Cooking with the children can be a fun activity-or a necessity if you need to make a meal. Either way, you need to be safe in the kitchen with the children around. You can let them help, most children enjoy helping, but you need to know how to keep them safe. Here are some points to remember before letting the children help you cook.

If you just decide to bake something, such as cookies, make sure to always check with the parents first. I have had a few families who I sat for often who told me that I could always cook anything I wanted. They showed me where everything was (Or told the children to show me) and I was free to do what I wanted any time I sat for them. I enjoyed those families, because I didn’t have to think ahead of time what I wanted to bake. But most families don’t think of that, and so if you want to bake you have to remember to ask them before they leave. Never just decide to make something. They might need those ingredients for something later and if you use them they will not be happy with you. The children may also not be allowed to have what you make. If the parents haven’t authorized it, don’t make it.

Depending on the age of the child you can give them different tasks to do. NEVER let the children use the stove though. There are too many risks involved. Unless a parent has specifically said that one child is to use the stove, don’t let them. The same goes for putting things in a hot oven. Do it yourself.

Try not to have children standing on chairs to reach what you are making. If you can, bring it to the table, or even put it on the floor. There are too many sharp objects and hot things that a child could get hurt on if they fell off the chair. By putting the bowl or cookie sheet on the floor, all the children can reach it, and then you can sweep it all up afterwards. Or even put newspaper under the work area, and then just pick up the paper and throw it away.

Don’t give knives to the children. Do the cutting yourself. This saves a lot of Band-Aids and hospital trips. If the child wants to use an electric mixer, if they are under nine years old, hold it and let them hold it too. This way you can help control the mixer. For measuring things like flour, you can measure it out and hand it to the child if they aren’t old enough to do it themselves. Children like to help, and as long as they can dump things into a bowl, they are old enough to help.

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