5 Rules for cooking with kids by kids

Guest Post from Carly Rogers of Bodnant Welsh Food

There comes a time in every child’s life when they become interested in cooking, whether it’s just putting some bread in the toaster or wondering how to make a roast dinner. However, the kitchen can sometimes be a dangerous, which is why it’s always advisable to set some ground rules that they can easily follow.

However, sometimes some of the fun can be taken out of cooking when it becomes stressful and there are just too many rules for them to follow. Allowing some freedom is key to letting kids experience the joys of cooking for themselves, so there are actually some rules for you to follow too! If you’re thinking of teaching the kids how to cook, here are five rules that they might want to set for you.

1. Mistakes will be made and that’s okay

One of the things about learning is that mistakes have to be made to learn what to do and what not to do. Can you remember being taught how to do something and not making any mistakes along the way? That’s because it’s natural to mess up sometimes, so if the kids burn the toast sometimes or are too keen on the flour for cakes, that’s just part of the process!

2. Don’t worry about the mess

If there’s something that kids everywhere are known for, it’s creating a mess out of nothing. However, this shouldn’t stop you from letting them loose (obviously to an extent!) in the kitchen, especially when it comes to preparation; it’s almost mandatory for everyone to create a mess during this stage, no matter what the age!

3. Let them experiment

Sure, you might know that adding mustard to your cupcakes isn’t going to win you an audience with Mary Berry or Paul Hollywood any time soon, but that’s part of the fun for the kids. Allowing them creative freedom to find out what works and what needs to be thrown in the bin adds a lot to the experience and who knows, maybe one day they will be able to create something that would make Ms. Berry and Mr. Hollywood jealous?

4. Take your time

Unless you are starting slowly and teaching the kids how to toast crumpets, you should never rush a cooking session. Children are able to retain information far easier when it’s told to them at a slower pace and they will also struggle to enjoy it as much if you’re rushing around the kitchen in between assignments for work. Make an afternoon of it, giving you and the kids plenty of time to clean up afterwards too.

5. Tuck in!

Cooking is a process that requires patience and as children aren’t exactly the best when it comes to attention spans, waste no time in tucking into your food once it’s ready. Nothing could be more frustrating for a child than being told they have to wait a few extra hours before they can eat something that they’ve just made, so prepare the cutlery for immediate munching! If their first attempt isn’t quite as delicious as it should be, it might be a good idea to break the news to them gently…

Bodnant Welsh Food run their very own kids cookery school details of which can be found here