Cooking, like many tasks with toddlers, sounds daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of easy recipes out there for the little ones to partake in! Getting your child involved with meal prep may inspire them to try new things and even develop an interest in nutrition. Cooking also fosters those fine motor skills!
Looking for a new way to bond with your child? Whipping up a delicious meal with your toddler can also be a fun bonding opportunity! Most children enjoy helping out and spending extra time with their parents. After a long day of cooking, you can dress your little one in their softest baby pajamas and enjoy a wonderful night’s rest. Read on to learn more about how cooking can improve your child’s development as well as fun recipes you can try with them.
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How Cooking Improves Your Toddler’s Development
Cooking can help your toddler learn basic math skills, explore a more adventurous palate, and boost their confidence.
When people think of different ways they can bond with their toddler, images of playing catch or reading picture books typically come to mind. But cooking is another fun bonding activity that offers numerous benefits for your child, including:
- The ability to practice math, reading, and basic direction-following skills
- Improved fine motor skills
- Increased knowledge and interest in cooking and nutrition
Because your child will be at your side the whole time, you can rest assured that they will remain safe throughout the entire activity.
Learning and Practicing Creative Skills
Cooking presents a great opportunity for your child to learn and practice basic skills like reading and math. Applying the basic skills that your child learns in the classroom can help them practice and improve their understanding of them. Encourage your child to read through the directions for a recipe with you or assist you with measuring out ingredients.
Because cooking is typically an organized activity, you can also teach your child basic planning and organization skills. As they navigate the recipe, they will develop essential problem-solving skills that will help them when they grow older.
Improving Fine Motor Skills
Your child’s motor skills play a crucial role in their development. As they learn simple skills like reaching a hand out for attention or kicking a ball, they are opening themselves up to a whole new world of experiences. Cooking and baking give your child the chance to improve their fine motor and hand-eye coordination skills. Simple tasks like chopping vegetables, mixing ingredients, squeezing out toppings, and spreading butter can help them develop their motor skills.
Increasing Knowledge in Cooking and Proper Nutrition
Children who cook tend to develop a greater appreciation for the effort it takes to put food on a table. Because of this appreciation, they are much less likely to throw a tantrum when faced with the possibility of eating something they might not like. Cooking also opens them up to a whole new world of cuisine, making them less likely to develop a picky palate.
Different Ways Your Little One Can Help You in the Kitchen
Your little one can be a great help in the kitchen! Let them complete simple tasks like collecting ingredients and stirring them together to keep them engaged.
Obviously, you aren’t going to hand your child a butcher knife to cut up some steak or give them a lobster to throw on the stove. There are numerous ways you can get your children involved in cooking that doesn’t endanger them or anyone standing near them!
Some general cooking ideas for your little sous chefs include:
- Assisting in collecting ingredients from low shelves in cupboard or fridge
- Adding already measured ingredients into a large mixing bowl
- Stirring ingredients
- Adding ingredients like raisins or chocolate chips into the batter
- Draining fruit in a colander
9 Recipes You Should Try Together
We’ve compiled 10 kid-friendly recipes from around the web-o-sphere to inspire cooking with your kiddos.
Image courtesy of Be a Fun Mum.
Image courtesy of Laughing Kids Learn.
Want to teach your little one how to bake? Try this easy recipe for sweet potato chips by Laughing Kids Learn.
3. Kids Cake
If you have a birthday celebration or you just want to enjoy some delicious cake, you can tackle this free recipe with your little baker.
4. Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas
Image courtesy of Cooking With My Kid.
Chickpeas are a great addition to a variety of different dishes. For this recipe, your toddler can help you spread out the chickpeas on a baking sheet.
5. Rabbit Food Lettuce Wraps
Image courtesy of Rainy Day Mum.
Lettuce wraps are a fun and easy dish for your child to learn how to make.
6. Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups
For this recipe, your child can roll out the fruit and tie it up with a string.
7. Matisse Cookies
Image courtesy of Childhood 101.
Inspired by a children’s book about Matisse, these cookies are both colorful and tasty!
8. Kid-Friendly Smoothies
Your child can pick out the fruit, wash it, and measure different ingredients under your supervision.
9. Baked Spaghetti Squash
Image courtesy of Cooking With My Kid.
Looking for a delicious family meal to cook together? Try this recipe for delicious baked spaghetti squash. Your little one can help scraped the inside of squash with a plastic fork.
Final Thoughts
Nurturing your child’s mental and physical development is important for setting them up for a healthy life!
Cooking with your child is a fun and easy way to bond with them. Not only does it help your child develop their fine motor skills, but it also helps spark an interest in cooking and nutrition in them at a young age. Learning these proper cooking skills and nutrition information can ultimately set them up to lead a healthy life.
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