How to Cook With Kids

Teaching children to cook is a great way to teach responsibility. However, the kitchen can be a dangerous place for a child. A kitchen is a workshop full of tools, some which can be dangerous if not properly used. Kids should never be allowed to cook in the kitchen alone. Parents should always be present and should use this quality time as an opportunity to teach kitchen safety tips to their children... and that includes cleaning up after the cooking is done!  Here are some handy steps to help keep your children safe in the kitchen.

Step 1:  WASH THOSE HANDS -- Teach your child to always wash their hands before they touch any food. And have them put out a clean towel to wipe their hands on. If they are touching meat, they should wash their hands after each contact and should use a clean towel each time they wipe their hands. Paper towels are a good option. You may go through a lot of paper towels but it's important to not dry freshly cleaned hands on a dirty towel.

Step 2:  GET ORGANIZED -- Before starting your cooking adventure, make sure you have a nice clean space to do your food prep and get all your ingredients and tools ready and organized. This will avoid having to leave your food (like a pot that is boiling) to look around for the other stuff you need. You can pay attention to what you are cooking if all is in order before you start.

Step 3:  CUT CAREFULLY -- If your child is too young to use a knife then do not let them use one! You should do all the cutting if you feel your child is not ready to cut anything. If your child is ready, use a knife that they can easily handle and teach them how to cut without cutting their fingers. Also teach them to always use an appropriate cutting board so you don't get surprise cuts on your counter tops.

Step 4:  TURN THOSE POT HANDLES -- Teach your child to always turn the pot handles in toward the backside of the stove, or at least to the side. You just need to make sure no handles are ever sticking out so that they can be bumped.

Step 5:  KEEP OTHER KIDS AND PETS OUT OF THE KITCHEN -- When your child is cooking, make sure no one gets in their way. You do not want distractions from other children and you don't want anyone tripping over pets. You need a safe environment for everyone so anyone who does not belong in the kitchen needs to stay out. Get a gate if you have to.

Step 6:  TURN EVERYTHING OFF -- Teach your child to always check to make sure everything is turned off when you are done cooking. Also teach them to never put anything on any burners... ever! Getting in the habit of putting items on a burner, even if it's cold, is a habit that will eventually turn into an accident.

Step 7:  CLEAN UP -- Cleaning up after cooking is important. Wash all dishes and counter tops. When the stove is cool wash the stove top too. If there are any spills in the oven, mom or dad should clean that unless your child is a teen, then they can do that part too.

See some of my crafty articles!
How to Make Dryer Lint Modeling Material
How to Make Sidewalk Chalk
How to Make Soap Suds Clay
How to Add Glitter to Walls
How to Dry Flowers to Preserve Flowers
How to Make Salt Modeling Clay

Comments (0)