Cooking with children requires time, patience, and some extra cleanup, especially when the children are younger. But it is well worth the effort.
Cooking can provide a great outlet for bonding with your child. Some of the lessons children learn in the kitchen reinforce what they’ve been learning in school, like basic math (counting eggs, pouring water into measuring cups), science (exploring with senses: listening to a mixer, pounding dough and watching it rise, smelling it bake in the oven, then tasting it) and language skills (reading a recipe together and introducing new vocabulary, listening skills developed when following steps in a recipe).
Start off with tasks that can be easily executed. This will encourage your child to keep on trying, and they’ll feel very good about themselves when the task is complete. Here are some examples of simple tasks to get your “little chef” started in the kitchen:
- Stirring and adding ingredients
- Tearing lettuce
- Helping to read a cookbook by turning pages
- Sprinkling cheese
- Using cookie cutters
- Pouring ingredients that are cool/cold
- Setting the table
When cooking with children, always stress safety. You must establish all the rules before getting started:
- What is OK to touch and what will hurt them
- What is strictly for adults
- Proper hand washing
Including your child in the kitchen can encourage a more adventurous palate and healthy eating patterns. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce healthy eating choices into a child’s life. More importantly, cooking with your “little chef” can boost their self-esteem once the task at hand is complete. Children are usually proud of their cooking accomplishments!
