Fun time Cooking with the Kids

Cooking up some fun with the kids

Getting the kids involved in cooking is a fantastic family activity all year round and there are many ways to get them involved, no matter how old they are!

In the kitchen, children can learn maths skills, practice fine-motor coordination, make choices about nutrition, and of course, learn basic cooking techniques. Making foods from different countries is also a superb way to start conversations about other parts of the world.

 

Measure and Pour:

Very young children can watch as you measure wet and dry ingredients, explaining the terms ‘teaspoon’, and ‘tablespoon‘. Once you level the dry ingredients, your child can pour them into a bowl. This is a great time to practice counting (to keep track of how many cups or teaspoons are already in the bowl).

As children get a little older, around 4 or 5 years old, you can start letting them pour or scoop ingredients into measuring tools. Teach them how to level dry ingredients by using the straight edge of a knife or metal spatula, and how to check liquid measurements at eye-level.

School-age children can continue to measure and count on their own, but this is also a good time to introduce conversions (i.e., 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons) and measuring by weight.

 

Stirring and Combining

Very young children can practice stirring batters and combining dry ingredients using a wooden spoon, a fork, or a spatula.

Pre-schoolers can start learning to use different techniques, including beating or whipping ingredients using a whisk. When they stir ingredients together, teach them to scrape the sides to incorporate everything.

School-age children can begin using hand-held electric beaters and learning new techniques like folding when using airy ingredients.

 

Preparing Ingredients

Even the youngest children can help with preparing ingredients by fetching things from the refrigerator, assisting with the salad spinner when you clean greens, and rinsing fruits and vegetables.

Preschool kids can start tearing lettuce for the salad, scrubbing potatoes to clean them, and cutting soft foods (like olives and strawberries) with a butter knife or dull plastic knife. They can also begin learning how to crack an egg.

Make sure school-age children are aware of knife safety before letting them use the “grown-up” knives. It’s up to you to determine when your child is ready for these serious tools, but peeling vegetables and cutting ingredients are great jobs for older kids. You can also start teaching culinary skills like grating, chopping and dicing. Another great skill to teach at this time is how to separate an egg. Just make sure you have extras!

 

Cleaning up

Small children can help with clean-up tasks by using a small brush or broom and handheld dustpan on the floor. They can wipe up spills on the counter using a tea towel, and put away clean utensils that are safe for them to hold (great for practice in sorting!).

4- to 5-year-olds can add to these cleaning skills by using spray bottles of nontoxic cleanser to spray the counter before wiping it clean. They can use brooms or mops on the floor, and help with the dishwasher by filling the soap compartments and pushing the ‘start’ button.

School-age children can begin washing dishes and loading the dishwasher. When the dishwasher is finished, they can put away things in the cabinets and drawers that they can reach.

For all ages, make sure to reinforce these skills and habits by making cleaning fun, praising kids for independence in the kitchen (even when they make a mess), and holding kids accountable.

 

Tips and Notes

1.    Make sure your children are always aware of kitchen safety. Establish rules and stick to them.

2.    Cook with your children when you have time to be patient with them, not when you’re in a rush  to do dinner. You want your kids to associate family cooking with positive feelings, not with anxiety and impatience.

3.    Neat freaks: Relax! Kitchens are messy places, and kids are messy people. Don’t worry about a few spills, and let the kids help clean up even if they don’t do it perfectly. You can fix it later (when they’re not looking).

4.    Give your child ownership. Maybe this means your child has his or her own recipe box to fill with favourite recipes, or special colourful measuring cups and spoons. Your children might have their own aprons and kitchen towels, too. Also consider including your children when making your menu for the week.

5.    Make sure to let your children know when they’ve done a job well! Thank them for helping you in the kitchen, and celebrate their accomplishments together.