Cooking skills for kids (by age!)
The merits of getting your kids involved in cooking range from encouraging problem-solving to healthy eating habits and even further developing math and reading skills. But, bringing kids into the kitchen can be complicated and even dangerous. Here are skills to aim for by age to keep everyone safe, sane, and excited to get cooking!
Let’s break down cooking skills for kids from preschool through highschool:
Preschool
Develop motor skills and familiarity with some safe kitchen tools:
Stirring and whisking
Rinsing fruits and vegetables
Measuring and Pouring
Cracking eggs with supervision
Using cookie and biscuit cutters
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Elementary
Strive to encourage creativity and instill some traditions by involving the child in menu planning, table design, and holiday celebrations:
Frosting cakes and cupcakes
Cutting fruit and vegetables with supervision
Rolling bread, pizza, and pie dough
Boiling eggs and pasta water with supervision
Spreading peanut butter and jelly
Using a can opener
Preteen
Alongside your preteen, continue to show them how they can use small appliances and further explore creativity with their skills and palates:
Slicing Vegetables
Putting things in the oven and removing them
Baking cookies, muffins, etc.
Using timers and thermometers
Using the food processor to make pesto and dressings
READY TO LEVEL UP YOUR OWN CHEF-GAME?
Teenager
Nurture teenager’s skills and curiosity with food and cooking and be sure to drill in the idea that cooking skills are life skills, not gender roles:
Grocery shopping
Advanced knife skills like chopping, mincing, etc.
Pan-frying and sauteing
Use the grill with supervision
Experiments with marinades, baking, and more
Don’t show your kids out of the kitchen. Show them just what they are really capable of and who knows– by the time you have a high schooler, they may want to make dinner! (Or, at least be totally cool with eating vegetables!)
