Get the kiddies in the kitchen
By Cassie Hart, Editor - Kids in Perth 05 Aug 2021
Kindy aged kids love to ‘help out’ whenever they have the opportunity to do so. You can see the sense of accomplishment on their face when they think they have made life soooo much easier by watering the plants or pushing the cross-walk button for a parent or guardian. They are usually keen to assist in the kitchen too, but many parents refrain from letting them do so in case they get hurt. That is why mother Maria Georgiou designed and manufactured KiddiKutter, a knife that is safe for young children to use. Now, cooking in the Georgiou household is an activity the whole family can do together.
Maria believes there are many benefits to letting your kids help prepare food for the family:
Expand their palate
When children are working alongside you to prepare food, you can encourage them to taste as they go. When children are able to touch and feel the ingredients, they are curious about the taste, feel and sensations of the food. It is a good way to introduce a wider variety of flavours into their diet.
Health conversations
While your child is expanding their palate, you can have tasty conversations about why the food is good for them. You can talk about the colour of the food – why the orange in carrots is good for their eyes, or the red in tomatoes also give vitamin C as oranges do.
Follow instructions and improve maths skills
Being able to read a recipe and follow the instructions is good for brain development and problem-solving. Cooking encourages thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and an opportunity to use counting, measuring, following a sequence, following directions, and cause and effect.
Family time
Life is so busy and quality time is more important than ever. By making a cake or a lunch together you get to spend time with your child, talking about the day, what they are watching and how they are feeling. It is a good opportunity to check in with how life is going for them, and they will love the one-on-one time with you.
Confident kids
Hands-on cooking activities develop confidence and skills. Teaching your child how to use a knife safely, how to measure flour into a bowl, or serve the meal onto the plate gives children an opportunity to be independent. Try to let them make mistakes and a mess. The more they are able to make their own decisions, the more resilient they will be.
The recipe for strong, resilient children can start in the kitchen.
