The answer is….YES!

Children can be involved in the kitchen at a very young age. 

Infants who are beginning to explore their environments can play with pots, pans, and utensils. They can touch items of different textures and different (safe) temperatures.

Infants who are beginning to explore new foods and/or learning to follow directions can play in new textures, help you put things in the bowl, or in the trash. They can “stir”, “squish”, and “pour”.

Toddlers can play an even bigger role. They can join you at the counter and try foods that you are making. They can stir foods, serve foods into their plates, and participate in clean up. Being around food will help your children be more accepting of trying new foods.

As children get older, they can continue to take on bigger and bigger roles in the kitchen. They can learn to follow simple, then more complex recipes, which target reading, following directions, vocabulary (what does “grate” mean?), and problem-solving.

Not only is letting kids help in the kitchen great for their learning and development, but it is a good opportunity for family time!   

Simple Cooking Ideas:

Sandwiches: Your child can learn to follow instructions by looking at a picture of a sandwich and copying it.

Pizza: You can make it on a tortilla shell. See if your child can remember what you want on your pizza.

Microwaved “scrambled”egg: Help your child complete this with simple written directions.

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