When is Pancake Day?
Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day as it is sometimes known, is a traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – was traditionally a time of fasting, and Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to use up eggs and fats before embarking on the fast, pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients. As well as eating pancakes it is traditional to have pancake races and toss pancakes!
Pancake Day Activities:
Have some fun on Shrove Tuesday with some fun Pancake Day ideas that can support learning and development in your early years setting. Try them out with your classroom and let us know how you get on this Pancake Day via our Facebook or Instagram page!
1. Have a pancake race!
Explore the age-old tradition of pancake tossing with a variety of activities! Why not set a timer and see how many times the little ones can toss their pancake? Or set a group of children in a race to flip their pancake 5 times and see who is the quickest! A great way to incorporate counting into physical development.
2. Explore measuring and counting
Maths forms a crucial element in the process of making pancakes as children measure out the different ingredients. Support the little one’s learning by seeing if they can do this unassisted.
Why not turn the decorating aspect into a maths activity also? Ask your children to put 2 strawberries, 4 banana slices 5 chocolate chips etc. and see how well they can count each of these elements out.
3. Practice sequencing
Try our free Pancake Day download and cut out pictures for each step in the recipe to place in the correct order. Next, fold the recipe book and stick each image inside to create your very own recipe book!
Test your recipe using play food and Bakers Mixing Set to encourage imaginative play! Take turns to whisk the mixture and measure the ingredients!
4. Try new things!
Let’s talk pancakes! Discuss the various types of pancakes with children and explore different toppings with them – do they prefer the taste of savoury or sweet toppings? What can they mix and match? Does the topping taste sweet, salty or bitter?
5. Make Pancakes!
Why not try one of our fabulous Pancake Day recipes such as animal-themed pancakes or delicious allergy-friendly pancakes – children can get creative with their pancake design and toppings.
As well as real pancakes – children can engage in Pancake Day crafts. Get creative with paper circles and design the ultimate pancake with crayons, paints and stickers or practice stacking and flipping with our Rubber Backed Number Disks.
Did you know?
On Pancake Day, “pancake races” are held across the United Kingdom. The tradition apparently started in 1445 when a housewife was so busy making pancakes that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells ringing for the service. She raced out of the house to church while still carrying her frying pan and pancake, tossing it to prevent it from burning.
The pancake race is still a common festive tradition in the UK, especially in England. Participants with frying pans race through the streets tossing pancakes into the air and catching them in the pan while running.
We would love to see how you get on with these EYFS pancake day activities! Send us pictures of your masterpieces on Facebook or Instagram and don’t forget to use the hashtag #ExploreWithEYR.
