So they had Meyer lemons at the grocery store. Those delightful little combinations of  lemon and orange that I just adore! And they are the perfect size for small hands to work with. So I set up our table with a bowl of cut lemons (Mr. T is not quite ready for a sharp knife yet, though he is doing beautifully with his table knife), a citrus press, a bowl for the lemon juice, a bowl of honey water (we don’t use refined sugar), a long wooden spoon and a pitcher to mix it all up in.

First things first, the citrus press had to be explored and then explained, but it only took one demonstration for Mr. T to get the hang of it. And then out came the tongue from the side of the mouth (a very serious marker of concentration!) and we were off!

I did have to help hold the press while Mr. T took out the used lemon and put it in the trash bowl and then put in the new lemon, but those things are a little heavy to use one handed for a little one.

We poured all the juice and honey water into the big pitcher and Mr. T began to stir. I didn’t even have to tell him to, he saw the spoon and went to work.

I then put the finished lemonade into a smaller pitcher for Mr. T to pour his own glass. He loves being able to do that for himself. And he also really loved the lemonade. A lot! He was very unhappy that I saved a glass worth for Daddy to have.

I really enjoy being in the kitchen with my little guy. These sweet moments of discovery are so very much a part of why I love being a mommy. If you don’t do kitchen activities with your little ones, I highly recommend giving it a try. Even thought it can sometimes be messy, and you definitely end up with extra dirty dishes when you are doing an activity geared toward little ones, you will find very few other activities that bring you both such a sense of accomplishment and closeness.

What are your favorite things to cook with your little ones?