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Box Clever is an innovative company providing parents with exciting educational packages to use at home. Box Clever's online store can be found at www.boxclever.wahmall.co.uk Here Vicki Hill, owner of Box Clever and a qualified early years teacher, talks about how parents can turn their kitchens into a fun filled learning environment.

The kitchen is often the heart of the family home yet it is sometimes a place where we avoid taking our youngsters. Is there any wonder? A kitchen can be a hazardous place not to mention a messy one, yet if carefully planned it can also provide the ideal learning environment for youngsters at home.

The best way for pupils to learn any lesson is through actively taking part in activities. The kitchen is a wonderfully, practical learning resource. Here are just a few ideas to keep your child entertained whilst educating them at the same time!

Most children (and adults!) enjoy playing with dough. A simple recipe to make your own dough is to get 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt and mix with half a cup of water. You can use food colouring in order to dye the dough - beware until you have mixed it in thoroughly it will also dye your hands so I wear disposable gloves for this bit! Let your child help you to make the dough. You could write out the instructions first and encourage them to read them through with you. Even if your child cannot read, seeing you following instructions will give them a good understanding that print can be used for a variety of purposes. Once your dough is ready to go you can encourage your child to manipulate it, reinforcing language such as pulling, kneading, rolling and stretching. You can discuss the different colours of the dough too.

Gloop is my all time favourite kitchen activity. Gloop is simply a mixture of cornflour and water. Mix it in a shallow tray for the best results. You will know when it is the right consistency by placing your hands into it. It should be made up to syrup consistency. Children love playing in gloop. You can encourage them to try and write their name in the gloop or to draw different shapes in the mixture with their fingers.

Water play teaches youngsters about capacity. A washing up bowl filled with water and various different containers such as old yoghurt pots and plastic bottles, makes a good introduction to work on full and empty. I often add a little food colouring to the water so that it is easier to see when in the containers.

It is vital that youngsters learn about safety in the kitchen. A good place to start is through a baking activity. Prior to the cooking you can work on hand washing, donning aprons and cleaning work surfaces. Using the oven with your child leads you nicely into a discussion about the dangers in the kitchen. And the most important part of the lesson is the clearing up! It is good practice to encourage children to help you to wash up and clear the equipment away.

I hope that this has given you a few simple ideas relating to using the kitchen as a learning environment. Above all else have fun with your child!