• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds

  • Home
  • Start Here
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Printables Terms of Use
  • Subscribe!
  • Printables
    • Free Printables
    • Classroom Organization Printables
    • Circle Time Printable Packets
    • Fall Printable Packets
    • Themed Printable Packets
    • Fine Motor Printable Packets
    • Dramatic Play Printable Packs
    • Literacy and Story Time Printable Packets
    • Color Recognition Printable Packets
    • Winter Printable Packs
    • Spring Printable Packets
  • Preschool
  • Toddlers
  • Lesson Plans
    • Preschool Lesson Plans
    • Toddler Lesson Plans
You are here: Home / Cooking / How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

This post might contain affiliate links. Click here for more information. Thanks for visiting!

How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

November 14, 2017 by Sheryl Cooper

Share
Pin
Tweet
Email

Inside: How to make delicious pumpkin muffins with toddlers and preschoolers – with some tips on making the process easier!

I will never forget the first time I did a cooking activity with my 2 and 3 year old students. I found the recipe and hauled all the ingredients to my classroom. I placed everything out on the table. I was so excited!

I opened my classroom door, greeting my sweet little friends, and invited them to join me at the table.

I fumbled to find the recipe I printed out. Then I gathered my measuring cups and spoons. I kept glancing at the recipe, making sure I would have the right amount.

My sweet friends tried to stay connected. They really did. But when I had to keep stopping to read the recipe and measure each ingredient, and then I had to stop and go soften the butter, and I forgot to grab a bowl for the dry ingredients…..

Well, I lost the attention of my little friends.

Several simply left the table to become engaged in something else. Some fidgeted and tried opening some of the ingredients that were at the table.

And then I realized I didn’t allow enough time for preparation, baking, cooling, AND eating in our mere 3 hours of class time.

It was not a pleasant experience and I decided that cooking with a classroom of kids was a lot of work.

Can you relate? 

But here’s the good news. I didn’t give up. I kept on creating those cooking activities, each time noting what did and did not work.

Fast forward 18 years. I think I’ve got this cooking thing down, my friends! And I’m going to share it with you. With this absolutely delicious pumpkin mix that I’ve been using with my own family. By scratch. Don’t be scared of that. It really is easy!

Hold my hand as I show you.

How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

Okay, first let me share some of my secrets. Ready?

  • Pre-measure the dry ingredients. I measure everything ahead of time and pour them into a sealable plastic bag.
  • Have small cups handy. At least 2 per child.
  • Have your wet ingredients measured out just before you start the cooking activity. Also, make sure the butter is softened and the eggs are ready.

Make sure the pan(s) you will be using are prepped and ready to go as well. You want as much done beforehand as possible so you can focus on the cooking experience itself.

Note: If you are doing this at home where it’s 1:1 with an adult, they can help you with the measuring. My pre-measuring is meant for groups of children in a toddler and young 3 year olds’ classroom setting, where we have limited adult help and perhaps not as much time.

How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

So, you might be curious what pumpkin muffin recipe was used. It’s actually a pumpkin bread recipe, but it worked just as well making muffins. Here is the recipe: Pumpkin Bread.

Go ahead and download or print the recipe. I will wait. Then make sure to come back here to see how I used this recipe with my toddlers and preschoolers!

How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

I have this 22 year old KitchenAide stand mixer that I adore. It handles anything! And while I could have easily used a hand mixer, or even mixed it by hand, I decided to haul that baby into the classroom because I knew my students would love it! (I was right, in case you were wondering.)

I poured all of my pre-measured ingredients into a bowl and then dipped the small plastic cups into the bowl to collect the ingredients. I gave 1 cup to each child and invited them to pour the ingredients from their cups into the mixing bowl.

They were fascinated on how this process worked. Especially every time I turned on the mixer.

Then, we added the wet ingredients and butter.

How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

Here’s another tip: use disposable muffin tins. I love that these come with liners! But, you can easily use your own muffin tins and either spray them with oil or use cupcake liners.

How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

I really wanted our little friends to see the baking process, so we walked to the kitchen and had a short lesson on how hot an oven is, and that we need to be very careful.

My co-teacher, Mari, placed the muffin tins into the oven. We set the timer for 30 minutes and went to the gym to for some indoor large motor play.

We then returned to the kitchen, 30 minutes later, and pulled our pumpkin muffins from the oven. Mmmm…. they smelled so good!

How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

We let the muffins cool while we had circle time.

When we gathered for snack time, we included half of a muffin for each child.

How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

Every single muffin was eaten.

Success!

How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Muffins with Toddlers and Preschoolers

Here are some more favorite recipes to use with toddlers and preschoolers:

Making Delicious Blueberry Cake with Kids

Quick and Easy Applesauce to Make in the Classroom

Easy Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

 

 

FREE CIRCLE TIME PLANNER!

Get your FREE circle time planner as a gift when you subscribe to my free weekly newsletters.

Here is my Privacy Policy

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit
Share
Pin
Tweet
Email

Filed Under: Cooking, Fall Activities, preschool, Toddlers Tagged With: cooking, fall, preschool, toddlers

About Sheryl Cooper

Sheryl Cooper is the founder of Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds, a website full of activities for toddlers and preschoolers. She has been teaching this age group for over 20 years and loves to share her passion with teachers, parents, grandparents, and anyone with young children in their lives.

Previous Post: « How to Make a Super Easy Fall Wreath with Toddlers and Preschoolers
Next Post: Favorite Toys that Help Develop Large Motor Skills »

Primary Sidebar

You can also find us here!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Looking for something specific?

Categories

Welcome! I'm Sheryl Cooper, teacher of 2 and 3 year olds for over 22 years. Read more about me here!

More Printables!

preschool printables

Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds is a participant in Amazon Associates.

preschool printables

preschool printables

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds · Privacy Policy