Hi there first let me say
sorry for not writing for the past few weeks, I have been working and had no
time to do any blogging. Now that I’m unemployed
and am looking for work, I have time to get back too blogging LOL. Anyway
Today’s blog is how to get you
kids involved in cooking. I decided to right about this because one day during
the summer I was talking about kids and what kids can do. When the subject of
cooking came up and when to start kids cooking .
For me I started cooking from
an early age round 4 or 5 it a life skill that has helped me thought out my
life and is as important as reading and writing. Every one men and women should
know how to cook.
So when to start?
Cooking can be a pleasure for
children of all ages. Start them young and with any luck they'll develop a
lifelong love of the kitchen as well as skills they can use throughout
adulthood.
For very young kids you can explain to them what the
dangers in the kitchen are for example the
cooker I find that if you tell your child what the cooker does and that they
must be careful around it they don’t hurt themselves. They will understand if
you take time to explain it .
Around 18 months, your child will probably want to start 'helping you out'
in the kitchen. Take advantage of their interest to give yourself a break. If
they're entertained in the kitchen you can get on with the business of cooking
and you'll both be happy.
Ensure all hazards are away from grabbing hands - pot handles, hot food and
liquids, sharp or heavy utensils and cleaning products
If you can think about what they can
reach or trip over and make sure there is always a clear path if you're
carrying anything hot, sharp or heavy. You can set them up on the kitchen table
so you know they're at a safe distance.
You should see it as your
opportunity to teach your child about food and familiarise them with the kitchen
environment.
Here are some of the activities very young children will enjoy:
Washing vegetables - this is a
great way of teaching them the names of vegetables and sparking an interest
which will hopefully encourage them to try different foods
Stirring ingredients - they
should be at room temperature
Mashing with a fork or potato
masher - again watch out for temperature
Sprinkling - flour, cake
decorations and icing sugar, put a tray underneath to avoid too much mess
Spooning ingredients into
scales - you'll need to help!
Another way to keep young children occupied is to give them plastic
containers and utensils to wash in the sink - this can provide lengthy
entertainment while you cook
Remember to make it fun yes the kitchen will be a mess but so what being
messy is part of being a child.
Also you
will be teach them how to observer and improve their dexterity.
3- 5 year old
As you
child get older they will get better and you can also use you time to teach
count and read. Following a receipt is a great way to get them educated and
they will get the a reward which will help in so many ways
Activities to try with 3 - 5 year olds
Weighing - pouring or spooning
ingredients into scales. Using
measuring spoons
Washing fruit and vegetables
Cutting soft ingredients eg
butter, mushrooms, strawberries using a strong plastic knife
Breading and flouring - you
can set up three stations with flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs for fish fingers
Mixing - using either a spoon
or hands to mix together ingredients
Tearing and squashing -
tearing herbs and lettuce or squashing fruit
Sieving - it's best to balance
the sieve over a bowl and tap it rather than shaking it around!
Using a pestle and mortar - a
light wooden one is better than a heavy one
Kneading - light kneading can
be fun but you'll need to step in to complete the task
Rolling, shaping and cutting
dough - choose plastic cutters and a small rolling pin
Spreading - buttering bread
and spreading icing
5-7 years
Along with the skills suggested for 3-5 year olds, you can now introduce
your child to trickier techniques and equipment. Another thing you can do is to
think about buying your child a knife designed for young cooks you can find
them online or any good cooking shop . Also check out some cookbooks made for
young children there are some T.V program which would also help (please check
out BBC which has some good cooking show for kids also YouTube has many)
Please remember you child can take instruction with the introduction
of sharp cutting tools like knives and scissors, always consider the ability of
your child and if you're not comfortable, then leave it for a while. There are
still other more complex skills they can enjoy. If you do think they can manage
then still always keep an eye on them as it's very easy to slip even for
adults.
Activities to try with 5 - 7 year olds
Cutting using a small knife -
children should learn how to form their hand into a claw to keep fingertips out
of danger, take a look at our knife skills video
Cutting with scissors - if you
can get smaller scissors or children's scissors, use them to snip herbs
Grating - fingers can easily
be grated so keep watch and make sure they don't get too close to the end of
whatever they're grating
Measuring - even the very
youngest children can do this but as children learn to read and do basic math’s,
this is a great opportunity for them to do this with less supervision
Rubbing in - rubbing in flour
and butter with fingertips is called for in many recipes
Beating and folding - show
children how to beat cake mixture with a wooden spoon or fold in egg whites
without knocking out too much air
Greasing and lining a cake tin
or tray
Peel oranges or hard-boiled
eggs - make sure eggs aren't too hot, run them under the cold tap first and be
careful of residual heat
Setting the table - encourage
them to cherish the ritual of family meals
Now get started take, your time and don’t worry you’ll
enjoy it .
