School is out, and for many moms, that means lots of extra time in the day! A great way to keep those little ones busy is giving them experience in the kitchen. Sometimes, this is easier said than done. I’m sure not the only one guilty- you’re busily working in the kitchen, trying to get dinner on the table at a decent hour, and your child comes up and asks to help. It’s tempting to tell them not right now, because you’re in a hurry and it tends to be more work when they’re helping;). But give them that opportunity!

You’re teaching them the importance of serving, and helping out around the house. You’ll also be teaching them some very important life skills- which fewer and fewer kids are developing these days! But on top of helping them build their character and life skill resume, you’ll be spending quality time with them. There’s something about being in the kitchen together that opens up deep conversations- some of my best memories are in the kitchen with my mom and grandma.

But what are ways your kids can help? When dealing with sharp knives and hot stoves, it can be hard to picture letting young ones help out. But there is something for everyone- even the littlest of hands can help in the kitchen.

If you’re not sure what to trust your child with, here are a few guidelines to give you some ideas.

Very young children (1-3): Let them help with all of your measuring! My kids get so excited when it’s their turn to put in the sugar, vanilla, etc .You’ll also be helping them with math as you count the cups of flour and teaspoons of salt;). Even better, let them help clean! At this age, everything is a game, so letting them wipe the counter after baking is a great way to get them involved! If you’re not working next to a hot stove, let them help stir or hold the mixer. If baking cookies, you can let them scoop the cookie dough, and that is probably my daughter’s absolute favorite thing to do ;). If they’re tall enough to reach the sink with a stool, you can even have them help you rinse fruits and veggies in a colander.

Young children (4-6): Each child is going to be a little different, but if you feel you can trust them to be careful and listen with exactness, let them help slice olives, avocado and other easily sliced foods with a small knife. They will feel like the king of the kitchen. You’ll definitely want to supervise this, but let them do it! Most children are learning to read at this point, so you can also let them help you read the recipe. They won’t know all the words, but once they start seeing “salt” and “flour” over and over they’ll pick it up fast! Let them help knead dough (if they have clean hands;) ) and put toppings on pizzas (your younger ones can probably help with this too!)

Older Children (7-10): With a lot of supervision, let them help around the stove (though maybe not with hot oil;) ). Let them add the spices and stir the soups. You can also have them start cutting other foods that are a little trickier- peppers, apples, etc. Let them read recipes, and even let them lead it, telling you which ingredients to pull out and what measurements are needed. Encourage them to create their own versions of recipes by replacing ingredients and trying new things.

Preteens and Teens (12+). Get them in the kitchen as often as possible! Give them recipes and have them make it completely on their own. Encourage them to look for recipes they would be interested in trying. Have them use Cook’n to create their own cookbook of recipes they’ll want to take with them when they move on! And make sure they know all the basics; how to cut specific fruits/veggies, how to cook meat, what boiling and simmering and sautéing mean, etc. Prepare them for independence in the kitchen!

These are in no way set in stone guidelines;), but will help give you some ideas of how to get your kids as involved as possible in the kitchen. They’ll get so much from it- and I think you’ll find you will too!