Preschoolers often talk about the foods they love to eat at the lunch table, so we decided to try a new sweet dish together. Jaspreet shared an idea she had and wanted to teach the children about an Indian sweet called “Pinni,” which is traditionally eaten in winter during a festival called “Lohri.” We first talked about Lohri and why it is celebrated. Lohri is a Punjabi harvest festival celebrated on January 13th. People celebrate by gathering around bonfires, singing songs, dancing, and enjoying special foods made with sesame seeds and jaggery, symbolizing prosperity and celebrating new beginnings for new brides and newborns.
Jaspreet set up the table with all the ingredients needed to make Pinni. The children were excited to see the bowls and asked what was inside them. We looked at the ingredients together, which included roasted sesame seeds, coconut, jaggery, dates, and oil. We began by smelling the ingredients. Fox smelled the coconut and said, “This looks like salt and sugar.” Next, Sadie mashed the dates in a big bowl using a masher. Then we added all the other ingredients into the blender. Colin asked, “Are we making a smoothie?” Evan and Ahrloe added spoonfuls of coconut and sesame seeds, and Sadie added jaggery. As Jaspreet closed the blender lid, Fox said, “You forgot water!” Jaspreet explained that we were not making a smoothie, but mixing everything to make sweet balls. Fox shared that he knew the blender would make a loud sound and spin the ingredients. Each child took a turn pressing the blender button while Jaspreet held it safely.
After blending the ingredients together, we added oil to help bind the mixture. Birdie mixed it with a spoon. Then we used our hands to roll the mixture into small balls. Jaspreet showed the children how to do it, and everyone had a turn. Sadie watched carefully and copied the hand movements using both hands. Lana, Hannah, and Ahrloe made tiny balls and laughed as they showed them to Jaspreet. Once the sweet balls were ready, we had the opportunity to eat them together at lunchtime. The children were happy to eat the sweets they had made themselves.
Through this experience, the children learned about a new cultural festival called “Lohri” and a traditional winter sweet from another country. They explored different ingredients, fostering their senses of smell, touch, and taste. The children practiced fine motor skills while mashing, mixing, and rolling the mixture into balls. They developed language skills by asking questions and sharing ideas. Taking turns and working together helped build cooperation, patience, and social skills. Overall, the activity supported cultural awareness, confidence, and learning through hands-on experience.
