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Nurturing Your Little Chef: How To Involve Children In The Kitchen 

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Jenny Holt, a freelance health writer for a number of health sites and magazines sent us the following article on ADHD to share it with our readers.

She also wrote the following articles on Bullying.  Please, take a look at the following links:

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CYBERULLYING – THE COMPLETE RESOURCE GUIDE

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SPECIAL NEEDS GARDENING: SOWING SEEDS ON MANY LEVELS

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THROWING AN INCLUSIVE BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR A CHILD WITH ADHD

SAFEGUARD YOUR CHILD’S LUNGS BY ASTHMA-PROOFING THEIR BEDROOM 

THE IDEAL ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR HOMESCHOOLED CHILD

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND HOW TO TEACH IT TO YOUR CHILDREN

EDUCATING KIDS ABOUT ORTHODONTICS

HOW TO BUILD CHILDREN’S CONFIDENCE BY TEACHING THEM CLOTHES MAKING

DEALING WITH CHILDHOOD CANCER DIAGNOSIS IN YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD

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GETTING YOUR CHILD INVOLVED IN A PENPAL PROGRAM

 

Nurturing Your Little Chef: How To Involve Children In The Kitchen

The best way to encourage your child to eat healthy foods is to get them to cook, according to a study of Grade 5 students in Alberta. The study found that involving children in cooking, either at school or at home, led them to be more interested in food and in making healthier food choices. Teaching your child life skills like cookery is important to them growing up to lead healthy lives, no matter what their additional learning needs, and teaches them responsibility and independence. So where do you start, and how do you make your kitchen lessons grow with your children?

Cooking with the under 5s

Many children show an interest in ‘helping’ in the kitchen from around 18 months. As long as saucepan handles, sharp knives and other hazards are well out of reach, very young children can be set up at the kitchen table, and get involved in tasks such as washing vegetables, stirring mixtures and spooning out ingredients.

Once children are over the age of 3, you can begin to do more with them, although it will depend on the child and their current stage of development exactly what. Children between the ages of 3 and 5 can generally help with weighing ingredients, cutting soft ingredients with a plastic knife, and mixing or sieving. If you’re baking, they can also help with kneading, and with rolling and shaping dough: use a small rolling pin and plastic cutters for this.

Developing the skills of 5-7 year olds

As long as you built the foundations with your children when they were younger, they are now ready to learn more difficult techniques and begin using trickier equipment. Be aware that every child is different, however, and only introduce tasks and tools when you feel they are ready. Sharper cutting tools can be introduced at this stage as long as children have proven that they are safe and responsible in the kitchen. It’s important, however, to think carefully about the tools you provide them with: keep them away from chef’s knives with crafted steel blades, which are designed for performance and precision, and instead give them a sharp knife designed for younger cooks. Even with a child-friendly knife, however, it’s important to monitor and guide them closely.

Children who are ready for this development can now begin cutting using a small knife or children’s scissors, and grating. They can also begin measuring ingredients, learning how to rub flour into butter, beating and folding ingredients, and greasing tins. Teach your children why the different tasks are important to nurture an interest in cooking and a desire to learn more.

Nurturing young cooks

Children over the age of 8 can begin to gain a little more independence in the kitchen. Supervision is still important, but allow them to experiment and take more responsibility. If they show a strong interest, you can involve them in planning meals, and they can learn how to follow recipes and locate ingredients. As long you monitor them, they can also begin to use heat, as well as peeling and whisking ingredients. Make sure your children are aware of the dangers in the kitchen, and only introduce new skills when you feel they are ready.

Once children have reached the age of 12, they may be ready to try more complicated recipes and experimenting with ingredients. This will depend on their interest levels and the skills they have built up so far. Even if they are confident at this stage, it’s still important that they’re supervised in order to avoid accidents.

Nurturing an interest in cooking from a young age can help children to develop life skills and learn the importance of healthy eating. If your child has additional needs, adapt tasks to a level you feel they are ready for, and supervise them closely. Little chefs make healthy food choices, and learn important skills for later life.

 

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