FAQautism

Teachers, therapists, and family members often request ideas for interesting learning experiences for individuals with autism. Cooking Stone Soup is an activity that people of all ages and levels of ability can enjoy as a large group activity or with just two people.

Listen Now:

Standard Podcast [ 5:20 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Use your own words to tell this old folk tale about selfishness and sharing, then enjoy reenacting the story and cooking Stone Soup. First, the story. The people in the village were starving because of the long drought. Each family horded what few vegetables they had left, hiding them so they would not have to share with their neighbors. One day, a very old lady hobbled into the village. Everyone peeked out their windows to look suspiciously at her. Not one person opened their door when she knocked, but just hoped she would go away. It was as if no one lived in the village because everyone huddled in their dark cottages. The lady sat on a stump in the middle of the village and built a small fire. She pulled a large pot out of her knapsack and added water. Then she reached deep into the knapsack and put something into the pot. She stirred the pot for hours before one man cracked his door open, then walked suspiciously over to the woman. “What do you have in there?” he asked the woman. “Ah…it is my special soup,” said the woman. “Do you want some?” It smelled so good that the man could not resist. He practically ate the soup in one spoonful because he was so hungry. The good soup made him feel generous, so he said, “Why don’t I add some dried beans to this soup?” He eagerly ran to his cottage and came back with some beans to add to the pot. The other villagers slowly began to come out of their cottages. After tasting the wonderful soup, they all added potatoes or celery or rice or chicken or other food they had been hording to the soup. Everyone in the village ate their fill. Later that night, as the villagers were singing around the soup fire, the old lady took her secret ingredient, put it in her knapsack, and hobbled to the next village. Her secret ingredient? A LARGE, SMOOTH STONE!

RECIPE FOR STONE SOUP
1 smooth stone, about the size of an egg or bigger
1 can chicken broth
1 can beef broth
Any combination of the following: chopped sweet onion, diced or shredded cooked chicken and/or beef, diced tomato, diced new potato, diced celery, can of pinto or black beans (drained), can of corn (drained), diced carrots, can of green beans (drained), 1/2 cup pasta or rice, and anything else that looks good.

STEP 1: Tell the story of “Stone Soup” or check the book out of the library to read. STEP 2: Take a hike through a field or beside a river or stream, looking for a smooth stone. Or purchase a smooth stone in a hobby store or garden center. Boil the stone in water for 5 minutes. Let the water cool before taking it out and rinsing it well. STEP 3: Take a trip to the grocery store and let each person pick out one or more of their favorite stone soup ingredients. STEP 4: As you re-tell the story, encourage everyone to put the ingredients in a large pot at the correct time in the story, beginning with the stone. Put the pot on the stove and simmer until ready to eat. STEP 5: Add some good bread or rolls, a fresh fruit salad or green salad, and ENJOY!

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

Automatically generated related posts:

1. Boxes and Bags “I’m looking for some quick, simple ideas for capturing the...
2. Two Birds with One Stone Our daily supply of energy and time never seems to...
3. Gift Giver It can be difficult to find a personalized, meaningful gift...
4. Gardening It is springtime in my little corner of the world...