Toddlers are eager to please and excited to help, so why not let them help in the kitchen?! These 12 tips are a great way to get them started young, and can be expanded as their ability and interest expands.
The kitchen is truly the heart of our home, and I choose to make it a family experience. It’s not just about getting a meal on the table, but about the skills my kids are developing and the time we spend crafting food together.
From the time my kids can climb on the kitchen stool, they’re “helping” in the kitchen. Until they’re about 2, this means they can bang measuring cups and spatulas on the counter and help sample bits of food. As their motor skills and mental capacity expand, I start to give them little tasks to feel like a valued member of the kitchen. By the time they’re 3-5, they can do a whole host of simple tasks.
Are your kids older and haven’t experienced the kitchen yet? No worries! Use these toddler tasks as a springboard to cooking; they’ll master them much faster than a 3 year old and move on to more advanced skills quickly.
A note about knives:
I grew up with a mom intimidated by big knives, and then I worked in kitchens and learned better knife skills with bigger knives. I want my kids to develop a confidence with knives and know how to use them safely. My son constantly helps in the kitchen and would want to cut with me, so I got him a set of plastic knives for his 3rd birthday. He’s not fine dicing anything yet, but he’s active and learning. Both him and my 4 year old daughter know the risks of knives, and they’ve both gotten cut when they got careless. I kept my calm taking care of the cuts, they learned from the experience, and now they’re more aware of their fingers.
Fun Ways Toddlers Can Help in the Kitchen
1. Stir
I tell them to “keep the spoon touching the bottom of the bowl” to prevent splashes or big poufs of flour.
2. Pour ingredients
Salt, sugar, vanilla, milk, etc. work great. I measure the ingredient, then hand them the measuring cup/spoon to pour in the bowl (initially, we pour together).
3. Measure and pour.
Start with things like a cup of flour and a teaspoon of salt, then move to pouring liquid ingredients in a measuring cup.
4. Crack eggs.
This one takes lots of patience and practice, but they love it! I make sure to have 3 things ready before I give them an egg: a bowl to crack in, somewhere for the shells to go (dirty bowl, bag, etc.), and a washcloth to wipe fingers. Tips: Crack on the table. The edge of a bowl often makes small pieces of shell curl into the egg which makes it more likely for shell to end up in the bowl. When opening the egg, they hold their hands like they’re eating a sandwich, not a cup, then thumbs push in the crack, and they pull their thumbs apart, hinging from their fingertips (If their hands are positioned like holding a cup it’ll splash egg all over them. If they squeeze the whole shell instead of just thumbs, egg and shell gets everywhere.). Again, it’s a process to learn, so patience is a must 🙂
5. Cutting bananas and other soft fruit.
Let them peel the banana, then lay the whole thing on a cutting board. This is a great way to practice cutting skills because of how soft the banana is. Melon is another good one if I’ve cut off the skin and give them chunks. My son also loves cutting off strawberry stems with his serrated plastic knife.
6. Cutting harder fruits and vegetables.
Depending on what knives are available, a large variety of fruits and vegetables can be cut. My kids enjoy doing potatoes for some reason, especially with a crinkle cutter. They’re not uniform in size yet, so be aware of that for cooking time. For something like potatoes, I cut them in 2-4 pieces first so they’ll lay flat on the cutting board for them.
7. Peeling carrots and potatoes.
This one definitely is best if the parent assists for a while, or at least finishes the edges. Knowing how to hold the vegetables is tricky.
8. Pouring pancake or waffle batter (with assistance at first).
If they’re helping, I use a measuring cup with a pour spout, and I’m there to step in if they get a little heavy handed.
9. Turning on machines.
Blender, immersion blender, coffee grinder, Instant Pot, toaster…. Anything with buttons they love.
10. Setting the table.
My kids love picking out cloth napkins for everyone and picking where people will sit, but you can also do silverware, drinks, plates, etc.
11. Cleaning up little messes.
My 4 year old loves grabbing a rag and cleaning up liquid messes. They all know where the kid-safe cleaning spray is, and they grab that to spray and wipe.
12. Bread dough
Kneading, poking, flattening, shaping, rolling, buttering… My kids love helping with bread of any shape and size! And sampling of course!
All in all, we love doing kitchen life together in our house! My kids each have their own interests and things they gravitate towards, so they excel in those areas more than others. I love that they have the basics at such a young age to build on as they grow. Over the next few years, I’ll be able to step back more, and let them cook and bake the things that interest them!
What other ways do your kids help in the kitchen? Let me know in the comments!
Have a blessed and sunshiny day!
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