As a mom, cooking with my kids is one of my favorite ways to bond with them. So, I’m sharing my guide for how I’ve involved them in the kitchen since they were babies! Aside from learning how to clean, prep, and cook, there are so many more monumental life lessons that kids can learn in the kitchen. These fun and easy recipes will get your kids in the kitchen! At their Montessori school, my kids’ curriculum stresses educating the whole child. A huge part of the Montessori philosophy is guiding (and expecting) kids to be active citizens of their households by cleaning up and yes, cooking. You’d be surprised how much they can do if you just let them. These tips and tricks are ones I’ve used for cooking with my kids at home and it means that time spent in the kitchen is fun and enjoyable. Be sure to grab my list of easy recipes for kids at the bottom of this post for breakfasts, lunches, dinners and desserts your kids can help you make.
Why is cooking good for children’s development?
It would almost easier to say why cooking isn’t good for your kids, but here are a few of the awesome benefits:
Age-appropriate cooking ideas
One of my favorite resources for Montessori living is the work – the website, book, and podcasts – of Dutch Montessori teacher Simone Davies. She outlines age-appropriate activities for our mini cooks. Below are her suggestions, which are also found here and some from my own experience.
Under 1 year old
This is really a time for the baby to experience with their five senses. They’re not actually helping in the kitchen, but more so observing you in the kitchen. Start by:
Describing what the baby is seeing, smelling, and hearing. This can actually encourage optimal brain development.Letting your baby taste the food you are working with, when developmentally appropriateLetting your baby touch the food you are working with and describe its textureSituating your baby in a high chair or carrier so they can watch what you are doing in the kitchen, if doable and safePlacing lettuce and fruits in a bowl of water for them to pre-wash
1-2 year olds
It is surprising until you have seen it, but children this young can really start doing things. Here are some activities your kids can try:
Using a dull knife or spreader to cover crackers or bread with butter, nut butter, or jamPeeling and slicing fruit like bananas with a banana slicerShelling peasPeeling and slicing hard-boiled eggsAdding and mixing ingredients in batters, salads, and other recipesKneading doughPouring water for drinking – if you have a dispenser they can reach or a child-sized water pitcher. This was something my kids absolutely loved!Helping to set the table – have dishes where your kids can reach them Plating – placing cut-up fruits and vegetables on a platter, whether it is for their own serving or for the whole family
2-3 year old
As their motor skills and attention spans increase, kids are capable of:
Squeezing orange or other citrus juicesUsing an apple slicer to cut applesUsing a butter knife to slice soft vegetables like a cucumberWhisking eggs for scrambled eggs or frittatas or dry ingredients for baking with a hand whiskGrating cheesePreparing cereal for breakfast. Keep a scoop in the cereal box; have a small jug with a little milk in itSpinning salad to dry it out with a salad spinner – my kids love this!Peeling the outer skins off onions and garlic
3-5 year old
This is when cooking with kids really gets fun and when they start to really ask to be in the kitchen. So get them helping by:
Using some kitchen appliances with supervision – throwing fruits and vegetables in a juicer used to bring so much thrill to my kids!Using scales and measuring ingredients with measuring cups and spoonsUsing plastic knives to cut soft fruits and vegetables like strawberries or cucumbers Following simple recipes with youFetching ingredients from the fridge or pantry
5-7 year olds
There is a lot of independence at this age and you start to depend on the kids to provide help in the kitchen. Kids this age can try:
Making their own smoothies by throwing their ingredients in a small blender, covering the lid and pressing start. I have a mini 14-ounce blender (affiliate link) that is the designated kid blender.Using a mini table scraper or sweeper to clean up crumbs and messesHelping you operate simple appliances with supervision, for example setting the speed on a hand mixer or punching in time on the Instant PotAssisting with meal planning or helping select favorite foods at the grocery store or farmer’s market.Following more complicated recipesExperimenting (within reason) with riffing on favorite recipes – adding chocolate chips to banana bread, making a favorite dip to serve with vegetables
7 to 9 and beyond
This is the current age of my two kids and I’m having so much fun with them in the kitchen now. I’m constantly trying to teach them new things to try and learning that they are capable of so much more than we might imagine at first . Some of their favorite activities include:
Using a vegetable peeler to peel root vegetables like potatoes and carrotsSweeping the kitchen and dining room floor after dinnerWiping the kitchen table or kitchen counter after prepping or after dinnerCollecting the dishes from the dining table and grouping them in the sinkRinsing plates and cups to place in the dishwasherEmptying out the dishwasher and sorting the dishes and glasswarePreparing their own lunches for school
Tips for cooking with kids
Favorite kitchen gadgets for kids
Apple slicer: Using two hands, most kids as young as 3 can push down on the handles to safely slice the apples into wedges.Egg slicer: The same for hard-boiled eggs.Nylon knife: For kids age four and up, a serrated knife with a blunt tip manages to be both safe and effective for cutting cheese, bread, and some fruits and vegetables. Before that they can use a blunt knife to easily spread things like peanut butter or cut fruits like bananasSmall whisks: For child-sized hands but they do double duty for adults whisking small jobs like salad dressing and sauces Wavy chopper: a nice wide handle for small hands to take a two-handed grip to cut veggies and fruit in fun crinkle-cutsColorful measuring spoons, cups and nesting bowls: A different color for each size makes it easy for adults to give direction – “fill the red cup with flour” – and kids to learn sizes by association.Cookie cutters: Use them on more than cookies dough! Cut cheese, bread, and other food into fun shapes, too.Vegetable peeler: Once they have some practice, having “sous chefs” peel and chop saves time when trying to get dinner on the table. My son is our designated carrots and potato peeler!Herb stripper: Picking the leaves off of herbs is a fiddly job for even the most coordinated adult. Pulling stalks through an herb stripper is fun.Egg timer: For keeping track of time and learning numbers and time.Salad spinner: Even the youngest can use this and it’s so fun to watch it spin.Kid -Size Mittens & Aprons: The proper gear keeps everyone clean, safe, and makes kids feel part of things.Step Ladder: It can be as fancy like a simple as a basic step stool from the hardware store.
Frequently asked questions
Favorite recipes to cook with kids
Grilled Cheese DippersPasta in a MugPancake DippersHomemade PoptartsHealthy MuffinsFrankenguacRavioli SoupCheese Stuffed ShellsApple Cinnamon Oatmeal CupsCucumber SushiPizza Quinoa BitesPink PancakesWatermelon PizzaMacaroni SaladBreakfasts Ideas For Kids To Make
It definitely takes organization and parental effort to supervise kids in the kitchen. With the proper practice and guidance though, they can become the best sous-chefs. And the payoff of cooking with kids – like when you get a Mother’s Day brunch made solely by the kids using skills you know you taught them – is so worth it.
For more cooking resources:
How to Stock your PantryHow to Stock a FreezerHow to Cook with Canned Tomatoes16 Pantry Meal Ideas15 Easy No Bake Desserts10 Recipes with Vegetable BrothDaily Breakfast Ideas to Stay Healthy
If you find this guide for Cooking with Kids useful, I’d love to hear from you! And if you snapped some shots of any of these tips and tricks, please share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
