Mini toad-in-the-holes

KIDS the writing in bold is for you. GROWN-UPS the rest is for you. Cut the sausages with scissors. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 6. If the sausages are linked, get your child to use a pair of scissors to cut them into single sausages.

Count the sausages. Place 2 sausages in each hole of a 12-hole muffin tin and go through all the maths this involves – two times table, counting up in twos etc. Drizzle each set of sausages with a little oil. Children from about seven upwards can now place the tin in the oven for 20 mins until the sausages have browned, getting a grown-up to turn the sausages halfway through.

Crack some eggs. Over a small bowl, get the child to hold the egg in one hand, then tap it with a cutlery knife until it just cracks. Then get them to put down the knife and open the egg into the small bowl. You can now check for any bits of shell before tipping it into a larger bowl. Repeat with all the eggs – this should keep them busy.

Make a batter. Get the child to measure 150ml flour in a measuring jug and tip into a bowl with the mustard powder. Make a well in the centre and beat in the eggs. Measure the milk.

Pour in the milk. Gradually pour the milk into the batter – get the child to whisk well between each addition – until you have a mix that is the consistency of double cream. Season. Pour the batter back into the jug.

Sizzle the batter. Remove the sausages from the oven and place on a heatproof surface. Very carefully, and making sure that they don’t touch the hot tin, get the child to pour the batter over the sausages and throw a sprig of rosemary into each hole. Only get children aged seven upwards to do this. A grown-up needs to place them back in the oven.

Cook in the oven. Leave the batter to cook for 15 mins undisturbed. But if your oven has a clear glass door, let the kids watch the batter rise. Remove the tin from the oven. Leave to cool for a few mins, then serve with gravy, mash and vegetables.