Fun in the Kitchen with Kids

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Wouldn’t it be nice if your little ones asked how they could help you in the kitchen? With these ideas to have fun in the kitchen with kids, it doesn’t have to be just a dream! Early on you can start teaching your kids how to perform simple kitchen-related tasks so that they become confident and excited to be in the kitchen! If you haven’t found ways to include your little ones in the kitchen, it’s never too late to start! Use this opportunity to teach them the importance of fruits and veggies (as well as cleaning them), and how to have fun in the kitchen, too! (It’s definitely okay to play with your food!). Plus, your little ones will be so excited that you asked them to help with such a big-person task. My son Fletcher (5-years-old) loves helping me in the kitchen! Read below to get some ideas to have fun in the kitchen with kids from activities Fletcher and I have done together.

I always find something for Fletcher to do in the kitchen, even if it is something small like pouring an ingredient into a bowl after it is measured. Fletcher loves helping me make any type of baked goods, especially muffins. The Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are his favorite (and they are packed with veggies!) He loves turning the food processor on and watching everything blend together, so he’s always a big help making these!

Making Carrot Cake Balls, Matcha Energy Balls, or any energy bite recipe with your kids is a fantastic way to have them help in the kitchen! Even young toddlers can help roll the balls or add ingredients to the container of the food processor! I love seeing Fletcher help make these and all the different-sized balls he comes up with. He has started putting the balls he creates in his own snack containers. I try not to be controlling on what size he makes them but instead let him create and carry out his own vision for them!

One morning Fletcher woke up and asked what was for breakfast. After I gave him some options, he said, “What if we do a food experiment and make something new?” I was game! We were staying at our lake house so our ingredient options were limited. We found some dried fruit, rolled oats, cashews, and honey so I figured we could try to make our own granola! This is something that kids can easily make, almost completely on their own! Fletcher is five years old and he did most of it himself! He has his own set of knives so he is able to do the chopping himself. These are the knives we love. Let your kids try it! He had so much fun with this! Get the granola recipe here: Fletcher’s Easy Granola recipe!

Encourage your kids to play with their food! Tortillas make a great canvas for food art. Fletcher and I threw this healthy, veggie-packed wrap together with some Pinto Bean Hummus and assorted vegetables we had leftover from dinner the night before. The recipes can never get too creative, and you can cater to the vegetables your child enjoys! They will have so much fun making art out of their lunch they will forget the whole goal is for them to eat their veggies – now that’s a mom win!

Try incorporating these tasks every day so your kids know when it’s time to be in the kitchen, they’re allowed to at least help with something! Some simple ideas include:

And if you really want to have fun in the kitchen with kids, let them help with clean up! (This one is actually just fun for you, mom!)

Depending on their age, they may still need supervision and direction, but they’ll just be excited to help out! Let them have fun and don’t worry if they make a mess.

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