Kids in the Kitchen Overview
We will give the readers some ideas on how to get kids involved in the kitchen. First I need to cover some legal business. You will find this at the bottom of every post in this section. Parents ultimately decide if their children are safe and it is up to the parent to decide what the child is capable of and to monitor their children during the learning process and beyond.
**We expect that each of you will understand that there are factors that can injure kids who are not closely supervised. Heat, sharp objects and power appliance can injure children! Please take responsibility for kitchen safety.
** We also believe that kids develop at different rates. It is up to you to determine when the time comes to teach your child a new kitchen skill.
Grady is doing the dishes, his mother is close behind the camera monitoring him.
This can be a wonderful bonding time with your kids. It can also lead to a lifetime of healthy eating habits for your children.
We will provide ideas on how to engage children with different jobs, be it cleaning as we go to tearing up lettuce for salads.
During the process of preparing meals there are many opportunities for your children to help. The earlier you get them involved the better it is for everyone.
The process begins in planning before going to the grocery store and ends when all the dishes have been cleaned and put away. Organizational skills, math skills, chemistry and some biology can all be included in that time in the kitchen.
To get started, get a stool or a chair so the little ones can help. A suggestion may be to figure out the least amount of damage they can create with their first jobs and the most success they can achieve. Cheer on every accomplishment!
Consider the following as a starting point:
• Setting the table, after a few days the routine will sink in and they will be able to do it going forward.
• Drawing the dishwater before you start, that way it is easier to clean as you go. Let them measure out 2 tablespoons of dish soap and start the water. The potential damage is that they put more dish soap in than necessary. Beginning measuring skills start here.
• Let them wash as you cook, the goal being to have most cooking utensils washed before dinner starts. Again monitor what they are washing. You were the knives and anything else that poses a danger.
Keep watching there is much more to come………
© 2016 T.K.Frawley.