APL at home
APL aims to make learning more joyful and playful, but that doesn't have to only take place in the classroom! Our mission is to bring APL into your home, helping kids connect with their classroom lessons through engaging, hands-on activities that make learning both fun and effective.
Cooking together
APL is bringing the Meals in a Bag initiative to bring active playful learning to your home in an everyday activity such as cooking. You can use these ideas while you cook and include your child(ren) in the process! We encourage you to use the prompts/questions below to get your kid(s) engaged, thinking, practicing math skills and learning by your side! Here you can find simple questions and easy meals that can provide children the opportunity to learn and grow through joyful experiences!
Learning at play:
- Math skills: sequencing, measuring, numbers, simple calculations
- Everyday skills: critical thinking, collaboration, communication.
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What ingredient do we need first?
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How much should we add?
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If we add one more, how many will we have?
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Are these cans the same size or different sizes? Which is taller? Which is heavier?
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Do you think it will taste sweet or salty?
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Set the table with forks, knives, and spoons. How many of each utensil are needed? How many total utensils does that make?
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What is your favorite part of the meal?
Sample questions to spark your child's active playful learning, while cooking:
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How long do you think it will take to make this?
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What time should we begin cooking if we want to eat our meal at 6:00 PM?
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If we double the recipe, what happens to the ingredients?
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About how many minutes do you think this has been cooking?
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What is the capacity of this can? Which can holds the most volume?
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What new cooking skill did you learn today?
Spark their thinking:
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Why did the texture of the [...] changed?
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What do you think would have happened if we had added more of [...]?
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Why do you think we use heat to cook [...]?
Simple recipe ideas
Ham and Bean Soup
Ingredients:
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1 can diced ham or canned ham
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1 can great northern beans
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1 can mixed vegetables
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1 bouillon cube (chicken or vegetable)
Instructions:
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In a pot, combine all ingredients with 1-2 cups of water.
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Simmer for 10-15 minutes. ENJOY!!
Optional: side of crackers or cornbread
Cinnamon Swirl Sheet Pan Pancake
Ingredients:
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1 box all-purpose baking mix
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Brown sugar
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Cinnamon
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Cream cheese frosting
Instructions:
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Mix the all-purpose baking mix with water according to the package instructions. Pour the batter onto a greased sheet pan and spread evenly.
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In a small bowl, combine a few spoonfuls of brown sugar with cinnamon (to tase) and just enough water to form a thick, syrup-like paste.
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Drizzle or swirl this mixture over the pancake batter.
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Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until the pancake is set and lightly golden.
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Warm the cream cheese frosting slightly (10-15 seconds in the microwave) and drizzle over the warm pancakes before slicing into squares. ENJOY!!
Chili Mac
Ingredients:
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1 box deluxe mac & cheese
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1 can chili (with or without beans)
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1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
Instructions:
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Prepare macaroni & cheese per box instructions.
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Stir in chili and diced tomatoes.
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Heat until warmed through. ENJOY!!
Chicken, Gravy and Potatoes
Ingredients:
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1 can chicken
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1 packet chicken gravy mix
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1 packet instant mashed potatoes
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1 can green beans
Instructions:
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Prepare mashed potatoes per instructions.
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In a small pan, mix chicken with gravy per packet.
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Serve chicken and gravy over potatoes with beans on the side. ENJOY!!
Other fun Active Playful Learning ideas:
Cooking Magic Together
Invite your child to measure out ingredients, count plates and utensils for the whole family, name shapes of cooking tools, and guess how much food will fit on a plate.
Skills at Work
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Number relationships
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Quantity identification
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Measurement
Grocery Quest
A trip to the grocery store is a great time to practice sorting, money or fractions! Younger children can count out items such as apples or sort fruits and vegetables by colors into different bags. For older children, pick an item from the shelf and together figure out what combinations of coins and bills you could use to make that amount.
Skills at Work
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Number relationships
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Measurement
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Problem-solving
Shape Walk
For younger children, play “I spy” to find shapes. Use guiding questions such as “I spy bricks that have a rectangle shape. They all have straight lines and they have 4 sides. Can you find other rectangles”? Challenge older children to find more advanced geometric shapes and elements such as parallel lines, perpendicular lines, and angles (i.e. street signs).
Skills at Work
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Representation of math
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Shape identification
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Pattern recognition
Sort and Solve
Doing laundry? Putting away dishes? Cleaning up toys? Engage your kids in sorting by size, color, or pattern. If you're using laundry, let them help separate clothes into light and dark piles. If you're cleaning dishes, have them sort silverware into groups. With toys, have them group them by size or function.
Skills at Work
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Number relationships
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Measurement
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Quantity identification