Or, "everything in its place."  I call it, "The necessary art of not losing your mind when cooking with kids." When I am prepping to have my kiddos in the kitchen with me, I set up a "pantry" for room temperature ingredients that the kids can easily access, and put any cold or frozen items in your child’s line of sight in the fridge/freezer. I pull out all the tools I will need and put them in arms reach (measuring spoons, bowls, knives, cutting boards) reading thru the recipe thoroughly, so I'm not reaching for tongs when my kids are stirring a hot pot of risotto. It's important to note that some things are simply easier to "prep" beforehand. If a recipe requires shredded roasted chicken or cooked rice, do it beforehand. Kids love the smallest tasks, so leave the adult-oriented steps to your prep work. Yes, this is extra work for you, but in the end, your cooking time with your kids will be exponentially more enjoyable for all parties.

 Yes, I expect most kids to participate in clean up, (my 4-year-old helps with the dishes in our house, and when she was younger, I'd have her do smaller tasks like help organize all the dirty utensils for the sink). If you'd rather clean up in your own serenity, I totally get that; however, kids at a bare minimum should be clearing their individual plates

 One of the most significant barriers of entry for parents who'd like to cook with their kids is learning how to teach them proper techniques. I have some videos demonstrating how to properly instruct your child in cutting using a child-safe knife, holding a spoon for stirring on the counter and over a hot surface and cracking an egg properly. Outside of these three basic techniques, they will learn by example from you!

Your two-year-old and your ten-year-old will obviously have very different culinary abilities, and each individual child's prior cooking experience will play a role in the kitchen. Even your child's own attention span is a significant factor. Don’t be discouraged if a three-year-old starts to get squirmy after 10-15 minutes. As a general guideline, I expect kids who are kindergarten and beyond to work thru an entire recipe with me, and I try to reengage the littles when the important steps of a recipe are happening. So, what can your kids do? Here are some age-based guidelines that have worked for me.

 Kids can use the majority of the tools you have in your kitchen except for your knives, and anything particularly sharp like graters and micro-planes. A small investment in a set of kid-safe nylon knives are safe, and the perfect sizes for your little ones’ hands. Skid-free step stools are great for kids under 9 who can’t reach the counter. Kids also love unique tools, in the kitchen (sorry Alton Brown, my kids love uni-taskers!) like egg slicers, onion choppers, and strawberry hullers. As much as I believe adults only need a properly sharpened knife to complete most tasks in the kitchen, tools help hold interest for the short attention spans of children.

And, as a last resort, if you absolutely HATE having your kids in the kitchen, send them to cooking classes! Let people like me, who could write 10 pages about the ethereal qualities lime zest, introduce new foods to your kids. Either way, your objective is achieved, however, your role when you get home at mealtime is to mirror The Picky to Persuadable method and The Politeness Policy. No matter what approach works for your family, an investment in your family’s culinary capital is worth the effort.

You and your family CAN do this!

Now that your kitchen is ready, learn more about the jobs your small fry can help with according to their age group!