If your small children know how food is prepared, and are involved in cooking food themselves from the time they’re small, they’re far more likely to make healthy food choices as they grow.
Helping your children to be familiar with the kitchen and food prep will assist them long after childhood while giving them fond memories to enjoy.
Before you try to introduce your kids to the kitchen, though, it’s important that you take the time to create a safe and friendly environment to teach them in. Then they can learn about preparing food, cooking food, and enjoying meals as a family.
Let’s discuss a few of our top ideas for making your kitchen kid-friendly.
Limit Sharp Edges
Small children’s heads will be at the same height as your worktops and the cupboard doors in your kitchen, and they have limited spatial awareness, so it’s easy for them to get hurt. If you have young children, it may make sense to select rounded edges as you design your kitchen, so that there are fewer ways for your children to injure themselves.
Selecting doors without handles can also help keep your child from hitting their head on the knob, as well as limiting the temptation to pull on these handles. You may also want to consider adding magnetic locks to your cabinets and drawers so that you can keep dangerous items safely out of reach.
Safety around Hot Areas
It’s important to be extremely vigilant when you have your child in the kitchen, but you can also work to reduce the risk from hot areas.
It may make sense to consider investing in an induction hob for your kitchen, instead of a more standard electric or gas option. These are designed to heat the pots and pans as opposed to the hob, so they return very quickly to a safe temperature after you’ve finished cooking.
Consider Adding a “Kids’ Cupboard” to Your Kitchen
Although it’s important to be sure that your kitchen is safe, you also want it to be an area where your kids can learn things and explore, learning new information about cooking. Consider putting the children’s items all into one cupboard for easy access. This will let them get to items that belong to them quickly and easily, and to know which items are safe for them to use on their own. Storing their items separately is a good way to help keep them safe.
Select low level cabinets that are easy for your kids to get to, then add safe utensils and equipment. Consider adding items like small bowls and cups for your child, so that they can set the table on their own.
Most importantly, if your goal is to be sure that your kitchen is a child friendly place, it’s important to be sure that you behave in a friendly manner when you are in the kitchen. Take the steps to be sure that the space is safe, so that you can focus on relaxing and enjoying your time in the kitchen with your children.
Staying relaxed in your kitchen and spending positive time with your kids will help them to feel as if it’s a positive place to be. Take a look at some luxury kitchen showrooms in Camberley for more inspiration. Whether you’re making food, playing a game, or eating a meal as a family, do your best to make your kitchen the happy heart of your home.