For many parents, today, spending time with their little ones in the kitchen and showing them the ropes is a beautiful and meaningful way to bond. 

Even for me, getting on the same page with my kids was easier when we were chatting and hanging out in the kitchen :)

If you want to introduce your children to the kitchen and want to make sure their first experience is one they’ll always remember, you can’t go wrong with baking! Based on the countless lessons I’ve organized for kids, I know that many have a natural knack for it.

That said, there are a few things you need to know before you get started, especially if this is a passion you want to nurture. They say first impressions matter, and it’s true even in the kitchen! 

If you’re stressed out, unprepared or don’t have enough patience for your little ones, you’re not going to create an experience they’ll want to repeat. 

Make sure you’re following a few kids’ baking tips I’ve picked up over the years and use them to show your kids the joys of baking :)

​As well-meaning parents, we tend to make decisions for our kids even without meaning to. If you’re embarking on an exciting baking project with your little one, put the power in their hands and let them choose a recipe they’re excited about :)

I’ve seen that this little step gives them a sense of ownership over this process. You can be sure they’ll be much more invested and excited about the outcome!

If you only want to make sure that your kids choose something practical, choose a few recipes you think they’ll like and ask them to choose one.

​A messy kitchen is something many of us hate seeing, especially after a long day’s work! That said, you need to understand that getting messy is all part and parcel of baking with your kids.

Make sure your little baker understands that messes are natural and that it’s completely fine as long as it doesn’t get in the way of baking safely. 

When you combine this little nugget of advice with teaching them the virtues of cleaning up (more on that in my next point!), you take them through the joys and responsibilities of baking things you love to eat.

Anyone who’s had their kids do classes with me or follows my blog knows that I love talking about this all-important cleanup, just as much as I love to do my baking :)

Your kids are naturally going to find the cleanup boring, but it’s a great opportunity for you to make sure they understand that there’s a little bit of work that goes into doing what they love. 

When you make clearing up after themselves part of this learning journey, they pick up on the sense of responsibility they need to become great cooks and bakers.

Something I’ve realized is very important for any parent teaching kids their way around the kitchen is leading by example.

If you give your kids certain instructions, really drive in the message by committing to those steps yourself. This is especially important when it comes to things like kitchen safety basics—if your kids don’t see you do it, chances are, they’re not going to do it either.

My tip to parents trying their kids out in the kitchen for the first time is to make sure your kids see you doing the right things, following the recipe carefully, and waiting patiently for the results. This way, they’ll learn everything they need to know!

​I hope the tips I’ve outlined make your next baking adventure with your little ones much more successful in all the ways that matter :) What’s most important is that you have a great time.

In this process, don’t forget to take the time to enjoy the goodies you whip up with your kids!

Ask any parent—whether they’re in the office, work from home, or work in their home—and they’ll all probably tell you that the most important thing is quality time with the family. 

I’ve always believed that there’s no quality time like the time spent around the dinner table. 

This is often the only meal families have the time to eat together. It also gives everyone a chance to catch up and talk about their day. This is the experience I had as a young girl and one I have with my family nowadays too. 

Another thing any parent will tell you? Getting your kids’ interest and keeping it is basically an Olympic sport!

When it comes to any new adventure, in the kitchen or outside it, it’s important that your kids enjoy what they’re doing. On the flip side, coming up with new ideas to keep them entertained can be nerve-wracking as a parent—trust me, I’d know :) 

If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are a few ideas that will have your kids elbow-deep in entertainment and give you some time to put your feet up for a well-deserved break. Try these recipes with your kids and enjoy a dinner that has plenty of love and warmth in it!

Tomato sauce: As parents, we know the struggle of trying to get our kids to eat as healthy as possible. While tomato sauce may not seem like the most exciting recipe, it will give your kids the chance to make a healthier alternative to that usual bottle of Heinz. 

This is also a great base for a ton of other recipes like pasta dinners, pizza, homemade fries—the sky’s the limit!

If your kids have been indoors for the most part over the last few months, as a parent, it’s entirely possible you may be worried about all the time they spend playing video games or browsing the internet. 

As a mom of two, I can tell you that I worry about the same things. I’ve found that it’s hard keeping kids engaged while they’re at home. There’s always the temptation to leave them to their own devices—literally!

My kids love doing different things. One way I managed to get them on the same page and keep them off their tabs and phones was—you guessed it—cooking. I took them to the kitchen and helped them make some of the things they love to eat. 

In the midst of baking lemon tarts, apple roses and other favorites, I showed them why I love cooking and why I do what I do.

Since I evoked a love of cooking in them, (cooking and baking being my love language), this is also the way my kids, now adults, take care of me. They cook for me on my birthday and for Christmas, they whipped up probably the best steak dinner I have ever had! (Of course, I paid for it all, but I did not have to cook!!!).

If your kids are cooped up at home for any reason and you’re finding it hard to guide them to more purposeful pastimes, learning to cook could be a great way for them to spend their time. 

Kids cooking classes help your kids have fun—the good kind!
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As a teacher, this is what is most important to me. I want the kids that learn from me to have a good time and look forward to their cooking lessons. 

Kids cooking classes can help your kids work through simple, easy recipes and give them a rundown on kitchen basics, like safety tips and cleaning up. They learn useful skills including how to cook, how to clean up, and have a great time, all at once!

Your kids learn to trust themselves and become confident in the kitchen (and everywhere else)

In my opinion, one of the biggest benefits of teaching kids how to cook and how to tackle a recipe is that they learn how to make decisions and trust themselves.

These, as I’ve learned, are the foundations of confidence. It’s something the school system just doesn’t teach our children.

Kids cooking classes fill this gap. When they’re conducted online, your kids are also exposed to their own kitchen. This doesn’t sound like much but the truth is that getting to know your kitchen—where your utensils are, how your stove and oven work, and the ingredients you have—gives your kids the knowledge they need to feel like they’re in control. 

Your kids become more creative

For me, one of the best things about cooking for kids is that it teaches them to think on their feet. 

This is something I learned from first-hand experience. It wasn’t just travelling around the world that helped me tap into my creative juices; it was all the experimenting I did with food and different cuisines.

Kids cooking classes will tap into this element of exploration and help your kids see your kitchen as a cooler, much safer science lab! Trying out different recipes, playing with different ingredients, and learning to think on-the-go in the heat of the moment will help your little ones unlock that part of their brain that allows them to think like dreamers.

Does this look like fun?
It sure does, doesn't it! Baking and cooking is so much fun and eating it afterwards is even better. 
But it also makes a big mess and we are going to talk about that today.

Listen, I know how hard it is to clean up, I have to do it every day. And its not always fun, is it?!
But I promise you, when you also clean up the mess you make, your parents will much more likely let you bake or cook.
​Also, a clean kitchen is something every chef prides him or herself in. A clean kitchen is a good start and a great end to every dish you create. ​

TIP:
Here is how I do it, when I don't feel like cleaning up. (I do this usually when I put whatever I bake in the oven).
I put on a song I love to listen to, I plug in my headphones and clean up as much as I can until the song is over.
First I put all the dirty dishes in the sink and soak whatever needs soaking. Then I put all the ingredients I used back where they belong. (If you don't know where they go ask your parents, or leave them in a neat stack on the counter). 
Next I wipe the counters down... (oh, but maybe the song is over, then start another one).
Now I have two thing left to do. 
​I wash the dishes or put them the dishwasher, dry them if I hand washed them and put them away. Lastly I sweep the floor. And viola, I am done and it rarely takes me more then two or three songs. 
​That wasn't so bad, was it?! ​

This is what my sink looks like after a class. Be glad that is not what your kitchen usually looks like.