The special task duo of Tomasz and Kajetan took up the challenge! Our chefs prepared workshops sushi, but unique because it's designed with children in mind. They decided to make their first encounter with Japan's most popular dish in a version that would encourage kids to further experiment with flavors. First, a dose of knowledge. The kids learned a few interesting facts about Japan, its symbols, and, of course, its food – now ask yourselves if you know everything there is to know about the land of cherry blossoms. Why is the Japanese flag a red circle on a white background? Why do the Japanese eat with chopsticks and not forks? Do Japanese cherry trees bear fruit, or just bloom beautifully?
While preparations for the main part of the workshop were underway in the second room, the brave preschoolers acquired theoretical knowledge and, chopsticks in hand, began to practice. However, before using the chopsticks, they had to prepare sushi. It was interesting. None of the children had ever rolled sushi rolls before. However, they had plenty of practice rolling modeling clay and were eager to try making sushi.
The children learned about nori and that it contains many vitamins and minerals, but we preferred to start with their favorites: pancakes. Exactly! A slight surprise turned into a genuine smile, because what child doesn't love pancakes? Everyone had a station set up with a bamboo mat, a pancake, and toppings of chopped vegetables and fruit. The learning began. The preschoolers took the topic seriously. From the lesson Kajetan had given a few minutes earlier, they remembered what sushi was and what it was made of, so they knew perfectly well that the pancake needed to be topped with rice. They succeeded. It was time for the toppings, and they could choose between fruit—strawberries, mango, bananas—or vegetables—bell peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, and cream cheese. The roll was made from a pancake, so most of the children chose the fruit. The joy of applying the ingredients with their hands made the children have a great time, and they were able to create the roll they liked best.
The icing on the cake was the colorful sprinkles! Some people got quite a bit of them, but the sprinkles are magical because they're naturally colored sesame seeds, which, when they come into contact with rice, will turn it a variety of colors.
The first roll is done. It's time for some seaweed sushi.
Despite the health benefits of algae, the children were a bit hesitant to touch this dark green, hard leaf. They were convinced by the fact that they could take this roll home and treat their parents to homemade sushi. Once again, rice was on the menu, and this time, vegetables, and they didn't give up on the colorful sprinkles either...
Time to learn how to eat with chopsticks…
Everyone tried their best. The colorful chopstick covers certainly made things easier, but at least a few chopstick-eating techniques emerged. The hungrier ones ate with their hands, but only when Kajetan and Tomek weren't looking.
At the end of the workshop, each participant received a diploma and packed a sushi set to take home.
We consider the workshops to be very successful.
We can confidently say it was learning through play. And while the Japanese wouldn't appreciate us writing about play in relation to food, it's true that the freedom children have to create their own meals with their hands makes them more willing to try new flavors. Even if it requires using completely different cutlery than the ones they normally use.
Cooking with children is a wonderful adventure, check out how to prepare sushi at home.
