Baking With Kids

One of our goals as parents is to teach our children how to take care of themselves. This includes teaching them to cook. Baking together is a great way to introduce children to cooking and basic cooking techniques, and it gives you an opportunity to spend quality time with your little one.

Before you start teaching your little chef to bake, you’ll want to ensure they understand and know basic kitchen rules:

• Get permission to use the kitchen and any tools or appliances in it.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before you begin cooking. Rewash hands whenever you touch dirty objects or when they are dirty with food.
• Read the recipe several times before beginning, then re-read the directions while you’re working.
• Gather all ingredients and tools so you have everything you’ll need in one place.
• Follow the directions carefully.
• Use pot holders or oven mitts for safety when removing items from the oven.
• Clean up as you cook. Put hot soapy water in the sink, and then place the dishes in there when you’re finished with them. Before leaving the kitchen, be sure to wash all dishes.
• Be sure to share what you’ve made with your loved ones.

Use a simple recipe if this is the first time you’re cooking with your little chef. Sugar cookies are a great choice as there’s something every age level can help with. Toddlers can help decorate or stir, preschoolers can help roll out and cut the shapes with cookie cutters, and older children can make the cookies on their own, with you to help them if they get stuck.

Another easy recipe that children of all ages can help with is basic biscuits. The younger children can help roll out and cut out the biscuits as well as help mix the dough, and older children can take the recipe and run with it. Only the older children or an adult should remove the hot biscuits from the oven.

Try not to get too stressed out if your children make a mess of your kitchen. It’s more important that your children have fun being with Mom and learning to bake than for your kitchen to remain immaculate. You can always have them help you clean it up when you’re done which will also teach them the importance of having a clean kitchen for the next time they help you bake.

Baking together can accomplish so much more than merely making something yummy to enjoy. Help your children learn that baking, and cooking in general, can be fun as well as a necessary part of life. Encourage your young readers to read the recipe out loud. You can also have them help with measuring, which can help you teach them a little about fractions along the way.