When teaching classes or conducting cooking demonstrations, encourage parents to include children in the food preparation. Teach them that kids in the kitchen doesn’t create a recipe for disaster! There are many good reasons for involving kids in food preparation:

• quality time spent with kids and their parents/caregivers
• the opportunity for kids to learn about and develop an appreciation for cooking
• kids are more likely to eat new foods that they’ve helped prepare.

Materials from the SNAP-Ed Connection Resource Finder Database:

• Chef Combo's Fantastic Adventures in Tasting and Nutrition
• Kids a Cookin' & Movin'

These Web sites provide information to consider when talking about children in the kitchen.

• Being Safe in the Kitchen
  From: Kidshealth.org

• Choking: Common Dangers for Children
  From: American Academy of Pediatrics

• Choking Episodes Among Children
  From: CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

• How to Cook with Young Children
  From: California WIC

• Kids Can Cook - and Learning is the Secret Ingredient! - PDF format
  From: Penn State Cooperative Extension

• Kids in the Kitchen
  Lists food preparation activities appropriate for children ages 2-5. From: Family Resource and Referral Center

• Teaching Kids About Food Safety
  From: Iowa State Cooperative Extension

• 12 Foods = 6 Meals Kids Love (PDF|190KB)
  From: California Cooperative Extension

But don't stop there. Kids love to play in the water...and soap bubbles just make it that much more fun. Encourage parents and caregivers to let them help with the dishes!

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