In recent times, technological advancements have made the digital platform a useful tool for learning for adults and children alike. Studies have proven over time the number of benefits of cooking and baking with children. There are many applications and games nowadays that focus on cooking and kitchen skills, to encourage children to spend time and learn the various tasks essential in the kitchen for proper nutrition, diet, and health.

Children enjoy being in the kitchen, and when parents assign small and manageable chores, the child learns to be an active team member and do the work with pride, which is crucial for their development over time. Several skills are addressed when the child spends time in the kitchen. Not only does it allow the parent to bond with the child, but it also teaches essential life skills that are required for daily survival as an adult. Even the easiest tasks improve mathematical skills with the varying measurements, ratios; improves language skills with new vocabulary, enhanced reading comprehension, with the recipe analysis, and these are only some of the advantages of starting young in the kitchen.

Key skills development

While there are many indirect skills development that occurs with regular work in the kitchen the main skills a child can develop and benefits from are, but not restricted to:

  • Bilateral coordination – This skill is developed with the simplest tasks, such as rolling cookie dough, sifting flour, cutting cookies shapes and designs, etc
  • Eye-hand coordination – This is an essential skill for daily life and can be practiced with pouring pancake batters, icing and frosting cookies, and filling cupcake batters.
  • Spatial perception – Challenging the child to cut the most number of cookies without much waste is a challenge, and directly targets spatial perception and their planning abilities. With the right plan, the child can work out the best way to get the maximum number of cookies.
  • Improved mental mathematical skills – The regular baking conversions and ratios are a great way to get the child to practice mathematics mentally and have fun at the same time.
  • Improved organizational and planning skills – Planning and organization are two aspects of kitchen work that are crucial and prepare the child to be meticulous at all times.

While many other skills are improved and enhanced indirectly, these are the most notable ones worth mentioning.

Benefits of cooking and baking as a child

Besides the most notable skill developments, there are several advantages to starting young in the kitchen.

One of the most important rules of cooking or baking is following the instructions safely. Following the right instruction to be able to reach the right results is of utmost importance in life not just in the kitchen, but also in daily life. Open to newer tastes and trying out new things while baking or cooking is ideal for picky eaters. Watching or assisting to make the dinner means that there are higher chances of the child eating it rather than just being served the same thing. The engagement and involvement in the process can be reassuring for picky and suspicious eaters.

The process of cooking and baking involves all the five senses; the child can hear the pounding, watch the process, touch the dough and the batters, smell while the food is cooking, and lastly, the most enjoyable, part of tasting the food after it has been completed. Tasting along the way is also essential for the child to develop the correct conclusion as per the taste and texture of the food.

Nutritional requirements and how different types of food effects are bodies, is also an essential lesson of life. Planning, creating, and consuming a balanced diet with ample nutrition are necessary and imperative for a healthy lifestyle. While it is easy to make ready-to-eat meals and order in, making a habit of cooking at home with the child will enable the child to relate to good and nutritious food for a healthy lifestyle.

To conclude, choosing educational gifts for kids for baking and cooking is not difficult, considering the number of options available for children to start young. Choosing the right gift and activities for the child is crucial to develop healthy habits and lead a good lifestyle.