Pairing cooking and reading aids in healthy eating, literacy and school readiness for preschoolers

Poor academic skills in the early educational years place children at risk for school failure and dropout, delinquency and running away, as well as unemployment or underemployment in adulthood. School readiness is incredibly important to the elementary years. Yet nationally, teachers report more than one third of kindergartners are not ready for school.

Children gain critical school readiness skills by engaging in real-life, meaningful activities. One example is cooking with parents, which can help increase abilities in math, science, reading, language, motor development and social skills. A program through University of Nevada Cooperative Extension has taken family cooking classes one step further, by bringing books into the curriculum. “Little Books and Little Cooks” has operated since 2012, with materials revamped in 2022.

The program provides preschool children and their parents in three counties the opportunity to cook and read stories together. In 2022, the program was delivered 19 times in a seven-week series, drawing attendance from 134 families. Each series lasted 1.5 hours, totaling about 200 hours of virtual and in-person workshops reaching families at at-risk elementary schools, libraries and community centers across a diverse demographic composition.

According to the pre- and post-series survey, parent satisfaction was high. All participants said they’d recommend the program to friends and family, and significant positive changes were seen in all measured metrics, including:

• Reading more books about healthy eating and nutrition.
• Cooking more often with their children and children more confident in using cooking equipment.
• Buying more fruits and vegetables.
• Children more able to listen to stories without interrupting.
• Children more willing to try new foods.

In addition to enhancing school readiness, the program fosters healthy eating habits, parental knowledge about nutrition and positive family interaction.

Project supported by non-profit grants and contracts funds. Photo courtesy University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.