Preschool Pesto

There was still a lot of basil left in our gardens that hadn't been used.  It was getting colder, and we talked about how if the air gets too cold at night, it makes it so the basil cannot grow anymore.  One way to use it up: Preschool Pesto!

The kids absolutely LOVE working in the kitchen.  They are so engaged, and consequently, they are learning so much.  We picked a whole bunch of basil from the garden, and brought it inside.  After spreading it out, a bunch of little fingers helped pick off all those leaves and get them ready to wash.  One kid didn't want to pick the leaves, so his job was to be a basil watchman.  He watched the leaf pile for any leaves that didn't look green enough (too yellow, too black), and take them out.  Once they were washed, we packed them into the food processor.

Kitchen work is packed full of math problems for preschoolers: counting, measuring, setting timers and temperatures, etc.  Sometimes, it's fun to just put a little of this and a little of that in, without careful measuring.  We added to the basil: a little parmesan cheese, a little olive oil, some sunflower seeds, some salt, a little more olive oil, maybe some more cheese. . . (you get the picture).

The blending is always fun for them, and a good chance for them to practice their turn-taking skills.  They keep track of whom is going when after whom.  Usually, they are pretty accurate.

I must say, it turned out to be pretty delicious!