The SEE Cafe is Open for Business!

We had such a fun filled week! The classroom was transformed into a cafe complete with cooking station, server station, and fancy tables for our restaurant. Before the cafe opened, we had to "train our staff." We talked about who works in a restaurant and what their role is. The children also practiced walking with a tray - slow and steady!

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the fun really began! The teachers cooked up the most delicious waffles and the children took turns being the server. The guests were given a choice of waffles with blueberries, strawberries and/or whipped cream.  On their order sheets, the servers checked off what their guest ordered and prepared the correct order before bringing it out to the table.  The children were absolutely adorable and took their job very seriously! 

After the excitement of the cafe was over, the children were presented with different foods that look the same but are very different. For example, sugar vs. salt and lemon applesauce vs. regular applesauce.  First up was sugar vs. salt. The children were encouraged to use their senses to try and figure out which was which.  The children determined that it looked the same, felt the same and smelled the same. When it was shaken, the children reported that they both sounded like maracas! So our final sense, taste, was used to solve the mystery. Sure enough, our sense of taste was our most useful sense in helping us figure out which was which.  Again, our senses were helpful in helping us figure out which apple sauce was sour and which was sweet. Just like before, our sense of taste was the most useful!

To wrap up the week, the children made ice cream using some very simple ingredients: whole milk, vanilla and sugar plus ice and salt to make the magic happen (aka the chemical reaction!). To practice their new recipe following skills, the children first gathered all of the utensils (measuring cup, 2 ziplock bags), then all of their ingredients and finally, their recipe.  After the ingredients were added to a ziplock bag, the ice and salt were added to the second ziplock.  The ingredients bag was sealed and placed inside the ice "bath." Next step: shake, shake, shake and shake until you can't feel your hands any more (the teachers took over when it got too cold using oven mitts to complete the chilly process - perfect for a snowy morning). Final step: test your creation! It was a big hit in the classroom!

Home Extension Activity:

If you didn't have a chance to visit a restaurant, now is a great time to do so! Your child will be able to see a real restaurant in motion and he/she will be able to place an order with the practice they're had! Also, if you find yourself snowed in tomorrow, why not mix up a batch of vanilla ice cream?! You can also use cream, instead of whole milk, to make an even yummier creation. You can also mix in your toppings before you shake it all up! Yum!

Upcoming Dates and Reminders:

April 3: April Tuition is due

April 17-21: SEE closed for Spring Break
April 25 & 26: School picture days! Stay tuned for more info!

Pictures from the Week:

Cookin' up some yummy waffles!

Coffee beans were added to the sensory table to make the classroom smell like a real cafe!

Taking an order!

Explaining all of the waffle options

And the ice cream taste test! Everyone agreed it was yummy!

Have a great weekend!
Stay warm and enjoy the last bit of snow that's on its way!
Joanna