How Kids Can Help in the Kitchen
Managing meal preparation and toddler(s) simultaneously can be a daunting task. You can make it easier by having your little ones help in the kitchen. Instead of having to cut playtime short so you can go cook (the cause of much toddler angst), start cooking a little earlier and call it playtime. Here are a few things I’ve found even my two-year-old can do:
- Pour. With plastic measuring cups and a guiding hand from an adult, kids can fill bowls with all kinds of things, and improve their hand-eye coordination at the same time. Sometimes it’s best if you pre-measure everything first, and have the cups all lined up, ready to go.
- Mix. Spoons and pots, even empty, are natural kids’ toys. When you’re ready to try the real thing, use a larger bowl than you normally would, and stand by to block splashes and ward off random tastings.
- Knead. This has the same appeal (if not the same colors) as Play-Doh. Dust your kids’ hands with flour, and go at it. (You’ll probably need to do a minute or two by yourself at the end, to make the dough really form a ball.) I’ll sometimes knead up a dough with my son before his afternoon nap. While he’s napping, I shape it and give the bread its second rise, then put it in the oven in time for dinner.
- Snap. Green beans are great for this. Trim the ends as needed, yourself, and let junior break the beans into two or three pieces and put them in a bowl. Fresh beans with a good “snap” sound are particularly satisfying.
- Shake. Making salad dressing? Put the ingredients into a small plastic container with a tight lid, and your child can shake it up.
- Season. Shaking spices on or into dishes is great fun. Stand by to grab the container if your child gets too enthusiastic, or make sure your recipe can handle a little extra oomph. (Don’t try this with chili powder.) A squeeze-handled pepper grinder also works well.
- Snip. Once your child is old enough to use kids’ safety scissors, you can buy a pair just for food use, and let your child cut up parsley, chives, and other herbs.
Who knows? You could be raising the next Julia Child or Wolfgang Puck.
Filed under: Fun, Household Chores, Kids' Activities, Kitchen and Food
[...] I realize I’m a bit of a cook-it-yourself snob. It’s probably an overreaction to our prepared, pre-processed, pre-cooked culture. I also think it’s useful for kids to be involved (in an age-appropriate way) with all the steps of food preparation. It gives them a better understanding of what’s involved, and teaches them useful skills for later in life. (And yes, take them to a farm, too.) I do see value in make and take during the holidays or at other times when getting the food prep done and keeping the house clean is of the essence. And for those of you who simply hate chopping and might find make and take useful, I’m happy to pass along the information. Happy cooking, however you do it. by D @ 5:21 pm. Filed under Household Chores, In the Kitchen [link] [...]
[...] Once you’ve found a recipe, don’t forget to have the kids help make it. by D | posted in In the Kitchen [...]
[...] Seems reasonable, though it’s hardly new advice. Balance in all things. We don’t ban television in our house, but we do limit it, and try to be in the room rather than use it as a babysitter. My solution for how to make dinner with a toddler in the house? Don’t sit them down in front of the television—have them help. by D | posted in Child Development, Entertainment, Health and Safety [...]
[...] Engage your children in household chores. You’d be surprised how early you can do this—pretty much as soon as they can walk. Having your non-boring child help with boring chores is one of the best ways to make an old task seem new. Play train as you drag the laundry basket down the hall; play basketball as you shoot the clothes into the washer. Have them help in the kitchen. This takes more time than doing it yourself, but it’s a whole lot more fun. [...]
[...] And don’t forget there’s a fine line between Play-Doh and cookie dough. Having kids help in the kitchen can be as entertaining as any “artsy” craft. I recently wanted to cook some eggplant slices, so I had my three-year-old “paint” them with oil using a basting brush before I put them on the grill. [...]
[...] Young adults who cook their own food tend to have better overall diets than those who don’t, according to an article in December’s Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Among the 18- to 23-year-olds studied, those who were very involved in food preparation were likely to eat more servings of fruits and vegetables, for example. One more reason to get kids helping in the kitchen from an early age. [...]
[...] Iron Chef Cat Cora appears in this month’s Parents magazine (and on their Web site), talking about cooking for her two young sons. Her youngest, at eight months, gets jarred organic food, and her four-year-old gets whatever everyone else is having. “I attribute his good eating habits, at least in part, to the fact that I hardly ever make a special meal for him.” Her other trick is to get her eldest involved in food preparation. I’ll confirm that both tips worked well with my son (and I’ll cut her some slack for not wanting to make her own baby food after spending all day in a kitchen). Here are my own ideas for how kids can help in the kitchen. [...]