Baking/Cooking with a Toddler Made Easy
Baking or cooking with a toddler may seem like a daunting task but there are many ways to make it fun and enjoyable. Elani is not yet two and I have been involving her in the kitchen for many months now. She loves it and often asks to help! We started with little things, such as allowing her to stir or sprinkle in spices as I made breakfast in the morning. Now, we can enjoy creating so many fun things together! It has definitely been a learning process so I’m happy to share some tips and tricks.
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establish rules/guidelines
Depending on the age of your child, this will look different. Elani is not old enough to understand a list of rules so she has learned along the way. Before we even started making things together she understood that the oven/stove is hot and that she is never to touch it. I am still not comfortable with her being near an open oven or a stove in use so I tend to not involve her in those parts.That is up to you. I also do not involve her when I use a knife, but she has these items from her kitchen so I will let her use a play knife.
I allow Elani to touch the food much of the time because it is also a great sensory activity, but a rule that we try to follow is that our hands and fingers do not go in our mouth. Obviously, this can be difficult with a young child so that brings me to my next tip.
choose your space
Our kitchen helper is the most used gift in our house. I have known for years that I have wanted one because I found it very useful when I was a nanny. It is a great way to safely involve your child in the kitchen.
This one is foldable, which was a feature that we definitely wanted so we could store it away. We have found that we never put it away though. We have the space to keep it out, it looks like a nice addition to our kitchen, and it is used so often that there is no reason to store it away. Amazon carries the one that we have, but if you catch a furniture sale, it is worth it to purchase it from Target.
prep ahead of time
Try to have everything that you’ll need from hand wipes to measuring spoons to snacks ready and within reach.
When using a recipe, I use our Google Hub. I can ask it what the next step in the recipe is and stay hands-free. I also try my best to set out everything that we’ll need for the recipe. Messes and mistakes can (and do) happen so it’s good to have cleanup materials nearby.
As with many toddlers, Elani loves to snack. I find that it helps to have some snacks available, especially when we’re using raw ingredients that she can’t taste.
be patient and flexible
Remember, you are preparing food with a toddler and it is a learning experience for BOTH of you. Have we ended up with chicken broth all over the counter and floor while making chicken noodle soup? Yes. Does she sometimes get a separate bowl to pour plain water into when she’s being a VERY independent toddler so I can do something on my own? Yes.
Another thing that I have learned while preparing food with Elani is that it is important to pay attention to her temperament and adjust her involvement based on it. Sometimes she is great to work on her own and other times it must be a team effort. Also, there are certain recipes that don’t work for her. Unfortunately, she is terrified of the blender. That has not always been the case, but I know that making smoothies together is not an option for us right now and that’s okay.
watch how much they learn
There are so many wonderful advantages to cooking with your toddler even outside of the shared bond that you form. When they are still very young you can work on counting, but as they grow older they can really learn from measurements.
Your toddler is also working on developing those wonderful fine motor skills through scooping, squeezing, stirring, and more! Another great advantage is that your toddler feels involved. That sense of contribution to the food you are preparing can lead to your child wanting to actually eat the food. Keep that in mind when you are choosing your recipes. Chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes are fun, but this is also a great opportunity to make healthier options such as zucchini chocolate chips muffins or pumpkin pancakes.
I am so glad that I started involving Elani in the kitchen and it is so fun to watch her replicate the things that we do in her own kitchen. Even if it is a small task such as whisking eggs and not a full recipe, I try to involve her as often as I can. I hope that these tips can help you and would love to hear what you ended up making with your little one. Best of luck!
