Why you should be cooking with your kids
There is nothing cuter and more beneficial than children cooking. Being able to teach your children independence, life skills, and have special time with them is so important. These easy tips will show you how to cook & bake with your kids without loosing your mind.
Let’s be real: by dinnertime, everyone’s patience is hanging by a thread. After a long day, it’s tempting to turn on Paw Patrol and grab a few uninterrupted minutes of quiet to get dinner on the table. I’ve been there. But what if I told you that bringing your kids into the kitchen doesn’t have to be stressful or chaotic—and it might even make your evenings a little brighter?
I get it — cooking with kids can feel like a daunting task, especially when spills, drips, and “creative” chaos are involved. But here’s the thing: inviting your kids into the kitchen isn’t just about making dinner; it’s about building connections, creating memories, and giving them the tools to feel confident and curious about food.
(But is definitely ok to keep kids busy while you cook on nights when you just really need that mental break!)
Why should you cook with your kids even when your schedule is busy
I understand – sometimes including kids in the kitchen feels like adding complications into your evening routine instead of simplifying it. But I will promise you – it is beneficial and it will eventually help you simplify dinner.
Cooking together isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. It’s about teaching your kids to approach food with curiosity and confidence while showing them that mistakes (even messy ones!) are part of learning. Here’s why this matters:
- It encourages adventurous eating: Kids are much more likely to try something they helped create. By giving them ownership of small tasks, you’re empowering them to take pride in what they’ve made—and that gives them confidence to try new foods!
- It builds family bonds: Cooking together opens the door to conversations about where food comes from, cultural traditions from around the world, and your family’s heritage, too.
- It develops life skills: Beyond cooking, your kids will gain independence, responsibility, and valuable skills in math, science, and language—all while spending quality time with you.
- It creates positive food memories: By involving your kids in the process, you’re helping them form a healthy, joyful relationship with food that they’ll carry with them for life.
Try 10 simple recipes to cook with kids.
How to make cooking with kids easy and fun
Let’s break it down into simple, actionable tips that will leave you feeling empowered—not overwhelmed:
- Clear the Space: A clean counter and an organized workspace make all the difference. Fewer distractions equal more focused little helpers.
- Prep Your Ingredients: Before you start, gather all the tools and ingredients you’ll need. This reduces chaos and keeps you present with your kids.
- Have a Trash Bowl Nearby: Keep scraps and trash within arm’s reach to minimize movement around the kitchen. This also helps you stay focused and ensures safety for small helpers.
- Create a Standing Date: Fit this into your meal plan regularly! Make cooking together a regular activity, like Taco Tuesday or Pizza Friday. When it becomes a tradition, everyone knows what to expect, and you can plan ahead.
- Delegate Tasks by Age: Assign age-appropriate tasks so everyone feels included and successful. (Younger kids can measure and stir, while older ones can chop or cook with supervision.)
- Embrace the Mess: Spills and mistakes will happen—and that’s okay. These moments are teaching opportunities for patience and problem-solving.
Make cooking together an easy win
Bringing your kids into the kitchen isn’t about creating Pinterest-perfect meals—it’s about finding joy in the process. When you involve your kids in cooking, you’re showing them that food is more than just something to eat—it’s a way to connect, explore, and create.
So next time you’re tempted to tackle dinner alone, invite your kids to join you instead. Start small, keep it simple, and focus on the fun. You’ll not only get dinner on the table, but you’ll also create memories that last far beyond the meal.
Cooking with your kids might feel like a leap at first, but trust me—it’s worth it. You’ve got this, and I’m here to cheer you on every step of the way.
What’s next? Check out my post on age based kitchen tasks for kids and download the printable guide that goes with it!
I will save some of your tips for later. I like your approach! My son is not interested in cooking yet but I hope one day he will.
Love this post. It’s so important to start kids young and to teach them how to cook and about ingredient identification. Really think this post is such a great idea!
This is such a great guide on how to get kids involved in the kitchen! I love the idea of having a standing date for them helping. It’s definitely tricky at first not to try to take over all of the tasks, but it’s so rewarding to watch them grow in their confidence in the kitchen!
I’ve always enjoyed your posts about cooking with and for your children. I think these are great suggestions!
What a great post and no needed in a day and age where cooking doesn’t occur nearly as much as it used to! My daughter loves to cook and I rarely encourage her to do so…this is a reminder of me to have her help so I can do other things while she gains the skill sets to learn more on cooking!
I think it is a fantastic idea to let kids help in the kitchen. Yes, sometimes it is easier to do it ourselves, but then the kids will never learn. Before the days of all the electronics, kids did spend more time in the kitchen with mom and dad. I got my love from cooking from my mom and I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t in there helping her.
wonderful post! great tips ,I will ask my little one to help me and learn in the kitchen next time!
I love this post!! You are so right. We need our kids in the kitchen to foster creative cooking, bonding time, and adventurist eating… It is okay for the mess and mistakes. I have a 21 year old and a 16 year old. They are not going near the kitchen now unless I am feeding them…. They are in that “Fast Food” phase if there isn’t someone else making a homemade meal. Time flies and they are grown. Enjoy the moments while you can.
such a great post and resource for moms with kiddos. it can be intimidating and almost easy to cook and call it a day but i think inviting and making kid part of the process is so so important.
Such great tips here! I’m an aunt to sweet and helpful little boys – totally going to put this advice into action next time they’re visiting.
What a great idea!! This would be great for kids or grandkids!!
This is such a great idea. I’m a teacher, so these tips double as tips for when we do an activity.
This is gold! I am not a mom myself but I recently turned godmother and had to promise the mom to teach the little one how to bake and cook 🙂 I will bookmark this!
This is so appropriate! I’m actually baking biscuits today with my grandchildren so this couldn’t be more timely! Thanks so much for the tips.
I absolutely love these tips! I so want my two-year-old to enjoy cooking as much as I do, but you’re right, it’s hard to motivate myself to take the time on a Monday night after a long day at work. It is so worth it though! Pinned this for later reference!
GREAT tips! I have four kids, my older two are really into helping in the kitchen, and my two year old like to try and help where she can. Once my infant gets old enough, she will be rolling up her sleeves to help as well!
I don’t have kids, but I can imagine having them in the kitchen might be a test of your patience! These are great tips for moms!
Such fun tips!! I have two kiddos who are always wanting to get into my kitchen with me, so I’ll be using these for sure 🙂
I don’t have kids but I did bake with my neighbor, who’s 3-years old, and he loved rolling out cookie dough, pressing cutters and putting on the sprinkles! He also left with a sugar high!
Great ideas and tips! I love having my kids helping me with cooking and baking. I also have my kids help with my weekly menu planning (even though macaroni & cheese and pancakes always seem to be requested…) and they help me getting groceries.