Animal Pancakes - Fun & Healthy Recipes for Children
Posted by EYR Team on 21st Feb 2020
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Pancake Day is crêpe-ing upon us... So let the kids join in with the flip-tastic fun and create their very own animal pancakes. This deliciously healthy animal-themed pancake recipe is a great way of getting fruit into the children's diet – even those fussy eaters!
Why is it important to cook with kids?
It is important to involve children in the cooking process from an early age as it is an essential life skill, which allows them to employ basic concepts of early maths and science within the real world. Children will not only be able to explore new and different food groups, but it will also help to develop their confidence, problem-solving, teamwork, hand-eye coordination and communication skills.
So how can toddlers help make animal pancakes?
Before you start making your animal pancakes, ask the little ones to help you find the ingredients and count out the right number of ingredients needed. For example, ask them to find 2 eggs or 10 blueberries, or measure out 100g of flour. This will not only help build their vocabulary but also utilise key maths skills.
One way children learn is through sensory exploration and making pancakes is definitely an exciting sensory experience! The kids will enjoy scooping, pouring and mixing it all together. Cooking uses all of their senses and helps develop the children's fine motor skills. Just be prepared for the very messy fun to commence!
How to create your animal pancakes
Spark the children's creativity and imagination by letting them create their very own animal pancake creation! Whether you're making American-style pancakes, allergy-free pancakes or the classic crêpe (we used a combination of American and classic), the children will enjoy the messy fun of prepping and decorating them. To create our animal faces, we used a range of fruit toppings to promote and encourage healthy eating.
Lion Pancake
To create a lion pancake, you will need to decorate it with:
- Strawberries - sliced for mane and nose
- Blueberries - for eyes and mouth
- Banana - circular slices for eyes
[Alternatively, use orange segments for the lion’s mane]
Monkey Pancake
To create a monkey pancake, you will need to decorate it with:
- Strawberry - thinly sliced for mouth
- Blueberries - for eyes and nose
- Banana - circular slices for eyes and ears
Mouse Pancake
To create a mouse pancake, you will need to decorate it with:
- Strawberries - sliced for ears and thinly sliced for whiskers
- Blueberries - for eyes and nose
- Banana - circular slices for eyes
Dog Pancake
To create a dog pancake, you will need to decorate it with:
- Strawberries - sliced for nose and tongue
- Blueberries - for eyes and mouth
- Banana - circular slices for eyes
Alternatives
For some more wholesome fruity deliciousness, you could also try and experiment with other fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, grapes, orange segments, sliced apples, pineapple pieces, sliced lemon and mango chunks... And create even more exciting animal pancakes such as a pig, an owl or even a ladybird - enjoy!
[Top Tip: Blueberries and bananas make great eyes]
If your child is intolerant to certain pancake mix ingredients, try Pure Family Food's Easy Allergy-Friendly Pancake Recipe.
As always, we would love to see how you get on! Share pictures of your masterpieces with us on social media by tagging us or using the hashtag #ExploreWithEYR.