sarahtraversHow to help your kids use the kitchen with ease full guide
Whilst your kids may be in and out of the kitchen every day (probably asking for yet another snack- iykyk) to get them cooking will require a bit of setting up.
Yes, you could skip some of the tips below. But anything that will reduce the potential for them to discover a new hazard or cause a mess that you will then have to focus on cleaning will make the whole process more enjoyable for everyone.
These tried and tested setup tips have helped my kids grow in independence and help me be far more relaxed about the whole process.
So this is my full guide: how to set up your kitchen to get the most out of cooking with kids.
1. Be able to reach
It seems silly, but making sure your child can reach the surface is the first step.
You may choose to cook with them at a kitchen counter, or a dining table may work better for you. This also may change depending on who is helping them (see the tip about different adults in this post).
If you are using a kitchen counter making it accessible is a must. You could use a learning tower but I have personally found that we do not have the space to store this in our kitchen and they are heavy to move around.
We have used a version of these steps for years now. I love that they are lightweight so easy for me and my kids to move them around (and yes this has included them being used in the living room as part of an obstacle course).
I also like that they have handles for easy climbing on when they are really little. Plus the handles keep them a bit contained (like a learning tower) so when they reach to get something they at else likely to slip off the step.
But of course, it doesn’t matter what you choose as your child’s ’platform’ what is important is they can reach what they need without having to stretch.
2. Have out only the things you need
This one might seem a bit obvious, but for little kids, it’s even more important. This is for several reasons.
Firstly, because it reduces overwhelm with trying to understand to recipe, identify then find the ingredient before then trying to use it.
It also means they are less likely to knock something over or start putting fingers in the wrong ingredient if there is too much to work with.
You may even need to go one step further with this by using the next tip to help manage the ingredients for the recipe.
3. Moving things around the kitchen
If you are working with really little ones or children not used to cooking this can be helpful.
I have found having the ingredients out ready on another counter in the kitchen and then only putting in front what is needed now or next is helpful. Then move ingredients out of the way as they have been used.
This is also great for you to facilitate as it means your child can focus on the recipe whilst you can keep an eye on but not get too much in their way. This is the goal to be moving towards for their independence.
4. Recipes with cups
Now we have talked a bit about the practical set-up of the kitchen, having an easy recipe that your child can follow is a must.
For beginner bakers, you need one with a few ingredients and a few steps. You want to be able to support them but if possible find a recipe that they are able to do most of the work rather than just assisting.
Recipes using cups for beginner bakers are far easier than ones with grams or ounces (depending on your part of the world).
Why? Because when a child is trying to read, measure, handle ingredients and follow instructions. That’s a lot for them to deal with.
Cups are a simple measurement that only will need 1 or 2 which is easier to deal with than 100 grams. It’s likely that little kids also haven’t started to deal with these larger numbers at this stage.
We can also talk more about being full and getting this accurate measurement which is more appropriate for this age group.
A bonus is that we can also introduce simple fractions in a practical way at this point. So instead of grabbing a ½ cup – show it in the cup. This is real-life learning. And it’s so simple to do.
5. Plate trick
This isn’t an essential kitchen set up but this hack has been a game-changer for me!
One of my biggest issues is mess. This has really helped contain the inevitable flour spillages (it’s always the flour).
All you need to do is put a small plate under any cup you are measuring into. This can also mean you can still use any of the excess that lands on the plate.
It’s also great with eggs. We usually use a mug as it’s easier to break the egg (and check for shells) then the plate again can collect anything that spills down the side.
This has honestly been a game-changer for us. Bonus points if the plate is dishwasher proof for even easier clean up.
I have more mess-reducing tips on the post 8 ways to reduce the mess in the kitchen when cooking with kids.
6. Knives
I know this is one of the scariest things about kids being in the kitchen.
If they are going to cook they need to know how to use a knife safely. We would be very limited in what we could make if we avoided knives!
There are several things to think about when it comes to helping kids learn how to use knives for cooking.
First is the knives that they are using. Now depending on their age and experience you could be starting off with a wooden knife like this one.
We have always skipped this step and gone for bigger plastic ones. In the knife progression, there could also be a number of other steps. But we have used this knife set for a few years now and quickly moved on to a small sharp metal knife.
The plastic ones are useful for getting the action of cutting. Whilst working with soft things like strawberries and bananas. Without the worry of cutting little fingers.
This also leads nicely into the second part of knife safety which is teaching how to use it. And the plastic knife set is great to use for this.
We need to show kids how to hold knives for cutting. How to hold what they are cutting still and also how to do this accurately so we can as much of the food being cut as possible.
Sounds strange, but one of the big things kids will do when cutting is slice anywhere and end up wasting most of the strawberries they are cutting.
We must show them how to cut with accuracy and this can most easily be done by showing and not telling (check out this post about showing and not telling to learn about how powerful this can be).
7. Ovens and heat
This is the other part of cooking which may just terrify you when cooking with kids. And again you are not going to let your 4-year-old put everything in the oven all by themselves on the first day.
With heat, the first step is to talk and make clear that this is a hazard. There is no need to go in-depth as to why, just that we need to be careful around it.
Show them how to safely open the oven door and stand back if any steam is released. Show them how to put things in the oven with gloves and two hands.
We even have a small pair of oven gloves so they can take part once they are ready. They mostly like to put them on to open the oven, and go to put the tray inside but decide it’s too hot so I take over.
When it comes to using the hob (or stove depending on your part of the world)- get them watching what you do by bringing their steps close. Explain the hazards and let them watch them closely build up to having a stir and then doing it themselves. Also, make sure you explain they need to hold the handle.
Bonus learning point here. Use the numbers on the dial for number work! The stove is great for single-digit numbers if you have them. Ask your child to turn it to a specific number. And oven temperatures are an ideal teachable moment for using hundreds and tens.
8. Jars vs bags
This has been a bit of an experiment which I have gone back on forth on. Is it easier to scoop ingredients straight out of the bag or store in a jar/tin and scoop from there?
Now you may be storing ingredients like flour in a container for other reasons so scooping from there will just make sense. I share some tips to help reduce mess when scooping in the 7 ways to reduce mess post.
I have found kids do seem to find it easier to control scooping when using a jar (especially when it’s fuller) as it’s more sturdy. But to start with they will still need help.
If you are scooping straight from the bag, rolling the bag down or even removing part of the bag as you go further down the bag can help kids manipulate it.
9. Stepping in
This is the hardest part of the cooking process when working with kids. When do I help and when do I leave them to it?
This will depend on their experience with cooking and also reading recipes. Sometimes this is age dependent but it’s not always the case.
A big thing to remember is that it doesn’t need to be perfect. We often picture a beautiful bake at the end of a cooking session. But as with most learning, we must appreciate the steps taken to get there and not be task-oriented.
It’s also okay if your child doesn’t do every step by themselves of the recipe or read every step. It is more important to have a go. I often step in towards the end of recipes when they have already done a lot of the ‘hard work’. And sometimes they just do the reading of the recipe to get some reading practice in.
It can also be a bit of art when to step in. Our role as adults is to show or model how things are done. Direct them with the next step or know when to say nothing at all.
Getting kids to cook and use recipes is important. It’s not always easy, even though kids have been cooking with their parents for generations.
Use these tips to make cooking with your kids just that little bit easier so everyone can enjoy this important experience.
Content Disclaimer
The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this blog post are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this blog. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this blog. Sarah Travers disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this post.