I don’t know about your kids, but my kids love to get in the kitchen. They’re always asking if we can bake cakes or if there is anything they can help with.
I think getting kids in the kitchen is a vital life skill. Teaching them how to rustle up the most basic of meals can be one of the first steps to steps to independence.
Why Should We Be Cooking With Kids?
Yes, ok, cooking with kids isn’t everyones cup of tea. The mess, the safety issues, just the disorganisation would send some people in a state of sheer panic. But there are benefits to cooking with kids. Hear me out…
- Cooking is an important life skill.
- Cooking teaches pre-reading skills as we ‘read’ the recipe.
- Cooking teaches sequencing skills – following instruction.
- Cooking uses early maths and number skills. Such as counting, weighing, measuring and timing.
- Cooking is a chance to talk, communicate and educate about food, why our bodies need it and how they use it. As well as where foods come from and what we can do with them.
- Cooking is great for social skills by sharing, turn taking and working together.
- Cooking is a great way to practice gross and fine motor skills … use those arm muscles to stir the batter, and strengthen those fingers squeezing icing from the piping bag.
- Working in the kitchen you teach your children safety skills – that the oven is hot, knives are sharp etc.
- A sense of pride and achievement for the kids as they see what they have made! Plus they are more likely to eat it because they have made it!
Hints, Tips And Tricks For Cooking With Kids
- Start with easy, no cook, mess free recipes such as fruit salads
- Before you start, wash hands and wearing an apron is important. Also tie up long hair. You don’t want to be find hair in the food now do we?
- Prepare yourself for mess. Accept it and help the kids to clean up.
- A butter knife or serrated plastic knife (even a disposable one) will cut lots of things but won’t cut little fingers.
- Kids love to have a little taster along the way. If you don’t want fingers in the food, prepare some testers on the side.
- Find a time when you are not rushed. A time when you have no plans or commitments and don’t have to rush.
PIN ME FOR LATER
Recipes For Cooking With Kids
Right, now we have established why we should be cooking with kids and how to make it that little bit easier. Let me share with you some of my fellow bloggers recipes that are suitable for cooking with kid.
Deborah from Country Heart and Homes Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes
Flap Jack recipe from Attachment Mummy
Frozen Yogurt Bites from Mummy 2 Twindividuals
One Pot Fruity Buns from Boo Roo And Tigger Too
3 Princesses And 1 Dude shared their Cheese and Chive Scone recipe
Pizza Hotdogs from Hodge Podge Days
Debbie from My Boys Club Vegan Sausage Roll recipe
Dairy Free Pizza from Mammy To Two Boys
Back With A Bump shares their Veggie Muffins
Jam Heart Biscuit recipe by Baby Not Included
Plus my very own…
Let me know if you give any of these recipes a try! I would love to know how they turn out!
Don’t forget to check out my Cooking with kids Pinterest board
My kids were always in the kitchen with me and now my grandkids are in the kitchen with me. Found you on Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop.
Cute! My son is starting to get more interested in my baking and I can’t wait for him to join in on the fun. Thanks for adding this to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! I’m going to pin this because it is so important to get kids involved in the kitchen, but you’ve got to go about it the right way.
Colleen recently posted…Green Velvet Waffles Make Breakfast Fun!