How You and Your Kids Can Have Fun in the Kitchen

The majority of parents end up telling their children to stay out of the kitchen on a daily basis, until it is time to eat. But the kitchen can actually be a fun and educational place for kids. You can teach your children to be creative and problem solving skills in the kitchen. It’s also a great place to have meaningful conversation, and install family values. Kids don’t spend enough time with their parents! Teachers and pediatrician urge parents to look at the routine work they do around the home as an opportunity to do things with their children and educate them. And since you have to spend time in the kitchen everyday anyway why not share this time with you family.

One thing that I like to do with my children in the kitchen is bake. Food makes a great teaching tool because it is something that all children can relate to. Some items that are good for projects for kids are muffins, cookies, miniature pizzas, candy, cake, biscuits, and so much more. Just use your imagination. You can even teach phonics, and math all through food. Following a recipe is an exercise in the use of numbers, measurements, timing, logic, and language. Of course the main thing they will be learning is the value of cooking.

Just think by the time they are teenagers they will be able to prepare an entire meal all by themselves. In my personal experience it has helped to instill confidence and self-sufficiently in my kids. The one problem that moms face is trying to find the time in their busy schedules to cook with their kids. I would suggest scheduling a time when there are as few distractions as possible. If you have more than one child you may want to work with them on an individual basis. Usually when the other children are at school or even when they are taking a nap. Of course it will take a lot more time than you usually spend in the kitchen, so you will want to take this into consideration.

Make sure you thoroughly read through the recipe with you child, and give over each task. Set up a small space separate from yours that your child can use. They should have their own utensils, and an apron. One of the first thing’s you will want to go over with them is of course the kitchen safety. You will probably have to repeat yourself a few times but this is how children learn.

Most importantly make it fun, and give your child an opportunity to explore experiment and ask questions. Don’t expect it to turn out perfectly, but kids usually will eat anything that they make themselves. Give equal time to all of your children, even if you cook different items. Not only will it make them feel good, but it will be educational as well.