7 Reasons you should be cooking with your toddler.
Cook with your kids. End of story. On this, I am a firm believer. I’m also not just talking about the occasional cupcakes or holiday cookies. I mean the majority of when you cook, have them cook with you. While at first glance you may think they will get in the way- which they will, or they will make a mess- which will absolutely happen as well. However, cooking with little kiddos goes so far beyond a minor inconvenience that you won’t mind the mess or the length of time it will take to finish your dish.
Consider your tactile activities for your toddlers covered.
In the long and sometimes wonderful, sometimes overwhelming list of things we “should” be doing with our toddler, tactile activities are pretty high. Rightly so as sensory development is so important at all ages, but especially when toddlers really start to play. For me researching those activities, collecting materials for the activity, and then scheduling those activities was going to be a challenge with all other responsibilities. In digging deeper, I noticed that many of these activities were so similar to kneading dough or mixing/adding ingredients to a bowl that in reality- cooking is the ultimate sensory/tactile activity. Once you complete your activity or recipe, you don’t have an additional mess and your tot actually has something more to show for their work than a box of sand.
2. Teaches them the value of science and math from a very young age.
Fractions… at 2! Who would have thought. Now they aren’t going to be ready for long division, but at 2 my kiddo understands that the largest measuring cup will hold the same amount of an ingredient as 2 of the next smallest one. She knows that yeast makes our bakes grow on the counter and eggs make our bakes grow in the oven. She understands that wet ingredient mixed with dry ingredient together make a dough and that oil will make something crispy and not stick to a pan. This is real life applied science and math that she now has experience with before she ever makes it to a classroom.
3. It is Quality time with your kids while also doing something productive
If you are like us, we try our hardest not to eat take out. No judging anyone who has postmates in their shortcuts bar on their phone! As two people who know how to cook and cook fairly well, we prefer to cook at home. It saves us a lot of money and that boost in the budget allows me to shop at higher end grocery stores or have the occasional splurge at Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table.
However, on your average weekday when my husband works all day and I have both a toddler and a baby to entertain…it is not easy getting a well prepared and thoughtful meal on the table. So making dinner AS the post nap activity or a morning activity of chopping veggies with vinyl knives to prep for the meal is a serious time saver. It is a lot of fun too!
4. Teaches them a skill they can have for life.
I have never been sheepish in the kitchen. In fact at 12 years old I actually had a recipe published in a local collaborative cookbook. My whole life I’ve loved to cook and I completely attribute that to my mom and my grandmother who had me helping them in the kitchen from preschool age. I loved experimenting with ingredients and seeing what went well together.
When it was time to leave home, I knew how to properly prepare meals for myself. I cooked for friends. I taught others what I knew. After college I worked for 3 different catering companies both administratively and in the kitchen. What started as fun with family in preschool actually provided a skill that has benefited me my entire life.
5. Learning to follow instruction before entering into a classroom setting, sets them up for success academically.
“Whats next?” - The words always on Elaine’s lips after she completes a step in a recipe. I read her the next step and we proceed. Behold… a listening learning kiddo. They want to get to the end where they have their recipe completed. It’s rewarding to them. When we follow a recipe it’s very similar to following instructions in a classroom. Learning the order of how to make and create provides the same structure. It also teaches them that learning can be both rewarding and incredibly fun.
6. Increases hand-eye coordination
This is an area where we will need to be patient. Don’t be surprised when after filling up a 1 cup measurement of flour, your tot misses the bowl completely. That is going to happen. Then simply don’t have it down yet. not to mention their hands are still little and most of the time they are using utensils made for fully developed adults.
I recommend getting them their own set of smaller mixing bowls and mini cooking utensils for them to use in the kitchen. It will be less frustrating for them and they will learn much faster. Also If you use the smaller measuring cups rather than the larger, that will help too! Instead of 1 cup measurement, use the 1/2 cup twice!
7. Memories on memories on memories
I can still see my grandmother in her turtleneck in the kitchen making my dads favorite creamed onions on thanksgiving. I can see my mom making gravy from her thanksgiving book that is so marked up with edits that you can barely make out the original recipe… but it comes out perfect every time! These are happy memories of my childhood. So many of them were in the kitchen. I want to give those same happy memories to my own children.