Baking and playing in the kitchen with kids is a fun way to learn together while developing everyday life skills. Here you’ll find some baking and kitchen ideas for kids that help them join in the fun of preparing food.

Some of our favourite ways of encouraging learning in the kitchen are listed below. We will expand this page to include recipes and baking ideas that kids enjoy.

• If you have room to place a play kitchen in or near your kitchen, it’s a great way to encourage children to play alongside you as you work. They can be involved in imaginary play while you’re able to complete some daily chores.

• You can designate one cupboard as a kids cupboard that they can access. Fill the cupboard with kitchen items that your kids are allowed to play with. I had a cupboard for my daughters and the would often climb inside and play with the door open!

• The Montessori approach to learning includes developing life skills, like pouring water, cutting (with safe knives), putting dishes away and setting the table. You can purchase kid-safe and kid-sized kitchen tools to help encourage this type of kitchen play.

• A kitchen helper stool is an excellent way for young kids to be up at counter height with you. My daughter loved using hers. She would explore all the food going into recipes and cook alongside me. I found buying a kitchen helper stool to be one of the best purchases that we made.