5 Tips for Cooking With Kids

by Jen Tilley on January 2nd, 2015 | 1 Comment »

Break out the flour, set out the vegetables, take out the pots and pans, and get cooking ... with your kids. Whether you follow a recipe or experiment with flavors, having your kids help in the kitchen is a great way to bond, teach, and grow. From stirring to measuring, spending time in the kitchen with your kids will allow your kids' creativity to shine, all while having fun and learning.

Mom It Forward recently partnered with Toca Boca during the release of their new Apple app called Toca Kitchen 2. Toca Boca believes in the power of pure play, bringing the kid’s perspective to different areas of life through their apps. With Toca Kitchen 2, they bring that spirit to the kitchen. They want to inspire and encourage parents to play with their kids while making food. They believe that it’s not important what you make, it’s that you create and play together. So, forget about making the perfect cupcake or following a recipe step-by-step; simply have fun and explore the possibilities of mixing random dishes together! They want parents to feel inspired and encouraged to be more playful in their everyday lives.

Toca Kitchen 2 invites all chefs to get messy and start playing. Made for kids ages 4 and up, Toca Kitchen 2 lets kids cook however and whatever they want. Kids select one of three characters and then head into the kitchen. From there, they can select any food item from the fridge to cook or feed the character. With a number of ingredients, 5 different kitchen tools (including a juicer, frying pan and an oven), and a number of condiments/seasoning, kids can get creative. Once their dish is complete, it’s time to feed the characters. Watch them for their reactions!

5 Tips for Cooking With Kids

1.) Practice Safety

With knives and other utensils and techniques in the kitchen that can cause injury, you will want to supervise your children and only give them tasks that are age-appropriate.

2.) Have Patience

You might think that it will be easier and faster if you simply prepare the recipe by yourself. However, you'll miss out on teaching and spending time with you kids. Have patience when your in the kitchen with kids. The recipe might take twice or three times longer to make. Your countertops and clothes might be covered in flour. Your food might not look as appetizing. However, your kids will have great memories (as will you). So, take a deep breath when cooking with kids.

3.) Plan Ahead

You don't want to get in over your head when it comes to cooking with kids. Choose a recipe that is easy to prepare and will be fun for you kids. The simpler the better. Plus, with simple ingredients, you can allow your child to be creative without being overwhelming.

4.) Teach Hygiene

When it comes to preparing food, you'll want to teach your kids the importance of washing hands and counters after handling raw food. Plus, you'll also want to start cooking and preparing a recipe with clean hands.

5.) Be Supportive

Decide together what recipe you'll create. Talk through the recipe with your child to make sure that you're on the same page. The more you talk and offer support, the more your child will enjoy the entire experience.

Cooking With Toca Kitchen 2

Embracing the power of pure play, we challenged 12 bloggers to bring Toca Kitchen 2 to life in their own kitchen. After playing the game, the bloggers' children created recipes using the techniques that they learned from the app. The end result were creative recipes that the children were proud of because it was their masterpiece. Click the links below to see the stories, creations, and imaginations:

Honeybear Lane: http://www.honeybearlane.com/2014/12/toca-kitchen-2-party.html
It's a Lovely Life: http://itsalovelylife.com/5-minute-fresh-fruit-tarts-and-a-really-cool-kids-cooking-app-toca-kitchen-2/
Kids' Activities Blog: http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/66001/kids-game-toca-kitchen-2
MomDot: http://www.momdot.com/kids-in-the-kitchen-from-virtual-to-reality/
Our Ordinary Life: http://www.ourordinarylife.com/2014/12/kid-created-recipes-toca-kitchen-2-tocakitchen2-pureplay/
Paging Supermom: http://pagingsupermom.com/2014/12/kids-cooking-toca-kitchen-2/
Six Sisters' Stuff: http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/?p=24116
Sunshine and Sippy Cups: http://sunshineandsippycups.com/2014/12/encouraging-kids-kitchen-creativity/
Sweet Treats & More: http://sweettreatsmore.com/2014/12/kit-kat-cookies-with-toca-kitchen-2/
The Crafting Chicks: http://thecraftingchicks.com/2014/12/fruit-pizzas-with-toca-kitchen-2.html
Whipper Berry: http://whipperberry.com/2014/12/easy-new-years-quiche-kiddos-toca-kitchen-2.html
Your Modern Family: http://www.yourmodernfamily.com/let-kids-play-food/

Why do you love cooking with your kids?

Disclaimer: The photos throughout this post were provided by the bloggers who participated in the Toca Boca campaign managed by Mom It Forward Media. This post was sponsored by Toca Boca. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.