Getting Started With Kids In The Kitchen

Getting kids involved in the kitchen can be a fun and educational experience for both parents and children. Not only do children learn important life skills but they also gain a sense of independence and confidence.

Children learn much more from what they see their parents do than what they are told by their parents.

So, simply by involving children in the kitchen you can set them up for healthy lives and healthy diets. This is so much more effective them instructing them to eat broccoli. I always laugh when I see parents force their kids to eat vegetables, yet the parents themselves don’t eat well. How can a child see the value of eating well when the are watching their parents do the opposite.

However, getting kids to participate in the kitchen can be a challenge, and it’s certainly not always clean!

Here are some tips to make it a positive experience for everyone.

Embrace The Mess

This is not a clean activity, but this is all part of the fun. Stressing over every splatter and crumb will only sour the experience.

The recipe won’t be exact, the cookies won’t all be the same size, and that is ok. Save precision for other times.

Set Ground Rules

This is importanrt for safety. No touching the chopping board, even if it’s not in use at that moment. Kids will always just reach for something yummy if they see it, if you are chopping something they like such as fruit, they will reach out and grab it.

Alternatively, depending on the age of the children, you chop in an entirely separate area that they can’t reach (especially for young children).

Get The Right Tools

Use big bowls to mix, like the biggest you can find. Children are still learning fine motor skills which in this case is stirring and pouring. A big bowl will allow ingredients to splatter and spill without making a huge mess or having to start over because your batter is all over the counter top.

Encourage Creativity

With every step of the way, from getting the ingredients out of the cupboard to measuring and stirring. Let their imaginations run wild. There will be some ugly creations and wonky cookies along the way… It’s all part of what makes the experience special.