My son’s playgroup decided to try out the new Kids Pantry playgroup sessions and what a lovely foodie experience for little people it was.

The kitchen is located in the St Peter and Paul Primary School in Garran and there was a definite Masterchef vibe with sparkly stoves and bench tops all at kid height and a thriving kitchen garden just outside the door.

When I told my cousin I was taking Ned a long to a cooking class she suggested that if I got Ned started on cooking early enough then he might be destined for fame and fortune as a Masterchef.

‘Forget fame and fortune’ I said, ‘I just want him to start cooking dinner for us’.

I should mention that he’s only 15 month’s old, but surely he’s not that far off whipping up a mushroom risotto with a crème brulee to follow. Surely.

And so in a crowded room, the kids donned their cute little navy aprons and prepared to make Apple and Sultana muffins.

The average age of participants was about 3 and I think this is probably the target audience of these sessions but any child old enough to be impressed by stirring can join in and our kids seemed to enjoy.

Host and owner, Theresa Bradaric, has the perfect mix of enthusiasm, calm and fancy chef host about her, and her assistant happily doled milk and eggs into the kids’ individual bowls as the kids continued on with their set task which was to stir and to stir.

Once the muffin mix was loaded into the mini muffin pans, and the hosts had popped them in the oven, it was out to meet and feed the chickens; what a positively farm-like kind of experience on a cold Canberra morning!

And then it was on to the veggie patch to identify vegetables, squash tomatoes between little fingers and generally poke about.  A few minutes after our host had talked about how eating spinach makes you strong I hear a three year old saying to her Mum ‘eating spinach makes you strong’…now that has to be music to ears of any parent.

We headed back inside because the muffins were done and it was time for the kids to sample their cooking.  Little paper bags were handed out for take homes in case they couldn’t all be eaten but Ned and his friends had no need for those as they inhaled the muffins and no doubt thought ‘gee, I cook a whole lot better than Mum.’

All in all, it was a delightful experience, both fun and engaging for the kids.  We’ll be back for sure.

I recommend the playgroup sessions at Kids Pantry which run every Friday morning during school term.  They’re $15 and you can book online at Kids Pantry.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://hercanberra.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/jillian.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Jillian Kaleb is originally from Maitland but has lived in Canberra since 2003. While she misses her family and friends and the beach she is now married to a Canberran and recently gave birth to one and admits that Canberra is a pretty good place to live. She’s a public servant and loves travel, reading, writing, movies, running, chocolate and coffee. When she grows up she would like to write for Neighbours.[/author_info] [/author]