5 reasons why it’s important to let kids loose in the kitchen
You may not be ready to let your toddler loose with a sharp knife, but there is merit in letting your kids or grandkids to take a more active role in the kitchen.
Rather than just letting the kids help with mixing or measuring, why not give them the skills to equip them for life after they leave home?
In the same way that we feel “the fear” when little people first take off their training wheels or have their first sleepover, letting kids near hot stoves and sharp objects can leave us filled with terror.
But in order to instill a love of cooking and confidence in their abilities, we need to let them do more than we feel comfortable with.
So give the kids some basic information about working near a hot stove or wielding sharp knives, and then let them go for it. There is no other way to learn except to just do it.
If we want to avoid our kids growing up being afraid to try new things in the kitchen (or worse, living off frozen meals from the supermarket) we need to let them learn from a young age how it’s done.
Here’s how to release their inner chef and keep your worries in check.
1. Go beyond the cupcakes
Everyone loves freshly baked treats, but man can’t live on cookies alone. To get children inspired and excited, we should be teaching them a variety of things to cook that they enjoy eating. Think spaghetti bolognese, a roast chicken, bacon and eggs, or a hearty winter soup. This will teach kids that they can most likely cook anything they put their mind to. It will also give them extra credit in their first share house when they can cook up a meal for their housemates.
2. Let them lead the way
Instead of roping the kids in to assist with our own agenda, let them call the shots. Allow them to read the recipe (or you could read it out) and pull out all of the ingredients they need. Let them decide on the order in which to do things (always keeping safety in mind of course). This will help them enjoy the process more and reduce stress.
3. Let them use the proper tools
You do need to use knives and hot pans in order to cook real food, so why wait if the kids want to learn? Give them some basic safety advice (such as putting a damp cloth under your chopping board so that it doesn’t slip) and then encourage them to get involved. Eventually it will be great for kids to have a few recipes that they can cook from start to finish.
4. Don’t make a big deal about mess
Cooking is a messy activity; so don’t ruin the fun by getting stressed about some spilled milk or sauce-stained clothes. You can teach kids that cleaning is an important part of the cooking process, but don’t make them feel bad for trying their best and having a few spills.
5. Choose the right time
Having a relaxing time teaching your child or grandchild to cook is all well and good, but if you’re pushed for time it’s perhaps not ideal to have little ones help you out. If you cook with them while you’re stressed it will send them signals that cooking is hard or that you don’t want them to help you. Make a date to spend time cooking with the kids when you are both in the right frame of mind.
Have you had any good or bad experiences with letting kids loose in the kitchen? We would love to hear your story.
Related links:
How to find your balance as a grandparent
Parents’ beliefs about failure are crucial for kids
How to pass family history onto grandkids