By Ursala Hudson
Special to The PREVIEW
After washing up and donning oversized plastic gloves, the 4-year-olds in the Seeds of Learning Ladybug classroom began forming the beginnings of their morning snack in the palms of their hands. Culinary chef, native Pagosan and Ladybug mother Nikki Macomber led the week’s cooking lesson on how to whip up authentic meatballs using a simple yet flavorful recipe straight from Italy.
Some of the playdough hobbyists masterfully rolled the mush into light, uniform balls, while others were satisfied with simply getting their patted meat onto the baking pan before it fell apart. They lined up the balls into the straightest rows they could manage and Macomber slid the pans in the school oven to bake — just long enough for a little play break before snack time.
After witnessing only the finest and freshest ingredients get grated, chopped, crumbled and folded in the big steel bowl — and skillfully baked by a credible mom — each child boldly tasted the warm creations as soon as they were plated in front of them. A couple boys speculated that they tasted an awful lot like blueberries, the majority recognized the fresh Parmesan flavor and everyone agreed that they were worth devouring to the last crumb.
On a regular basis, parents and community members visit the various classrooms at Seeds with unique lessons from their area of expertise. From art and music projects, to science and naturalism, the children are exposed to hands-on experiences that spark further inquiry and broaden their perspectives.
Seeds of Learning is a nonprofit, high-quality early child care and education center in Pagosa Springs. If you are interested in learning more about the center, please call 264-5513 or visit www.growingseeds.org for more information and a tour of the center.
