Allowing kids to help out in the kitchen is an excellent way to get them feeling more involved during mealtime and may even open their minds to trying new foods. Kids are sponges, constantly learning from the people around them. This includes times when we are making dinner or baking sweet treats, so why not let them be a part of the process? For some, this may sound like a nightmare, but we assure you that with this age-appropriate guide, your little ones will be the extra set of hands that you otherwise would have never known you needed in the kitchen!
Cooking Tasks for Ages 3-6:
While younger kids may not be able to do as much as your older kids, kitchen tasks give them something to occupy their time with while you’re completing the more difficult cooking steps. Additionally, it gives them a new skill that they can continue to learn as they grow. For this age group, a parent or guardian will be more involved with each step. A great idea to introduce young children to being involved in the kitchen is through baking. Measure out the ingredients that you will need and have your little helper add the ingredients to a bowl and mix. Talking through your steps out loud in front of your kids can also help them with some basic math skills. For example, if you need one cup of flour, you could demonstrate how you are going to use two half cups instead to add up to one cup.
This recipe for vanilla blueberry muffins is a great starter recipe for anyone who is interested in getting kids to help out in the kitchen. Specifically for ages 3-5, muffins are the perfect way to allow your kids to learn new skills and taste their accomplishments! Consider using larger mixing bowls than you typically would be prepared for messier mixing, as well as having a whisk or spatula ready to go for them to get straight to their task! The less waiting around there is, the better. Lastly, remember that this is all a learning experience for them. Have patience and try to let them learn on their own as long as there is no risk of harm. Here’s an extra tip: Use cupcake liners with fun colors or patterns and let your kids place them in the muffin tin.
Cooking Tasks for Ages 7-9:
Once your kids are a little bit older, you may introduce skills like chopping, measuring, and pouring. These are all skills that require some maturity in the kitchen. Fruits and vegetables are a great place to start when it comes to learning chopping and slicing.
We recommend using kid-safe plastic kitchen or standard butter knives so that they can practice using a knife without the fear of someone getting hurt. Starting with soft or tender fruits and vegetables like strawberries, bananas, mushrooms, and zucchini typically have pretty high success rates. As they master these, move on to foods with a harder texture but that can still be easily managed with a weaker knife such as celery, cucumbers, and carrots.
Still not confident your kid is ready to handle a knife in the kitchen? Try starting them off with kitchen shears or a hand chopper instead!
There are many ways for kids to get involved with preparing our Choose Homemade sheet pan chicken fajitas. Grab your plastic kitchen knives, a stool, and a cutting board and set your little ones up with the bell peppers. Kids may need extra assistance when first learning how to chop or slice. Cutting the bell pepper in half and removing the seeds before giving your kids a chance to slice is a great way to ensure that they can handle the task more easily and without confusion. This also helps to prevent any accidents from happening and allows your child to focus on learning the skill at hand.
When it comes time to serve the meal, everyone can build their own fajitas and have a choice in their toppings. Doing buffet-style toppings bars is a great way to get the whole family involved in meal preparation and gives kids even more choice in what they are eating, and since they made it they might be more willing to try something that they normally wouldn’t. The end result is a delicious and healthy meal that everyone can enjoy, with the added bonus of watching your children grow their cooking skills.
Cooking Tasks for Ages 10-12:
It’s great to see your kids growing up and becoming more independent in the kitchen. They can take on specific tasks like slicing apples for a pie or cracking eggs for an omelet, which not only helps you but also builds their confidence and skills. It’s important to continue to involve them in this age group by giving them specific and independent tasks while still being supervised, as it can help speed up the cooking process.
Here’s a breakfast idea that your kids will love – fluffy pancakes! This recipe is super simple and perfect for getting your little ones involved. You can use a griddle or a pan for this recipe, but make sure to keep a close eye on your helpers. Once you’ve mixed the batter, let your kids help pour it onto the hot surface. When you see small bubbles peeking through the batter, the pancakes are ready to flip. Let your kids use a spatula to carefully flip the pancakes over to cook the other side. It may take some practice, but they’ll get the hang of it in no time! These pancakes have an endless possibility for tasty toppings like maple syrup, bananas, peanut butter or even chocolate chips. This choice also lets your kids’ creativity shine and makes their cooking experience that much more enjoyable.