Laying a foundation for a healthy attitude to food starts long before children are old enough to independently prepare a simple meal. That confidence and know-how is far more likely to come later if you are willing to invest the time in teaching them when they are young and impressionable.
I think it’s important to encourage an interest in food and cooking right from toddlerhood, and my three have all cut their cooking teeth alongside me from as young as two. No, we don’t start handing out small appliances for them to use, but they begin by measuring and stirring to build confidence and encourage participation.
My two-year-old, Clara, has taken to lugging a chair from the dining room table into the kitchen and pushing it up to the counter whenever she sees me setting up to cook or bake. I spend a lot of time keeping busy in there and she’s noticed that it’s a fun (and tasty!) place to be, so it’s only natural for her to want to emulate my kitchen activity.
It’s important to remember that all children are different, however. Interest levels and attention spans vary vastly, and you’ll know just how much to attempt with your child. Over the years I’ve learned a thing or two about cooking alongside very small children, and I’m a lot more relaxed with Clara than I was when her older brothers were her age.
Today I’m going to share a few pointers for teaching toddlers in the kitchen:
Start them with a toy kitchen
For very little ones (9-24 months), start them with a toy kitchen and go through the motions of stirring, cutting, etc. If it holds their interest, you’re off to a good start.
Work one-on-one
Instead of managing a whole pack of siblings at the counter, plan to work with one child at a time and make the most of those teachable moments.
Pick a recipe with instant results
A child’s interest in food preparation is piqued when he or she can sample the end result quickly. Smoothies, fresh juices, salads, wraps and sandwiches are all good options for “fast food”. My kids love my easy Hemp cocoa bites, which are a healthy treat that come together in just a few minutes.
Prep ingredients ahead of time
If you are baking, or have a lengthy list of ingredients for a particular recipe, aim to measure them out and line them up before you invite your child to join you in the kitchen.
Let them sample along the way
Tasting is half the fun and offers many teachable moments. Have your child smell ingredients as well as touch and taste when applicable. It will introduce them to and help them become familiar with a whole new world of flavours.
Work clean
Make sure your counter or table is uncluttered and there is nothing in your toddler’s reach that could injure them or disrupt the work. Also, keep a small stack of clean-up rags nearby for the inevitable spills.
Stand solid and safe
Set your toddler on a sturdy chair with a back and never leave their side. Seriously – never leave the child unattended for any reason.
Yep, I said it and I stand by it.
Keep calm and carry on!
Keep bringing your toddler into the kitchen and, as they grow up, cooking from scratch will become second nature to them.
A final thought: plenty of praise is key for continuing on this kitchen tour. Heap on the encouragement and watch them beam with pride.
FAQs
Giving your children a bit of freedom in the kitchen will nurture your child's self-esteem, confidence, and sense of self-worth. Stirring, measuring, rolling, squeezing and spreading are just a few of the kitchen tasks that allow young children to develop their fine motor and hand-eye coordination skills.
How to involve a toddler with cooking? ›
Babies and toddlers
Give them measuring cups or wooden spoons to play with while they sit in their high chair. Talk to them about what you're doing, as you're making dinner. Have a cabinet in your kitchen with Tupperware and plastic lids they can sit by and access. They can pull out the pieces and play with them.
When to start cooking with toddlers? ›
Your child can start cooking as early as 18 months or 2 years old. Real cooking skills can be taught to toddlers, depending on the child's maturity and the parent's supervision. At Kids Cook Real Food™, we teach bananas and butter knives, starting officially at age 2.
How to get children into cooking? ›
Teaching Children to Cook- Top tips!
- Create fun, colourful, simple recipes for children to try. ...
- Don't over complicate recipes, keep them simple, and encourage basic skill development such as mixing, spreading, peeling, grating and chopping (Note: children should always be supervised)
Teaching cooking to youth is an opportunity to teach nutrition education such as planning meals and make smarter food choices. Cooking can aid children in acceptance of responsibility. Each child has a task to complete to contribute the meal preparation and cleanup.
How does cooking help a toddlers development? ›
Cooking can help young kids learn and practice some basic math concepts and build language skills. And reating meals with you can help build their self-confidence and lay the foundation for healthy eating habits. It may take a little flexibility and some simple prep work.
How do I teach my child cooking skills? ›
Teach them the basics of using a stove (with your supervision always). Practice turning the stove off and on. A great first "recipe" is scrambled eggs. You can crack an egg or two (always fun), beat them together and cook them over medium heat slowly without much to-do, which is perfect for kids.
What precautions should you take when cooking with small children? ›
Cooking with Your Little Helper: Kitchen-Safety Tips for Kids
- It's always a good idea to have a conversation about the safety rules before you start.
- Tie hair back.
- Wear an apron. ...
- Wear snug-fitting clothes and shoes. ...
- Wash hands often. ...
- Clear their work area. ...
- Take time to teach. ...
- Supervise, supervise.
For the younger set, baking can be invaluable for building fine motor skills and a child's language development while older kids can cultivate their reading skills, math skills, and gain a greater understanding of science concepts through mixture ratios and the ways in which ingredients react and bind with one another ...
What can I cook with my 2 year old? ›
Toddler recipes
- Toddler recipe: Salmon curry. ...
- Easy kids' omelette. ...
- Chickpea fritters. ...
- Toddler recipe: Salmon fish fingers with chunky chips. ...
- Toddler recipe: Mini shepherd's pies. ...
- Toddler recipe: Sweetcorn & spinach fritters. ...
- Toddler recipe: homemade pizza with veggie faces.
What age is a role play kitchen for? It's more about your child's developmental stage than their age, but typically kids engage in kitchen role play from around 18 months to 7 years. As they grow, so will how they play with their kitchen.
When should a toddler start eating table food? ›
When Do Babies Start Eating Table Food? Many people consider finger foods to be a baby's first real “table food,” so in that case, most babies start eating table food by 9 or 10 months of age. (For more information on the switch from purees to finger foods, check out our guide on transitioning to finger foods!)
What age can a child use a toaster? ›
“In general, around kindergarten (age 5 or 6), a child should be able to pour milk and cereal for themselves. A slightly older child (age 7 or 8) could likely make toast or waffles in a toaster after being supervised initially,” Reshmi Basu M.D., a CHOC pediatrician, tells Romper.
How do I involve my 18 month old in cooking? ›
For very little ones (9-24 months), start them with a toy kitchen and go through the motions of stirring, cutting, etc. If it holds their interest, you're off to a good start.
When should a child cut their own food? ›
By 5 years a child is learning to spread and cut with a knife. It is often not until they are around 7 years of age that a child can use a knife and fork together to cut up food and are truly independent with self-feeding.
What are learning outcomes in a lesson plan? ›
Learning outcomes describe the measurable skills, abilities, knowledge or values that students should be able to demonstrate as a result of a completing a course. They are student-centered rather than teacher-centered, in that they describe what the students will do, not what the instructor will teach.
What values are learned in cooking? ›
Cooking involves important life skills, particularly patience, problem-solving, and creativity. As children wait for pasta to boil or for their chicken to cook, they will learn that they need to be patient to achieve the results that they want.
What is the benefit of learning cooking? ›
Preparing fresh foods will put necessary nutrition into your diet and increase your energy and quality of health in the short and long run. You will learn proper planning and preparation skills to see a task through while contributing in a positive way to the health of your family and friends.
