Enlisting your child's help in the kitchen has many advantages: Cooking is a fun way to bond, builds self-esteem and confidence, and helps your child develop a healthy attitude about food. And the more your child helps in the kitchen now, the more likely he'll help out as he gets older.
How can you make pint-size kitchen duty enjoyable for everyone? Start with these tips:
Supervise, of course. And be sure you're the one to handle the more dangerous duties, like using sharp knives and turning on the oven or stove.
Set clear rules about kitchen safety. Teach your child to tie back long hair and to wash her hands before getting started and after handling raw meat or eggs. Similarly, make sure your child knows it's unsafe to nibble cookie dough or cake batter that has raw eggs in it.
For things that are safe to sample, have your taste tester use a clean spoon that goes into the sink, not back into the bowl.
Let your child know what jobs are safe for her to do and which ones are for a grown-up to do (like turning on the stove and using knives).
Dress the part. Tie a small apron around your child or dress him in an old shirt. You can even go all out and get him his own chef's hat and apron. This not only keeps him clean, it adds to his sense of ceremony about the work at hand.
Make it meaningful. Ask your child what she'd like to make – cooking things your child likes to eat helps convey the idea that food is pleasurable and preparing it is fun. Or make a favorite recipe from your childhood and share a story about why you love it.
You could even prepare a dish from another culture – maybe from a place your child has read about or learned about in school – and take the opportunity to learn a word in a foreign language or find the country on a map.
Work at his level. Let your child sit on a stool or chair to reach the counter or move the work to a lower table.
Show your child how to measure. Your child can measure things like water or milk, dry ingredients, and spices. Rather than letting her measure ingredients directly into the pot or bowl you'll be using, have her put them into small bowls (the way they do on cooking shows).
That way, if your child makes a mistake, you don't have to start over from scratch. Plus, your child will see how helpful it is to have everything lined up and organized when you're ready to start cooking.
Give your child the fun tasks. Let your child squeeze lemons, sprinkle in cheese or spices, spread icing, crack eggs (be sure to wash hands afterward), or mash potatoes.
Involve your child in planning meals. Having your child help plan a meal is a good way to teach him about what goes into a healthy, balanced diet. Tasks kids can do: read recipes, plan menus, help shop, and set the table.
Have your child help with the cleanup. Cleaning up is part of the cooking process. Your child can help wash or rinse plastic or unbreakable dishes, dry pots with a towel, load the dishwasher, or sponge down a counter. Let her sweep up with a short-handled broom and dustpan.
Check out some simple cookbooks written especially for kids. Try no-cook recipes to start, such as dips, smoothies, and salads. For additional resources, see BabyCenter's list of make-it-together cookbooks.