This week the children made a bumper batch of bubble bread dough in group time.
The dough rose in the fridge for two days and two nights. Come Thursday, it was bubble flat bread time. The children used flour and quick fingers to ensure the sticky dough didn’t stick to their hands or the table and skilfully shaped their dough into flatbread shapes. The children then observed the bbq, listened to the crackling coals and smelt the smokey aroma of the fire. We saw cold water evaporate into a giant cloud of steam as it hit the hot metal of the bbq. We observed the dough transform from its sticky state into crispy, brown flatbreads.
Finally, it was snack time! The children chose between butter, jam and cheese before spreading their chosen topping.
As with all activities at THNS, Bubble Bread Flatbread making is truly a cross curricular one.
Communication and Language; as the children follow instructions, answer questions and pose their own, listening to the reflections of friends and adults and putting into practice what they hear!
Physical Development through both fine motor and gross motor muscle use and coordination; pouring ingredients, folding and stirring the heavy dough and manipulating it with deft, nimble, yet firm fingers and hand movement, spreading toppings upon the bread….none of these are easy feats for any hands and eyes… let alone such little ones..
Personal, Social, Emotional Development; following safety and multi step instructions when making the dough, handling the dough, sitting by and moving around an open fire as the bread cooks, supporting friends in difficult tasks and reflecting upon both their friends’ their own thoughts and ideas.
Maths (Number and Numerical Pattern); Counting out ingredients and measuring out the cups, recognising small quantities (subitising), counting out the seconds until the bread is cooked and ensuring we have enough of everything to share. .
Knowledge and Understanding of the World (Science in this respect); speaking about the role of yeast and observing the changes in the dough from initial mixing, fermentation, stretching, flat bread forming and cooking, observing the fire, heat and steam and processing and speaking about the pictures their senses are painting.
Of course all of this is irrelevant to the children…
who had a fabulously fun, challenging time amongst their friends and had something delicious to share at the end of it!
