LITTLE CHEFS BIG HEARTS: HOW KIDS THRIVE IN THE KITCHEN
Jack has been cooking in the kitchen with me since he could sit up. He has always loved watching me cook and by the time he was able to sit up in the Sit-Me-Up seat, he was playing with the whisk and stacking measuring cups.
For Christmas, right before Jack turned 2, my mom bought him a Kitchen Helper Stool which quickly became his favorite place to be! I love this stool because it is adjustable, so both of my boys have been able to use it.
Jack really took an interest at being more independent in the kitchen about a year ago. It started with him wanting to make his own peanut butter and jelly sandwich and he’s slowly added more skills…cutting fruits and vegetables, making his own salad, making scrambled eggs and helping me with various things on the stove.
Every time he’s in the kitchen he asks if he can record it for YouTube 🤣. He’s such a ham and recorded this “cooking show” last summer.
Korben has always loved playing kitchen. He would take goldfish and use all of my measuring spoons and mixing bowls to mix them back and forth. He loves helping me make pizzas for our Friday Movie Nights. He’s very particular about each person’s pizza and loves adding all the toppings. He’s not super interested in helping me with much else in the kitchen yet, but he loves being the taste tester, especially if I’m cutting up fruit!
As I’ve chatted with different friends, so many are nervous about letting their kiddos have some freedom in the kitchen. Here’s a couple of things to remember:
They will probably make a mess and that’s OK. It’s also a great teaching moment for cleaning it up.
Knives and heat can make them nervous, but when they see you use these tools in a calm and appropriate manner, it helps to calm their nerves as well. A healthy fear is not a bad thing, but letting it paralyze them from experiencing new things can be.
Embrace their creativity. Do they want to add cheese to their PB&J? Go for it! They will either love it or hate it.
ENJOY THE MOMENT!
I’ve also created a list of Age Appropriate Kitchen Skills. These are just ideas and I would always encourage you to use your best judgement to determine if your child is ready for each set of skills.
