One of the best gifts Casey ever received was this mini foldable kitchen tower from Piccalio. I included it in his birthday wish list when he turned one. (I highly recommend wish lists if you want to minimize clutter and curate what your child receives for special occasions.) Full transparency: twelve months is waaay too early to have a kitchen tower. It wasn’t until he was 18 months old that I stopped being anxious about him falling from it. But now that he knows how to stand in it, it has been extremely fun having him around the kitchen. I think including toddlers in the kitchen is important for both family life and for the toddler himself. My husband and I love cooking. It’s a great way to be creative, have fun, and care for our bodies. Casey is developing many skills, is learning about health and homestead, all while spending time with us. I wanted to share how one could include a toddler in the kitchen.
But before we go into the how, let’s talk about why this is beneficial for the toddler AND the family.
Why the Kitchen is a Great Place for a Toddler
- They learn about overall helpfulness when preparing food with you.
- They take interest in a wide variety of ingredients, which could help with picky eating.
- They know where their food is coming from, understanding the bigger picture of what we eat.
- They develop the good habit of cooking for themselves at home. This is a skill that will save them tons of money, stress and time when they become an adult.
- They develop hand dexterity and hand-eye-coordination and get to practice it in repetitive motions.
- They practice focusing on a task at hand.
- They can start to follow basic step-by-step recipes with you. Their mind processes the importance of order.
- Organization skills is key. They learn how to compartmentalize different ingredients and how to combine them. Also, they learn where utensils and cookware go in the kitchen.
- They learn how to clean up and to put away things.
How Involving a Toddler Improves Family Life
- They can be nearby as you get kitchen tasks done.
- They feel like they are a part of the family and are therefore happy to participate in what we are doing as a couple.
- Mike and I enjoy cooking. So we can spend time with each other while also spending time with our toddler. We don’t have to divide and conquer.
- Kitchen prep no longer feels like a chore. It feels like a family activity.
- Since Casey has learned overall helpfulness, he has started to help around the house in other ways such as putting away dishes or wiping down surfaces.
- As they get older, they can become more helpful around the kitchen which will free up our time.
- There is less of a struggle with trying new foods. If they get to feel different textures and see different shapes, they are more open to trying new tastes. Dinner time becomes more peaceful (and fun!).
- They become interested in grocery shopping. Every time we get in the car, Casey calls out “GROCERIES!!” He loves to walk around the aisles and put things in the cart himself. This has made my grocery trips so much easier. He patiently sits in the cart, curiously looking to see what we will take home next.
How to Include Your Toddler in the Kitchen
- Get them dressed up with a Chef’s Apron and hat! Mike and I wear aprons when we cook. This gets your toddler excited to “role play”.
- Transfer dry goods into bins.
- Scoop dry ingredients into bowls during kitchen prep.
- Mix the ingredients together with a whisk.
- Measure out dry ingredients.
- Pour liquids from a pitcher.
- Count the number of an ingredient that is going into a dish. For example, I have him count the arugula leaves going into the bowl while I prep the salad dressing. Or the blueberries that are being served.
- Let them touch the produce and name the colors.
- Cut the softer items (such as bananas) using a Montessori wooden knife.
- Mash things like potatoes with a masher. That’s always fun.
- Put muffin liners in muffin tins.
When NOT to Include A Toddler in the Kitchen
- Stovetops or ovens are no-gos. I keep Casey stationed at the kitchen island far away from heat sources. He can watch me toss things into a pot and stir them. But we have very serious conversations about going near them.
- Operating machinery is also a no-go. I love using machinery to make food prep easier. And when you have a toddler standing on a kitchen tower, I highly recommend it to speed up the process. Their attention span only lasts so long. My favorite machinery to operate include the Beast blender and my beloved Kitchen Aid mixer. But there is no way I will let Casey operate them. He can place ingredients into the blender capsule or the Kitchen Aid bowl. But I take them away to a separate counter while he watches safely from the island. He has gotten accustomed to the Beast blender making all sorts of smoothies and sauces and looks forward to taste-testing them.
- Do not include them when cutting things with a sharp knife. I pre-cut everything. I know it requires a bit of fore-thought and prep, but I definitely don’t want him grabbing for a sharp object. These toddlers are FAST! It only takes a second of lapsed attention for them to get hurt so please don’t have these nearby.
- Please do not cook with your toddler while you are distracted. I keep phones, movies and social media off. I also make sure the baby is asleep or being watched by someone else.
