Motivating children to want to learn about all those squiggles on a page and what they mean can be done by cooking together. Here’s a fun recipe to make mud that good enough to eat! 
Measure into the blender 1 cup of milk, 1/2 banana, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, and 2 or 3 ice cubes. Blend, pour and slurp. (from Pretend Soup).
A task that uses reading helps reinforce the concept that reading has meaning. While this is obvious to us, it is not so evident to little ones. Experiences like these help children figure out what reading is all about. Enjoy your muddy treat. Do you have any great mud recipes? Add them in the comment section for some more meaningful reading.