What's
Cooking?
By Sandy Fleming
What scenes come to mind
when you think of your children in the kitchen?
Are they real or imagined? Do you see happy family time or
utter chaos and one more mess to clean up? Now, what ideas would
come
to your child's mind? Would she think of fun, learning, self-
confidence and accomplishment, or rushing, correction, harsh
words
and failure? Even if you are not a "cook" yourself,
there are
important reasons to arrange a multitude of positive cooking
experiences for your child. Here are some ideas to help you along.
Begin now! No matter what
age your child is, he can help in the
kitchen. Push a chair or stool to the work area and have your
toddler
pour pre-measured ingredients into the bowl. Physical guidance
may
help get him started in the right direction. Preschoolers can
crack eggs and use mixers with your hand over theirs -- what
power!
Young
elementary-aged children can learn to measure, read recipes and
use
heating
appliances with direct supervision. Older children, once they've
experienced the above stages, can move down the road to independence,
finally using the stove and oven when you feel it is safe. Meal
planning, budgeting time and being sure ingredients are available
are
all important skills. The goal is to nurture an independent teen
who
can fix his own meals, desserts and whatever else is wanted.
This growth is a process, and will not happen without your guidance.
Don't rush! Choose times
for cooking experiences that don't leave you
harried and frustrated. The less-experienced (or younger) the
child,
the longer the time you should allow for each task. Therefore,
allowing help with dinner after a hectic day at work or help
with that
cake that has to be perfect for the party may not be in everyone's
best interest. Choose instead to accept help at times when you
are
relaxed and when work time and outcome are flexible.
Plan for success! Like
any other skill, cooking and kitchen work take
practice. Help your child's experiences be positive with these
suggestions. Try new recipes first by yourself. Think of ways
your
child could participate (make notes if you need to!). Remember
that
skills that seem easy to you are a real challenge to your less-
experienced child. Be sure to clear your work area of anything
that
should not get messy. Be prepared for spills and other minor
disasters. Have those paper towels or wet cloths handy, and teach
your
child to help with the clean-up as well as the "fun" parts.
Be sure
that you have all ingredients and equipment before you start.
One way
to do this is to assemble everything you need before you measure
or
mix anything. If you have more than one child helping with the
experience, plan an equitable way to share the work. Help young
children by guiding inexperienced hands, then allowing a try
by
themselves. Avoid egg shells in your creation by cracking eggs
into
another dish and scooping shells out with a fork if necessary.
Try an
ice cream scoop or melon baller to take small amounts of batter
or
dough out of the bowl for cooking or shaping. Keep your sense
of humor!
Keep it simple! Your kitchen
activities don't have to be elaborate productions. Start with
basic movements for young children --
dumping
and
stirring are naturals! Make a sandwich with a young cook, teach
knife
safety while making a salad, or educate your young friend about
oven
use as you heat leftovers together. Don't forget toasters, crockpots
and microwaves for early lessons. They are usually easier to
use and
more accessible than the stove or oven. If you need ideas, check
out
these
books (or others that your librarian will recommend): Kids
Cooking Without a Stove by Aileen Paul, Kids Cooking:
A First Cookbook for
Children by Aileen Paul, How to Make Elephant Bread by Kathy
Mandry
and Joe Toto, and The Children's Quick and Easy Cookbook by Angela
Wilkes.
Sandy Fleming
is an educator, author and workshop facilitator. She resides
in southern Michigan with her husband and three daughters.
Sandy leads workshops for daycare providers and parents
in the region, tutors students, volunteers for Girl Scouts
and her church, and teaches online classes for adults and
children. She loves to make new friends, so please drop
her an e-mail at kids@busyparentsonline.com
