If your kids are anything like mine, cooking with Mommy is high on their priority list. My five-year-old especially loves to cook with me. Lately, he’s wanted to venture out. Sure, cracking eggs was fine for a while, but now he’s mastered the “no-shell” technique and it’s time for something more challenging. For my son, that meant one thing—chopping.
The mere idea of my son chopping anything filled me with instant images of a severed limb and a trip to the emergency room. But then I discovered a delightful little product sold by Pampered Chef. It’s a kid-safe knife. It’s serrated and rounded…and safe for cutting. No, it’s not going to saw through a carrot very easily, but it’ll do the trick if your little one wants to cut up a hardboiled egg, a tomato, or a cucumber.
Remember, kids love to get involved in the kitchen. They love to stir, to pour, to watch creations come alive into something gooey, tasty, and fun to eat. Don’t be afraid to take the plunge and let your children help you in the kitchen. No, they might not butter the toast the way you’d do it, but the satisfaction you’ll see on their faces will be worth the occasional holes in the bread.
Just make sure the work area you’re using with your kids is safe. Do not allow sharp knives to be within reaching distance from your children. Little hands and curious minds go together—adult knives and little, curious minds do not. You may need a stool for your child to stand on if he or she cannot reach the counter. Other than that, the only tools you’ll need to let your child start helping you in the kitchen are a little imagination and a whole lot of patience.
Enjoy!