Letter and number cookies

Isn't this an excellent way to learn! Kids have fun making letters and numbers and then... eating them.

There are children who memorize letters and numbers easily, but for others the task is harder. Here's another fun activity to help kids with this: let them make cookies in the shape of letters and digits. They can also prepare the dough, if cleaning isn't a problem for you :). Having fun is in the first place, of course.

Usually they start with the letter their name begins with. Then they pick and eat letters that resemble them of things they like: mom, a cat, a princess, and so on.

I'm sure every mom has her favorite recipe for cookies. I use the following:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 egg white
• 3 table spoons sugar
• 6 table spoons chopped butter
• 2 table spoons orange juice

Pour the flour into a mixing bowl, add the butter and rub it into the flour. Stir in the sugar, egg white and juice. Mix well to form a soft dough. Use the dough to shape letters and digits, put them onto a baking sheet covered inside with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, and bake for 15-20 minutes.

My older daughter is 6 years old, she's holding a cookie with "her" number on this photo.

More fun learning ideas:

• Letters on bottle caps
• Homemade alphabet practice pages