Toddlers can have great fun participating in cooking activities. Cooking is a great way to introduce children to science and math skills in an appropriate, low-stress way. Toddlers can help with many parts of cooking, as long as they are well supervised.
Examples of cooking activities toddlers can participate in include:
* Cutting up soft fruits, such as bananas, using a dull plastic knife
* Measuring ingredients using measuring cups and spoons
* Putting ingredients in a bowl and helping stir them
* Dipping foods that require dipping
* Placing cookie dough on a cookie sheet
* Crushing crackers and cookies to make crumbs
* Placing foods on serving platters or plates
* Shaking cream in a jar to make butter
* Mixing ingredients to make a salad
Supervision is key when cooking with toddlers. Make sure you are working with a small group, and have all children stay seated while cooking. Ensure that everyone washes hands, and teach ways to prevent the spread of germs (such as not licking serving utensils).
As long as the activity is safe for toddlers to do and they are closely supervised, cooking activities can be a fun, interactive way for them to learn new skills and be helpful at the same time.
For more cooking ideas to use in early childhood, visit the Better Kid Care America searchable database of hands-on activities.
