Even for adults, every day is a school day when you start to stretch yourself in the kitchen. We have all seen how people learn new things about themselves in front of the TV cameras on shows like MasterChef. Yet the same happens on a smaller scale in kitchens all across the world each day. Now think about just how much that learning experience can be amplified through the lens of childhood. Here, we look at some of the core life skills that can be enhanced when children spend time in the kitchen with their parents – beyond the obviously vital skills of being able to make a mean lasagne or cheesecake that the whole family can enjoy of course!
Teamwork and leadership
Here’s one big difference between adults and children cooking. At least while the children are smaller, they won’t be on their own in the kitchen. It’s a great opportunity for them to learn to work as part of a team, specifically one in which they are calling the shots.
There are dozens of useful and safe kitchen implements designed for children to use. However, you will still want to handle tasks involving boiling water or sharp knives. Adopt the role of sous-chef so they can still call the shots and tell you exactly how they want you to do it.
Reading comprehension
We’ve all done it. Looked at a slightly complicated recipe for the first time and muttered, “What?” Then read it a second time, and it starts to make a little sense. By the fourth read-through, we are more or less clear about what we have to do.
It’s a classic example of the reading comprehension children might undertake in the classroom, but with a practical, real-life application. And, one hopes, something delicious at the end.
Applied mathematics
Decades on, we can all remember how mathematics went from the most boring subject on the curriculum to the most exciting when the equipment came out, and we started weighing and measuring things at school. There is a lot of basic but essential mathematics involved in cookery, from adjusting quantities for smaller or larger portions to conversions to and from metric units of measure.
Bilateral skills
Using both hands together is an important motor skill that children need to develop growing up. Yes, they probably get plenty of practice with the games console, but there is more to coordination than fingers and thumbs. Using a whisk and a mixing bowl, for example, are just as important for improving bilateral skills.
Cherished time together
Above all else, parent and child time spent in the kitchen is fun. It’s also a habit worth starting young, as it can create a lifetime of memories together. Many of us who spend childhood time in the kitchen with our parents derive just as much pleasure doing the same thing 40 or more years later. Only this time, it’s the younger team member who takes responsibility for the boiling water, and Mom or Dad can finally take a turn calling the shots!
