Kids & Kitchens
Create tasty treats, memories, and more
February 2008 | by Marg Sommers
Reprinted with permission from Taste For Life

It’s hard to think of a downside to cooking with kids. When you invite children into the kitchen for something besides dinner or dishwashing, good things happen. You equip them with basic survival skills, build their self-confidence, create healthy associations with food, and establish good eating habits.

Teachable Moments
When kids cook, they learn about the importance of following directions. Even children who may not love to read will happily study a recipe that’s going to result in something tasty! And when it comes to learning math skills, there’s no room in the house better than your kitchen. Kids learn about counting, fractions, measurements, conversions, and more. Most children love science, and there’s usually an opportunity for a bit of kitchen chemistry in any cooking experience. They’ll learn about temperature; melting, freezing, and boiling points; and condensation. Children also learn self-reliance; knowing how to use utensils and appliances safely gives you peace of mind and them self-esteem. Even teens who tend to be uncommunicative may open up and tell you what’s on their minds while they’re mixing or mashing.

Children who have helped prepare foods are often more willing to try new and unfamiliar dishes; some may develop a passion for cooking that might become a career choice (or at least give parents a night off occasionally). And all of these benefits extend to school, where your child will proudly announce, “I baked them myself!”