Cooking can help young kids learn and practice some basic math
concepts and build language skills. And the experience of creating
meals with you can help build their self-confidence and lay the
foundation for healthy eating habits.
It may take a little flexibility and some simple prep work, but
with the right expectations, your time in the kitchen with your
preschooler can be a culinary adventure you'll both enjoy.
How Cooking Can Help Preschoolers
Bringing kids into the kitchen can benefit them in a number of
ways. Cooking can help:
- Build basic skills.
You can help your child hone basic math skills by doing
something as simple as counting eggs or pouring water into a
measuring cup. You can ask what comes first, second, and third or
count together as you spoon dough onto a cookie sheet. When you
read a recipe together, you're introducing new words to your
child's vocabulary and promoting literacy. Following steps in
the recipe can work on listening skills.
- Encourage an adventurous palate.
Preschoolers are notoriously picky eaters, and bringing them into
the kitchen to cook can help get them to open up to new tastes.
When your 3-year-old daughter plays chef she might sample dishes
she wouldn't try if you just served them to her. So encourage
kids to taste new ingredients you're working with and talk
about what they like and how healthy foods make a body grow.
- Help young kids explore with their senses.
Kids learn by exploring with their senses and the kitchen is an
ideal place to do that. Invite them to listen to the whir of the
mixer, pound dough and watch it rise, smell it baking in the
oven, and finally taste the warm bread fresh from the oven. If it
smells good, looks appealing, and is easy to eat they may just be
willing to try it!
- Boost confidence.
Preschoolers love to show what they can do and working in the
kitchen provides opportunities to gain a sense of accomplishment.
If they helped assemble the pizza, let them know that their
help was important. You could name the pizza or another dish
after your child. Serve "Will's Pizza" or
"Ella's Salad" for dinner tonight. Even if the end
results are not exactly what you expected, praise their
efforts.
Ideal Jobs for Preschoolers in the Kitchen
A few tasks in the kitchen are particularly well-suited to kids
ages 3 to 5. The key is to give them "jobs" that meet
their skill level and are something they enjoy. So if your child
loves to pound, bring out the bread dough and let your preschooler
pound away.
Here are some other ways kids can help:
- stirring pancake batter
- tearing lettuce for salad
- adding ingredients
- assembling a pizza
- helping you "read" a cookbook by turning the
pages
Getting Started
From riding a tricycle to getting dressed, preschoolers are
learning how much they can do all by themselves.
So look for a few cooking-related activities that your
child can successfully complete independently or with a minimum of
involvement from you. Simple tasks like pouring liquid into the
bowl, sprinkling cheese on top of the casserole, or using cookie
cutters are a good fit for most preschoolers.
Don't plan an elaborate project - 5 to 10 minutes might be
all your child wants to spend on an activity. Start small and keep
it fun.
As kids grow, they will develop the skills, attention span, and
interest to do bigger cooking jobs, like squeezing the juice out of
a lemon, measuring ingredients into cups and spoons, and beating
eggs or mashing potatoes.
Preschoolers will also enjoy learning with you. For safety
reasons, you should be in the kitchen with them at all times,
supervising and monitoring progress.
Spending time in the kitchen with your kids can foster an
interest in food and cooking that will last for life!
Reviewed by:
Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: February 2009
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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