How to have fun with your children in the kitchen?

How can we bring our children into the kitchen to make it a fun activity for everyone?  

Here are three tips that can help: 

1 - Be realistic with expectations 

It's important to find a balance between play and responsibility. Children are only motivated if it's fun! And in fact, for them, anything can be a game, as long as it's presented in a fun and relaxed way...

So it's important not to seek perfection, but just good moments of sharing!

2 - Choose the right time 

This is essential for it to be a moment of pleasure for everyone. When you bring the children into the kitchen, do so when you have availability and patience.

A bad time might be, for example, dinner time when there are deadlines for eating, baths to be given, etc. Besides, it's when children are most tired and impatient.

A good time might be the weekend, after breakfast. The child shouldn't be hungry when cooking, nor under pressure to have the task completed in time for the meal. Summer is also a good time as we are all more relaxed and free from daily routines.

When your child is more accustomed to these tasks, you can then ask: "I have a lot to do, can you help me wash the vegetables like we did the other day? Or "can you peel the vegetables as I taught you?" 

Time "invested" in one moment will be time gained in other moments! 

3 - Find the motivation 

Between 2 and 6 years old, children are interested in everything their parents do, so it's the right time to start (and even before that!)! At that age, they have intrinsic motivation and curiosity. Furthermore, their self-esteem is built by doing important and useful things.

When they are older, a way to motivate them is to encourage them to do what they enjoy most. For some children it might be setting the table, for others decorating a dish, some will enjoy the challenge of learning new skills, some will want to replicate exactly what we do, etc. Adapt the assigned task to your child's personality and what is important to them. 

The kitchen is the best place to help our children become autonomous and confident. Teaching them, from an early age, to cook for fun and to eat consciously will help them integrate this learning for the rest of their lives. 

💬 Do you have any tips for getting children into the kitchen? Write about it in the comments!