Baking with kids can be a wonderful experience. It can also be a stressful one. The potential for accidents and mess can make inviting a child into the kitchen a daunting task. Here are some basic things you can do to insure that you and your little one have a good time while baking.
1. Set rules and boundaries. It’s best to make these rules clear before entering the kitchen. Some basic rules could be: taking turns, mom is the only one who touches the oven, etc.
2. Have the kids wear aprons. It doesn’t have to be fancy – an old adult button up shirt put on backwards makes a great apron. This will help keep messy clothes to a minimum and will also help keep the kids focused on baking.
3. Embrace the mess. Kids are messy. Kids are especially messy when trying something new. Go into your baking project with the understanding that you are going to make the kitchen messy and it’s ok.
4. Include everyone. If you have a child that is too little to helpful, hand them a wooden spoon and a plastic bowl to play with so they feel included in the activity.
5. Give yourself enough time. You’ll get stressed and frustrated if you are crunched for time. And that’s not fair to the little ones (or you).
6. The secret ingredient to success: Patience. Resist the urge to grab the spoon or measuring cups etc, and tell your young chefs they are doing it wrong. Instead, show them how to complete the task, in a calm tone.
7. RELAX. Don’t worry about the cookies turning out perfectly. The goal here is to teach and to have a positive experience in the kitchen and build confidence and happy memories. Children will think that what they’ve created are the best-tasting-cookies-ever, just because they had a hand in making them.
Children naturally want to do “adult” things and getting them comfortable in the kitchen early will give them a skill set that will last a lifetime. Welcoming a child into the kitchen gives you quality time with them and (hopefully) a sweet treat to enjoy together.
