Cooking with Kids

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Cooking with kids can be a challenge if you do not set you and them up for success from the beginning. My granddaughter loves to cook with me in the kitchen, and she has been helping out since she was two-years-old. When I post pictures of her helping, my friends ask how it’s possible to have little ones helping.

I have to admit that it does require patience, especially with a three-year-old in the kitchen who wants to do and try everything. Even things that I know she can’t do, she wants to try. So, how do you cook with children despite their limitations?

Younger Children (6 and under)

For this age group, you will want to provide them with a sturdy place to stand so that they can reach the counter or stove where you are working. I prefer the kind with the no-slip steps and adjustable for their height like the one below.

This allows the child to be able to reach the counter without being too high or too low. The no-skid/no-slip steps are perfect for the kitchen.

When cooking with children who lack the coordination to crack eggs or measure correctly, you can pre-measure, pre-crack, and just prepare ahead of time with all of your ingredients. My three-year-old granddaughter just likes to dump and stir at this age. She finds it fascinating and considers it helping. This age group can stir, pour, and dump ingredients. Older kids may be able to help pour and measure, but be prepared to check behind them before it goes into the pot or bowl.

If concerned about coordination around the stove, you can do what I do, and that is to place the pots that are hot on the back side of the stove, and bring them forward to place ingredients into. My granddaughter cooks veggies this way. I have cold water in the pot, she dumps frozen veggies in, and then I turn on the burner. She knows the burners are hot.

You can also have them chop things that are not as hard, like potatoes or apples with plastic knives. They can also peel with a vegetable peeler. You will probably peel and chop faster than they will, but they just want to help.

Older Children (7 and up)

The hand-eye coordination is much better. They should be able to help more in the kitchen. It will still require some patience, and in both scenarios (younger and older) know that cleaning will be a part of both groups, and you can teach them to clean behind themselves. This is, after all, a great teaching opportunity.

Depending on their height, they may be able to participate more in the cooking process. You will even be able to teach them knife safety at this age. If concerned about potential cuts, they do make cutting gloves for children.

This age group can do more than you think. Allow them to do what they can and let them know that they can ask for help if needed.

Having children help you in the kitchen is a great bonding moment. I did this with both of my children, and when Christmas came around, we had a huge Cookie Day where we baked and decorated cookies and other goodies to give away as well as eat. It was a great experience watching my son the other year (we missed out this past Christmas due to his accident) teaching his children the same thing that I taught him at their age. He’s not very patient at times, and I had to remind him that I felt the same way, but he had to let them make messy mistakes, and it is okay because they will be proud of their creations.