Kids cooking in the kitchen

fastlanenz, Apr 28, 5:42am
Hi everyone, just looking for feedback/ideas of what your kids use (or used) when cooking in the kitchen to make it 'kid friendly'. Miss 5 still needs a chair or stool to help her up to bench level ... and I'm thinking of purchasing a proper stool or stable box ... currently we use a toddlers chair and it's just not stable enough now that she's growing, and graduating to flipping pikelets over, making butter chicken in the frypan etc ... any thoughts appreciated

rainrain1, Apr 28, 6:18am
I probably wouldn't have let them near the stove at that age

cookessentials, Apr 28, 7:38am
My son started at three on a chair next to me when I baked. Teaching children to cook from an early age has always been a big part of my business also. I think a low stool with good, non-slip feet is a great idea as it provides a far more stable base for them as opposed to a chair. If she is going to be anywhere near the stove, firstly, always supervise but also teach her about kitchen safety right from the get go. A good apron which will allow for her growth preferably with an adjustable neck strap is a good idea and a few tools that are child friendly and easier for small hands to use. There are a number of good tools available that are kid friendly such as small silicone fish slices and spatulas. I would start her with a wooden spoon, small whisk, fish slice and perhaps a rolling pin if she does roll out pastry etc.

charlieb2, Apr 28, 7:58am
Hey sweetpea! ! My young chef used one of those step stool things (and still does when he needs more leverage! )Like a kitchen stool and you lift the seat up and there are two steps. It also meant he could sort of 'rest' his legs on the top step and lean in better... Hard to explain... I'll see if Ican send you a piccie...

beaker59, Apr 28, 8:03am
Be very careful teaching your Kids to cook I did and now we have major family arguments when we get together over who gets to cook what. We had to ban Pot luck because that just gets too over the top. But when you have 6 kids there are heaps of wives husbands partners grandkids to eat the results.

fastlanenz, Apr 28, 8:06am
Thanks for all the feedback everyone ... Charlie, I know exactly the kitchen stool you mean, great idea. Rainrain, thanks for your concern, rest assured, Miss 5 and Ihave been cooking for a while, and she's just as cautious as me with heat and sharp knives. (LOL, Mr 8 is just as cautious, this is the kid who used to reverse crawl down steps at 2 years instead of walking! ! ). Anyhoo, off to find sturdy low stool, or Nana's kitchen stool **winks at Charlie** pity Nana lives so far away or I'd borrow hers for a few years! Cook essentials, I still roll my pastry out with a wine bottle, even though I have a perfectly good rolling pin . . LOL. . Miss 5 uses it more than me, ... and she makes better scones than me!

fastlanenz, Apr 28, 8:09am
Oops, you weren't there when I started, point noted Beaker ... in fact . . one of my ex's said that we needed to find partners who would allow us more time in the kitchen instead of fighting over who got to cook ! !

charlieb2, Apr 28, 8:23am
That sounds like my idea of heaven... no need for me to cook then! ! lol... .

Kitchen caution is a great thing, says she who is nursing a sliced finger from trying to chop an apple last night...

Right ... I'm off to watch the rest of masterchef... . they boys 8 and 11 have special dispensation for a late night to watch the final... lol

fastlanenz, Apr 28, 8:25am
shhh ... don't tell me the result, there's a media blanket on at the Fastey household as we're taping it and will watch with the kids earlier tomorrow night. Miss 5 was been unwell earlier in the week, so special dispensation was dispensed with to avoid a relapse ! !

charlieb2, Mar 12, 6:14pm
ad break! ! ! I unfortunately read a thread on here earlier in the week that had the results in the title... ! ! ! ! But the kids dont know and are very excited! Its only 30mins later than Master 11's bedtime, so he'll be ok... . Not so sure about Master 8 tomorrow morning though.