How To Create A Child-friendly Kitchenset – Children love play kitchens, but the Montessori method takes it a step further by creating an actual working space for children to prepare food independently. Educator and mother Chrislyn Barragan shows you how to create a Montessori kitchen in your home.
Ask most parents about their child’s favorite food and you’ll get the usual potatoes, chicken nuggets and pasta. You can feel pretty good about your upbringing in kitchen skills. Then another parent tells you how their child asks for Indian takeout and loves curry vindaloo and mango lassi. You naturally sink into self-doubt and wonder how this mom gets her kid to even watch that thing, let alone enjoy it.
How To Create A Child-friendly Kitchenset
Trust me, you’re not alone in the anxiety and self-judgment that comes with picky eating. Glad there is hope. This starts with involving your children in the kitchen. And installing a Montessori kitchen in your home can create interest, enthusiasm, and independence when it comes to food.
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Encouraging the child to do things for himself is a fundamental principle of Montessori. From mopping the floors after an art project to watering the plants or feeding the family pets, young children can also contribute to the care and running of the home.
These tasks are called “practical life” and are the first things taught in primary (ages 3–6) programs in any Montessori school. Practical life skills are fundamental components of developing self-esteem, intrinsic motivation, and focus.
Cooking food is a practical life activity. Montessori children can be seen picking whole fruits and vegetables and cutting them up using child-safe tools. This may seem intimidating to many parents, but it can be easily supported at home with a Montessori kitchen.
A Montessori kitchen is a child-sized space where cooking tools and supplies are stored easily within reach of the child. They can independently access everything they need to prepare (and clean) real food.
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It includes child-friendly tools to keep kitchen work safe. And it’s ideally placed near the regular kitchen so adults can model the skill and provide supervision.
Some setups are very simple. It could be a small table with a shelf for storage, a toy kitchen modified for more practical use, or a handmade kitchen with customizable features. Some also have running taps for washing produce and sticky hands.
It may be tempting to incorporate toy foods, but the purpose of this kitchen is to empower your child with a real-life kitchen experience. Whether the setup is simple or elaborate, your child feels a sense of ownership and benefits from the learning experience.
The snacks and meals your child will prepare in their kitchen are typically non-baked items. These could be fruits, vegetables, greens, fruit salad, cereal, trail mix, nut butters or jam on toast, and other simple snacks. Your child may reach the point where he or she is completely independent for snacks.
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For real food, you can either work with your child in a regular kitchen or give them tasks they can handle in their Montessori kitchen. My first recipe with my kids was banana bread muffins. In the beginning, choose something familiar to their taste buds to ensure success with the meal. The point is to start small and build confidence in preparation and enjoy the finished product.
If you don’t have the space or resources to set up a Montessori kitchen, you can always involve your child in the daily cooking and cleaning routine of your regular kitchen. They can help prepare meals, set the table, and unload the dishwasher. A sturdy step stool or learning tower can be extremely useful when baking or cooking with children.
Keep your child’s plates, cups and utensils in a low, accessible drawer or cabinet without a child safety lock. This gives them easy access to the items they need to eat while preparing food. Keep the snacks in prepared portions on an accessible shelf in the fridge or pantry and let them choose their own.
Describe each step of your cooking process so they can learn the terminology and observe your work. All of these things make the kitchen a more accessible space for kids so that when they’re ready to cook, they’re ready.
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You can also use the kitchen as a way to practice the Montessori principle of grace and etiquette. Encouraging the entire family to use proper table manners, use the correct utensils, try new things with a positive attitude, be considerate of others, and participate in cleaning and chores.
Radish Kids is a cooking subscription with recipes from a variety of food styles. Each month, you get sturdy, laminated dishes with activity cards, discussion prompts, a kid-sized kitchen tool, and an iron-on patch for that month’s theme. Their online subscription, RadishPlus, provides access to 300+ recipes at any time.
Eat2Explore is another cooking subscription tailored to relationships in international cuisine and cultural education. It also includes spices from around the world.
Find recipes your kids are interested in making, and get in the kitchen with them. Cooking with Kids is a non-profit group that has partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture and Colorado State University to research and determine the effects on children’s dietary habits following a practical cooking curriculum.
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The researchers found that the curriculum “increased preferences for fruits and vegetables, especially with vegetables” and that “for fourth-grade students, experiential nutrition education improved cognitive behaviors that may mediate healthier food choices.” (Cunningham-Sabo & Lohse, 2014)
Montessori guides have a principle that drives the core of their instruction and practice: Follow the child. This belief extends beyond the classroom and into the home environment. Let your child guide this process with your support.
Move at the pace that is best for you and your family. Enjoy exploration and use it to build a relationship with your child with food. After all, isn’t the kitchen table where some of the best memories are made?
Chrislyn Barragan is a middle school special education teacher and mother of three in the world’s greatest small town. When she’s not wrangling with the kids, she enjoys learning new things, doing crossword puzzles, cooking and baking with her kids, spending time with her husband, and trying to leave the world a better place than she found it. Which he got. Description These offers cannot be combined, but each has its own special value. happy shopping!
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In this guide, I’ll walk you through the simple steps to create a fabulous play kitchen that will spark endless imaginative play for your little one. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and set out on a fun DIY journey. First, collect materials like cardboard boxes, paint and utensils. Next, cut and assemble the cardboard stove, oven, and shelves. Time for a splash of color – paint the pieces in vibrant colors. Add knobs and hooks for a realistic touch. Don’t forget to curtain the oven window! Assemble all the parts, and voila – your homemade play kitchen set is ready for fun and entertainment!
The Play Kitchen Set is a delightful toy designed to simulate cooking activities for children. It’s like a little kitchen for kids! This set usually includes miniature versions of kitchen appliances such as the stove, oven, and sink. This is fantastic for imaginative play and developing social skills. Children can pretend to cook, bake and wash dishes while promoting creativity and role playing.
Play kitchen sets provide an open canvas for children’s imagination. As they pretend to cook and serve food, they create their own scenarios, stories, and characters. This creative play allows them to experiment with different roles, settings and outcomes while fostering their imaginative thinking.
Through kitchen set play, children become familiar with the basic concepts of cooking such as cutting, stirring and mixing. While simulating these activities, they lay the foundation for real cooking skills. Children can imitate the tasks they see adults doing, preparing them for future experiences in the kitchen.
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The game kitchen often becomes a collaborative space. Children work together to prepare the meal, assigning roles, and serving each other. This cooperative play nurtures social skills like sharing, taking turns and communicating effectively with peers. They learn the value of teamwork and compromise.
When engaging in pretend cooking, children naturally encounter problems to solve. They may need to figure out how to follow a “recipe”, organize tasks efficiently, and troubleshoot any challenges they encounter during their culinary adventures. This process enhances their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Handling small utensils, arranging food on plates, and operating buttons on appliances require precise hand movements. These activities promote the development of fine motor skills, which are important for tasks like writing, drawing, and other complex tasks.
Play Kitchen introduces children to many new words related to cooking, foods and kitchen equipment. As they engage in cooking games, they naturally learn vocabulary which expands their language skills and enriches their vocabulary.
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Pretend cooking involves cooperation and shared responsibilities. Children learn to consider others’ perspectives, understand their peers’ feelings, and negotiate to ensure roles are fulfilled.