Cooking with Kids

Children were created by God, and while their parents are ultimately the ones responsible for shaping them into well-rounded adults (Proverbs 22:6), we can help to care for them by being godly influences in their lives, whether we’re babysitting, hanging out with a sibling, or inviting a kid from church over for the afternoon.

Titus 2:3-5 instructs older women to teach the younger women, and while that verse is specifically speaking of teaching younger women how to become godly wives and mothers, we can still teach young girls how to behave in a godly manner. One of the ways we can do this is by spending time with them and setting a pure example. As we keep Matthew 19:14 in mind, we can also set an example for, and spend group time with, the young boys we know.

Safety tips

It’s important to keep safety in mind when working with young children, so remember, or print, a few safety tips to use when you’re cooking with them.

Prepare age-appropriate foods. A two-year-old may only be able to help pour ingredients and decorate a finished product, but an eight-year-old will probably be able to assist in cooking an entire meal. It may help to ask the parents in advance what the child is capable of in the kitchen.

Always keep handles toward the back of the stove. Even if they’re old enough to not pull on pan handles, the handles could still get bumped as someone passes them, burning the person the contents spill on.

Supervise all appliance usage. Children should never use a stove, microwave, oven, or any other appliance by themselves, so make sure to help them when appliances need to be used. Even if they’re normally allowed to use these items at home, remember that when you’re with them, you’re responsible for their safety, so use extra caution.

Keep sharp objects out of reach. Don’t allow children to use knives, even if they’re allowed to at home. If they object, explain that you are sure they could handle the job, but that you just want to keep things extra safe. Remember that you are in charge, so don’t give in if they complain; if they learn they can argue to get their way with you, it will only make similar situations more difficult in the future. Then give them a job they can help with to occupy themselves while you cut food. (Better yet, do all of your chopping in advance so this doesn’t become an issue.)

Wash hands often. If either of you coughs, sneezes, handles raw meat (including eggs), or licks your fingers, wash your hands! Germs spread quickly, and things such as raw meat can be extremely harmful, so take precautions to avoid problems.

For more safety tips, visit Kraft Foods or iVillage. Keep in mind that these articles are directed toward the parents of the children, so even though they give directions on how to teach the children to handle some items, it’s better to leave those jobs to the parents for safety reasons. Keep the cooking activity fun, friendly, and kid safe for an experience you’ll both enjoy!

Kid-friendly cooking sites

Recipe Sites:
Nick Junior
Kraft Foods

Printable recipe box:
Instructions
Decorative strips
Recipe card collection

Fun, Un-edible Recipes:
Play-dough
Slime
Clay

Please note that Gifted Girls is featuring recipes and photos of food items next month, so take a photo of something you’ve baked or cooked, and submit it to us by April 28 for use in May’s Gifted Girls column.

By Davonne Parks