For you, cooking is a chore. But for your child, it's like doing crafts or playing. Take the opportunity to involve them in this activity, even if they are very young.
Why encourage children to cook?
Cooking allows your child to develop autonomy, confidence, creativity, dexterity, and fine motor skills. If your child is a bit older, they put into practice concepts learned at school, such as reading, maths (units of measurement, fractions, multiplications or divisions if the recipe needs to be doubled or halved, etc.) and science (desserts often involve notions of chemistry). Besides, they are also learning to feed themselves, which prepares them to take care of themselves as an adult.
Tips for cooking with your child:
Here are some tips and tricks you can follow to ensure the success of this activity:
Make sure you have enough time. If you're in a hurry, you'll feel anxious and stressed. Patience is an essential ingredient for you and your child to enjoy cooking together.
- Involve your child in choosing the recipe. Offer them recipes they will surely like or ask them to choose their favourite recipe from two or three options in a photographic recipe book. Occasionally, offer a dish they don't know. Cooking a new dish will also help them discover and accept less familiar foods.
- Start with recipes you know.
- Ask for their help to make the shopping list and go together to the grocery store or supermarket to buy the necessary ingredients. For example, they can check the fridge and pantry to see which ingredients are there and which are missing. If they can write, they can prepare the shopping list by writing down the foods you dictate. Once at the supermarket, take the opportunity to teach them how to choose certain foods.
- Prepare the kitchen before asking them to join. For example, clean all work surfaces that will be used, gather the necessary ingredients, materials, and utensils. Choose safe utensils based on their age and the tasks you will give them. It is important to have appropriate utensils.
- Separate ingredients, equipment, and utensils according to the different steps of the recipe.
- Before starting, wash your hands and ask them to do the same.
- Read the entire recipe to your child before starting. Take the opportunity to explain the meaning of the different terms used. If they can read or are learning, let them read the recipe, some words, or lines.
- Try to complete each step of the recipe before moving on to the next.
- Ask your child to do certain tasks according to their abilities.
- Accept that there will always be mishaps and some mess. This is normal because your child is developing their skills. Help them clean up, but don't do it for them. Make sure cleaning is not seen as a punishment, but rather as a normal act after the activity.
- Take advantage of their desire to imitate parents. Children often want to "help" their parents and do the same things as them. Just like in the kitchen, it's never too late to involve your child in other household chores. The game then becomes an ally for parents. Transform household chores into a game or a challenge to be overcome; this is a fun way to motivate children.
Tasks children can do in the kitchen according to age
Teach your child basic kitchen safety rules. Alert them to what can burn or cut them, without scaring them, but simply by explaining the risks. Show them how to use a knife, grater, peeler, etc. Watch video tutorials together. You can see some here: Os petiscos do João.
The suggested age for each task is merely indicative, as each child is unique and develops their skills at their own pace and should always be adapted to your child's characteristics and family dynamics.
Around 1 year old and even before
Is your baby too young to get involved? Bring the highchair so they can watch their parents cook. You can then familiarise them with basic foods and ingredients. It's never too early to do this! You can also:
• Give them an empty plastic bowl and a spoon to imitate you;
• Allow them to handle fruits and vegetables;
• Let them play with flour, rice, legumes to feel different textures;
• Talk to them about food, as well as letting them touch and smell it.
Around 2 or 3 years old
• All the above;
• Counting eggs, carrots, bananas or other countable ingredients;
• Being tasked with getting some ingredients from the pantry;
• Adding ingredients to a bowl;
• Distributing paper or silicone moulds on the baking tray;
• Washing vegetables and fruits;
• Placing toppings on a pizza or filling in a sandwich.
Around 3 or 4 years old
• All the above;
• Pouring the contents of a measuring cup into another container;
• Mix ingredients;
• Peel certain thick-skinned fruits (bananas, oranges, tangerines, etc.);
• Mash bananas or potatoes with a fork or masher.
Around 4 to 6 years old
• All the above;
• Crack eggs (the task all children can't wait to do!)
• Beat an egg;
• Use a round-tipped knife to cut soft foods like soft or cooked fruits and vegetables (mushrooms, bell peppers, cucumbers), cheese and tofu;
• Spread with a round-tipped knife or spatula;
• Squeeze a lemon to extract the juice;
• Cut herbs with round-tipped scissors
• Grease cake tins, cookie sheets, etc.
• Roll out dough with a rolling pin;
• Prepare a bowl of cereal or toast;
• Form cookies, meatballs, etc., into balls. Be careful if your child handles raw meat, as they should not eat it, and should wash their hands thoroughly afterwards;
• Help clean the kitchen, e.g., by washing or wiping dishes.
From 6 or 7 years old
• All the above;
• They can prepare their own lunch... or yours! (They'll be very proud of that.)
• They can also help prepare lunch for the whole family.
Around 7 or 8 years old
• All the above;
• Measure recipe ingredients;
• Use a blender or a can opener with help;
• Use the microwave and oven with your help;
• Invent simple recipes for smoothies, pizza, or salads;
• Use a sharp knife to slice bread, tofu, cooked meat, as well as soft and easy-to-hold vegetables and fruits so they don't slip between their fingers.
From 9 years old
Children can now perform more complex tasks and are able to use kitchen appliances safely if they have done so several times under adult supervision.
What to do with your child after cooking?
Besides thanking your mini chef for their help, encourage them to taste their creations, but without forcing them. Ask them questions, for example: "Is it salty or sweet?" Spicy, sweet, creamy, granular? "Does it taste like onion, strawberry, or mint? Are these flavors similar to another dish? This will help them awaken and cultivate their taste for food, new flavors, and experimentation.
As a complement to cooking, you can spark your child's interest in food by reading storybooks about food, gardening, drawing food, visiting a farm or a producer, preparing themed meals about regions or countries, etc. This way your child learns and develops skills during activities, and everything happens in a playful and fun way.
2 books to read with your child:
(click on the cover for more information)
Key takeaways
• Cooking is an activity that allows children to develop many skills and abilities while having fun.
• Cooking helps children develop their tastes and be less "fussy" at the table.
• Parents should be prepared for the patience and natural acceptance of the mishaps and mess that are part of the process.