like we do at Choklits!

In the UK, for example, Pancake Day is a time for families to get together and have fun making and eating pancakes. At Choklits, we all come together and celebrate the day in a similar way, but we have our own unique spin on the traditional recipe to ensure our little learners have super healthy pancakes to eat. Using fruits like apples and bananas to sweeten the flavour instead of adding white sugar ensures our pancakes at Choklits are some of the healthiest you can find.

Getting children involved in Pancake Day is a great way to help them develop important skills. Cooking is a valuable life skill that can help children to develop their cognitive, physical, and social abilities. Children can learn about different ingredients and how they are used to make pancakes, as well as measuring and mixing ingredients, using utensils, and following a recipe. The Choklits Educators will facilitate age-appropriate experiences in each room for all children to take part in. All of these activities can help to develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

When it comes to the Early Years Learning Framework, Pancake Day provides many opportunities for children to develop their skills. For example, children can develop their literacy skills by reading recipes, learning new vocabulary words related to cooking, and following written instructions. They can also develop their mathematical skills by counting and measuring ingredients, and by using scales to weigh ingredients.

The Early Years Learning Framework also focuses on the development of children’s physical abilities, for example, using their small groups of muscles. Children can develop these fine motor skills by using utensils, measuring ingredients, and stirring pancake batter. 

Through a shared group experience, Pancake Day also provides an opportunity for children to develop their emotional and social skills. Cooking with others is a great way to develop teamwork and communication skills, and children can also learn about sharing and taking turns. At Choklits we also learn about different cultures and traditions associated with Pancake Day and why it is celebrated in different ways around the world.

Finally, as well as learning about how to interact with others and build social skills like taking turns, Pancake Day supports children to build their understanding of the world around them. At Choklits, we learn about different cultures and traditions associated with Pancake Day and why it is celebrated in different ways around the world. This helps the children to share respect and knowledge about other ways of being. 

In conclusion, Pancake Day is a fun and educational holiday that provides many opportunities for children to develop their cognitive, physical, and social abilities. By getting children involved in the process of making pancakes, they can learn valuable life skills such as measuring ingredients, following recipes, and using utensils. They can also develop their emotional and social skills by cooking with others and learning about different cultures and traditions associated with Pancake Day. So, this Pancake Day, why not gather the family and have some fun in the kitchen while helping children to develop important skills!

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Written by Choklits author Dee Wasserfall.