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When you look at all the research showing that kids who get into the kitchen and eat with families have a lower risk of obesity and higher grades in school it’s enough reason to make sure your kids love cooking from day one. When you watch kids get excited about fresh foods, their taste, smell and how you turn them into a recipe they get to enjoy it’s incredibly gratifying.

Here are 3 benefits to bringing your kids in the kitchen_

1. Social time with the family_ as kids get older there’s homework, after school activities and plenty of distractions. When you plan for meals as a family and getting your kids to participate in cooking with you it can be a great time to catch up on your days and hear about moments you might have missed.

2. Educational_ cooking is much more than food. It’s about math, chemistry, working as a team and understanding how foods change depending on how they’re cooked.

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3. Fun_ when you start to look at cooking as an art project that you get to enjoy immediately and share with others it’s a whole lot more fun. By allowing kids to be active participants in the kitchen you’re giving them ownership over the food they put in their bodies, empowering them and hopefully in turn creating a lot of laughs.

LeapFrog Number Lovin' Oven giveaway from weelicious.comPin
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I feel like it’s never too early to get kids in the kitchen and that means even when they’re toddlers. If you’re concerned about them getting hurt in any way, then starting with a toy like the LeapFrog Number Lovin’ Oven is a great start. Little chefs can enjoy hours of pretend-play fun with learning secretly baked in. Designed for ages 2 years and up, the Number Lovin’ Oven talks, sings and gets number skills cooking through 30+ songs and phrases. It helps little ones connect the numbers 1 to 5 on the slider with low, medium and high temperature settings, as well as shorter and longer cooking times.

I got to see just how much my friend Grey (in the video above) became even more interested in cooking through our fun playing with the Number Lovin’ Oven.

LeapFrog Number Lovin' Oven giveaway from weelicious.comPin

Updated October 22, 2022 and Published November 13, 2015 by Catherine McCord

Categorized in , ,

About the Author

Catherine is a mama of three. A Kentucky girl living in California. Here’s what I know: all kids can be great eaters and mealtime must be easy. I create simple, healthy recipes the whole family will love.

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Comments

  1. My 3 yr old made green (spinach) pancakes with me for breakfast… He was so proud!

  2. Nicholas, my three year-old, first helped “scrape” the bowl for brownies and now knows how to whisk an egg :).

  3. Love this! My son is 16 months and my husband just finished building a stand for him last night. He can stand in it and help me in the kitchen. He loves to watch me cook but cracking eggs is his favorite. He giggles and giggles every time I crack an egg. He thinks it is hilarious. I love having him in the kitchen with me. As an SLP I find it to be a great time to work on communication!

  5. This looks great. My daughter’s first introduction to food was helping mix her favorite dish, black beans and rice. She adds the sauces and seasonings.

  6. This looks like so much fun! I know my son would love it since he’s only 16 months and he already loves to help me in the kitchen.

  7. i bought a stool at the local hardware store for just this purpose and after that one or more of my kids is almost always standing on it at the kitchen counter helping me when I cook. Everything from chopping veggies to stirring to making granola, cookies whatever with me.

  9. What a great item, my little one is obsessed with helping so its really a great invention.

  11. baking! she’s been standing on a stool, wearing her apron and helping me bake since she was 2, and now her 2 year old sister is joining in!

  12. My son loves to help sprinkle cheese on tortillas to make quesadillas. He also helps me roll out the tortilla dough.

  13. My son loves to help sprinkle cheese on torillas to make quesadillas. He also helps me roll out the tortilla dough.

  14. My daughter’s first introduction to making food was helping me make a morning smoothie. She gets to put in the ingredients she wants then turn on the blender. She loves it!

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