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Toddlers in the Kitchen

Although you may think that having a toddler in the kitchen with you at meal preparation time is anything but a good idea, there are many benefits to involving your young child in the cooking process.

• Children that are allowed to help in meal preparation are usually more open to trying new foods and end up being less picky eaters.

• Children that are introduced to cooking at a young age grow up to make healthier and more nutritious food choices.

• Cooking teaches children many skills including math skills, reading skills, and problem-solving skills.

• Cooking teaches children how to be creative, how to follow directions and how to choose between options.

• Cooking with your child will strengthen your bonds and allow you to get to know your child better.

When you first begin cooking with your toddler, it is important to keep safety in mind. Young children should not be allowed to use knives, even dull or "butter" types knives. Young children should only be allowed to handle unbreakable utensils such as plastic bowls and spoons. And, most importantly, toddlers should never be given the chance to get close to hot cooking surfaces or hot foods.

To help keep your toddler safe and even control their messiness a little, it is best to assign your toddler their own cooking area. This area should include a drawer or cupboard where they can keep their kid-friendly utensils and a clean flat area where they can work. Their work area can be anywhere, but many parents find that setting them up at the dining room table is the safest choice. Not only will they have a lot of room to work but the will also be able to reach the table from a chair so you won't have to worry about them falling off of a countertop.

As for your child's utensil drawer, it should contain things they need to cook and also a few things for them to play with in between cooking tasks. A good starter list for your child's area is as follows…
• a few different sized plastic bowls

• a wooden or plastic spoon for mixing and stirring

• a few plastic containers with lids, old yogurt containers are perfect for this

• a few aluminum shallow pans, these make great drums!

• a sealed container of beans to use as a noisemaker between tasks

Once you have your child's cooking area prepared, it is time to start cooking. It is best to start with some simple recipes that your child will enjoy.

Prepackaged muffin mixes are great for this stage. The recipe usually only calls for the addition of milk and eggs so the steps are doable, and children will get to see instant results since the cook times are fast.

After a few tries at cooking simple desserts, your child will be ready to help you prepare meals. When doing this, it is best if you give your child the simplest jobs such as tearing lettuce for a salad, or adding spoonfuls of butter to a recipe.

If you start cooking with your child when he or she is still a toddler, they will soon learn to enjoy cooking and maybe even start cooking dinner for you once they enter their teen years.

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