Cooking With Toddlers

The thought of cooking with toddlers may not seem like a very smart thing to do. It has the potential for being a little messy, but can be a great bonding and learning time.  Toddlers can learn about kitchen equipment, basic safety, proper food handling and preparation, cooking and baking techniques, as well as meal presentation. They can also learn table setting and develop table manners.

Toddlers can learn literacy in cooking activities because they are picking up on new words for foods that they are being introduced to and are cooking with. They learn how to following directions and you can even teach geography by introducing foods from different areas or discussing where certain ingredients come from.

Children learn much better if strong feelings and experiences are involved. What better time then, to celebrate learning than at holiday times or special occasions? Helping make a cake for a sibling or parent can produce a strong motivation to be as helpful as possible.

Children don’t have to grow up eating junk food. Parents who struggle with feeding their children a healthy diet can get the kids actively involved in gardening, berry picking and food preparation.  What toddler doesn’t love going out and looking at all the plants in the garden and then being able to pick something off that plant and eat it? When my youngest child was a toddler he loved going out at the height of harvest season and talk with me about the different plants. He knew every plant and enjoyed picking the harvest (with my permission, of course).

Toddlers learn that reading and writing are important when they see adults using these skills to cook a meal. Help them know that you are reading the recipe so that you will know exactly what to do to make the meal a success. You can point out letters and even make letters on the food you are cooking.

Children can pick up on our tension if we’re worried about messes. Then they could become nervous and afraid of making more messes and mistakes.  Show them that the washcloth is always handy when they have a spill and guide their little hand to help wipe up.

Enjoy your time of cooking with toddlers. Before you know it they will be getting their drivers license!