Cooking with Kids
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (2020), meal preparation and management is an instrumental daily living activity. This IADL is defined as “planning, preparing, and serving meals and cleaning up food and tools…after meals” (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2020, p. 31).
Cooking with children is a great way to develop life skills, meet developmental milestones, and enhance academic skills (Emerge Pediatric Therapy, 2020; Therapy Shoppe, 2024). These skills include mathematical skills, enhanced cognition, and more. This blog discusses the benefits of cooking with children, kid-safe cooking tools, and simple recipes to try today!
The Benefits of Cooking with Children
Cooking with children is beneficial in many ways, including:
Physical development
Enhanced cognition
Academic skills
Sensory input
Social skills development
Independence and creativity
Food exploration
Kid-Safe Cooking Tools
Children’s cooking set containing an apron, plastic measuring cups, instructional activity cards, and more
Foam tubing to enlarge utensil handles
Easy Recipes for Kids
References
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (4th ed.). The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Suppl. 2), 1-87. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001
Emerge Pediatric Therapy. (2020, May 5). 7 academic skills you can easily teach while you cook dinner. https://emergepediatrictherapy.com/7_skills_dinner/
Mosaic Health & Rehab. (2020, September 21). Cooking with kids part 2: OT perspective. https://mosaicrehabmt.com/cooking-with-kids-part-2-ot-perspective/
Occupational Therapy Helping Children. (2024). The benefits of cooking with your child. https://www.occupationaltherapy.com.au/the-benefits-of-cooking-with-your-child/
Therapy Shoppe. (2024). Fun in the kitchen: Cooking activities for kids and their OT benefits. https://therapyshoppe.com/parents-place/341-exploring-kitchen-adventures-cooking-activities-for-kids-with-ot-benefits