Baking together

What is the best age to start letting children help with baking. I have a box of brownies and was thinking about having the girls help me make them up. Would they still be to young yet? What age did you all let your children help out in the kitchen? TIA

 

My girls are 17 months old and I can't imagine having them "help" in the kitchen. I don't think they could be still or stay in one place long enough to help. Don't get me wrong, they are always in the kitchen when I am cooking, but it is usually because they can't stand to be away from me. I try to distract them by giving them spoons and bowls to play with, but it doesn't always work. I think it will be nice when they are able to help me bake cookies and stuff. I hope that day is soon.

 

Mine started helping to make pancakes, waffles, and french toast around 24 mos. At this point, they were old enough to stand on a step stool and comfortably reach the bowls on the counter. They also were old enough to understand simple instructions, as well as know how to take turns (which you have to do when there is one bowl, one mommy, and four eggs). They can now crack an egg almost by themselves. And they can transfer the flour and milk from the the measuring cups into the bowl, all by themselves.

We enjoy making breakfast together, but they still have a lot to learn. I think that it would be REALLY hard to bake at 13 mos., but some of it is in the experience. Set them in their highchairs and let them watch you. Let them help stir the mix. Talk them through each step. And even give them a dab of the batter (without raw eggs) to draw in on their highchairs. If you make it a multisensory experience, it will be worth it. Will they quite "get it" that they are baking? Probably not!

 

I only started about 6 months ago (at about 2.5 years) and that's just basic sticking the spoon or whisk into the bowl and pretend they are "helping." Or I'll ask them to get things from the refrigerator for me (a stick of butter or something small and non-breakable). That said, no reason not to expose them earlier as long as it's safe. Mine have been in the kitchen with me for a long time, they just haven't really wanted to "help" until more recently.

 

QUOTE(twoin2005 @ Jul 17 2007, 04:03 PM) [snapback]334861[/snapback]
Set them in their highchairs and let them watch you. Let them help stir the mix. Talk them through each step. And even give them a dab of the batter (without raw eggs) to draw in on their highchairs. If you make it a multisensory experience, it will be worth it.

This is exactly what I was thinking.

I know its a little early for the to "really" help, but I think I want to start introducing different things. I'm soooo bord doing the same thing old things. I need more verity, and I'm sure they do to.

 

QUOTE(twoin2005 @ Jul 17 2007, 01:03 PM) [snapback]334861[/snapback]
Set them in their highchairs and let them watch you. Let them help stir the mix. Talk them through each step. And even give them a dab of the batter (without raw eggs) to draw in on their highchairs. If you make it a multisensory experience, it will be worth it. Will they quite "get it" that they are baking? Probably not!


My boys have been "highchair helping" in the kitchen since they were big enough to sit in them (before we even introduced solids). Every night they would help me make a batch of formula. They LOVED this ritual. As pp said, just be very animated in your "presentation".

Today the boys still help me a lot in the kitchen...if they didn't I would never get anything done. 90% of the time they don't get out of their high chairs until the meal is over, dishes are done and the kitchen is cleaned. Their favorite activity these days in loading/unloading the dishwasher (from the vantage point of their high chairs, of course). I tell them what each thing I put in or take out is, then we say them again as they get put away. So while I guess I haven't done a lot of "cooking" with them, they are still seasoned kitchen helpers.

I say go for it! Have Fun!

 

I have been letting mine pour water and rice/pasta into pots and pans sitting on the floor from a very early age. At least it makes me clean up the floor when they are all done. They also helped with Christmas cookies at a very early age. Good luck.

 

QUOTE(marieber @ Jul 17 2007, 04:32 PM) [snapback]334900[/snapback]
I only started about 6 months ago (at about 2.5 years) and that's just basic sticking the spoon or whisk into the bowl and pretend they are "helping." Or I'll ask them to get things from the refrigerator for me (a stick of butter or something small and non-breakable). That said, no reason not to expose them earlier as long as it's safe. Mine have been in the kitchen with me for a long time, they just haven't really wanted to "help" until more recently.


I started letting ours help probably in the past month or so and it's pretty much like Marie described so far. I'm getting them warmed up for helping with Christmas cookies! I've been waiting for this for a VERY long time. :yahoo:

 

We started "cooking" at about 2 years where they basically took turns mixing cake or brownie mixes. They decorated Jello eggs for Easter with the gel icing and helped put M & M's on Daddy's cake last week. I make Jello Jigglers and I let them use the Jello cutters. I only let them help/watch with the non cooking/baking parts right now.

We moved into our house when they were two years old and we now have an open kitchen. In our apartment it was gated off. I'm still too nervous to have them in the kitchen when I'm actually cooking.

Sharon