Involving your kids in the kitchen can not only entertain them for an hour or two to help break up these days from home, but it is also educational. Baking with your children teaches them how to follow directions and learn basic math, measurements, and food science. Baking helps boost kids’ confidence and is a source of pride for the children to make something that they and their family can eat. The bonus we’ve found is that our blossoming bakers are much more likely to eat something that they make then something that they didn’t have a hand in.
Tips for baking with kids:
- Dress the part – Letting your baker-in-training pick out a fun apron or chef hat, can help make them feel the part and get excited to bake.
- Recipe read-through – It can be tough for some children to wait several hours for the dough to cool, so we recommend starting with recipes that require no chilling or rising.
- Hand over the reins – It’s tempting to have your child watch you in the kitchen, but kids learn by doing. Let them crack the eggs, mix the dough, and add ingredients to the mixer.
- Safety first – While you want to empower your child to take ownership in the baking process, make sure to set limits. For example, only an adult can use the oven, stand mixer, food processor, etc.
- Have fun – Baking is fun, so enjoy it with your children. It’s ok that the cupcakes aren’t perfectly frosted or the cookies aren’t all a uniform shape as long as you have fun.
Top recipes for kids:
• Peanut Butter Cookies – easy to make recipe with pantry staples
• Apple Streusel Cake – crowd-pleasing breakfast or brunch sweet treat
• Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies – our take on the classic favorite
Baking Math Printable
Test your baking knowledge with this fun printable – Baking Math.