Did you know when kids help in the kitchen, it creates an interest in food and cooking. When you invite children into the cooking process, they’re more likely to eat healthier and feel more confident.
Kids of all ages can help in the kitchen. From as young as 2 years old through the teen years, cooking with children is a beneficial practice. Take the kids grocery shopping and let them help choose ingredients that appeal to them. Give your children a choice between fruits, let them pick their favourite vegetables, or give them options between potatoes, rice, and noodles. Kids are more likely to eat meals they have a say in.
While little ones can’t help with every aspect of the meal prep, you can still give them special jobs to help them feel like a part of the process. Young children can help wash the vegetables and fruit, stir ingredients together, and some aspects of setting the table. At 5, kids can help pour, crack eggs, measure, and mash. Older kids can help with chopping, stirring pots on the stove, measuring, and pouring.
Cooking also gives you an opportunity to reenforce math and reading skills. Kids can learn how to follow directions and comprehend instruction. They’ll learn why it’s important to follow exact instructions and how to measure the correct amount of ingredients or to double a recipe. Learning opportunities should be subtle, kids will be more receptive if they don’t see it as a school lesson.
Pay attention to what your kids are most interested in. If they love prep work, let them help in that area more or if they enjoy mixing and cooking, let them take the lead. Wherever they help, keep them safe. Teach kids about safety measures when around hot surfaces and always watch them around the stove. Let kids chop and peel but teach them the safest way first.
Make your kitchen family friendly, don’t ask the kids to leave, ask them to help and enjoy what they’ll bring to the table. If you want a bigger kitchen to cook in, check out our available apartments and condominiums in Alberta today.