A Family that Cooks Together:
5 Kid-Friendly Ideas for Family Fun in the Kitchen

To kids, doing kitchen tasks is like having a superpower. The kitchen has mysterious gadgets, things that plug in and make noise and all kinds of ingredients that need measuring & mixing. To parents, it’s a low-risk way to imbue the young ones with life knowledge, confidence and teamwork and a sneaky way to get in some quality time. Not to mention the teaching moments in reading, math and science that abound in the kitchen. Cooking with kids can be a fun learning experience for the entire family, and Big Y has the family fun tips and kid friendly recipes to make your time together in the kitchen extra special. 

Here are some ways to make cooking a family affair.

1. Make the Menu Together

Collaborating on the dishes gets the kids invested in the process early. This is a great way to teach what flavors go together. See the recipes below for inspiration.

2. Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Spills and redo’s are guaranteed to be part of the process. Giving extra time takes the pressure off and adds the opportunity for even more fun.

3. Pick the Right Jobs for Your Little Chefs

Make no mistake—cooking is a skill that scales to one’s learning capacity. Giving the kids age-appropriate jobs is key. Measuring and mixing are perfect for the littles. Teaching knife skills and responsible range/oven use is good for the bigger kids.

4. Praise. Praise. Praise.

From mastering a measuring cup to actually feeding the family, there are so many ways cooking can give kids a huge confidence boost. Well-placed praise throughout the process will fuel their hunger for more time in the kitchen with you.

5. Make Cleanup Part of the Event

Along with safe food handling, cleanup is a big part of cooking. It helps kids stay invested in the whole process (it’s part of the fun, right?) and is a sneaky onramp for participation in more household chores.