Family Traditions &

Food of the Philippines

What well learn today:

Supplies:

1. How families pass down traditions

Cellophane
noodles (one 8-14
ounce package)
Cole slaw lettuce
with shredded
carrots (one 14ounce package)

1 small onion (pre-

cut in kitchen)
Garlic Powder (1

tbsp.)

Soy Sauce (1 tsp.)

Dixie cups & paper

2. Common Tagalog words and phrases

3. How beans can be used in unusual ways (i.e. for cellophane noodles)

Activities:

plates (1 per child)

Extend
the Activity!
Sprout & grow beans in
your preschool garden.
OR
Make homemade hackysacks with socks and
different dried beans.

Document
the Day!
Measure & record
noodle lengths before
and after hydration.
OR
Document childrens
favorite beans in an
entry Beans I like and

why.

Read a story about family traditions. Example: Cora Cooks Pancit.

Encourage children to discuss their own personal family traditions. Ask:
What special activities does your family do when spending time together
or celebrating holidays?
What special foods does your family make for these events?
Introduce common Tagalog (Tah-gaw-log) words and phrases used in the
Philippines:
Mom (mom), Tatay (dad), Lolo (grandpa), Lola (grandma),
Pakiusap (please), Salamat (thank you), Tuloy Po Kayo (youre
welcome)
Ask: Who cooks in your family? Encourage children to use the new Tagalog
words to answer.
Indoor nutrition activity option: Pass around uncooked cellophane
noodles and have the children explore their texture. After, hydrate the
noodles for 30 minutes. Have children make a hypothesis about what will
happen to the noodles after they soak in water. Allow the children to
discover any changes to the noodles, once hydrated.
While the noodles are soaking, take the time to describe the components of
a traditional Philippine pancit noodle dish.
Have children measure out pre-prepared ingredients using measuring
cups. Once all the ingredients are measured, have the kitchen saut
them with the noodles, and offer at lunchtime or with snack.
During their mealtime, have children practice the other Tagalog words for
please, thank you, and youre welcome. Have children use a traditional fork and
spoon to eat the pancit dish. Explain how in Filipino culture, the fork is used
in the left hand and the spoon is used in the right hand.
RELEVANT VOCAB TO LEARN:

Tradition, Customs, Volume, Weight, Area

Hacky-sack relay

Form children into segmented relay lines and

encourage the following relay activities in each line:
1. Have first child balance hacky-sack on head and walk to
the next station.
2. Have the next two children gently toss the hacky-sack
back and forth until they reach the third station.
3. Have the next child shuffle like a penguin with the hacky
-sack in between his or her feet to the next station.
4. Have the next child climb on all fours with the hacky
sack balancing on his or her neck to the last station.
5. Repeat the activities again, this time going reverse
through the stations, so that each child can participate in
more of the relay activities!