Getting kids started early in the kitchen is a great way to encourage good habits for life. Children who have hands-on experience with food and cooking are more likely to make healthy food decisions as adults, to say nothing of the potential ability to cook a wide range of meals. Alternatively, if your kids never really practice any cooking when they’re young, they may struggle to cook their own meals later on. Being separated from the process of cooking also increases the chances that your kids will develop unhealthy eating habits.
These are some of the main reasons that you, as a parent, should equip your kids with the basic tools they need to thrive in the kitchen. You don’t have to just throw them into the kitchen on their own and hope for the best, though. It’s always a good idea to stick around and supervise your kids while they cook, especially if they need to use the oven or stovetop. In any case, your kids can’t hope to be successful in the kitchen if they don’t have the right utensils at their disposal.
But what are the best cooking gifts for kids? Which kinds of cooking utensils work well with small hands? What are the safest cooking knives for kids? Finally, where can you get high-quality kids cooking utensils and utensil kits at affordable prices?
In today’s guide, we’re going to answer all of these questions and more. So, let’s get started!
The Best Starter Cooking Utensils For Kids
Though we strongly believe in getting your kids started in the kitchen from an early age, you will want to make sure that you create an environment that encourages curiosity, problem-solving, safety, and above all else, fun! To ensure that your kids can get the most out of their time in the kitchen, they will need some high-quality tools and utensils. However, utensils designed for adults are not always safe or practical for kids to use. Fortunately, there are plenty of great starter cooking utensils made for kids.
Kids Baking Supplies
Baking is one of the most rewarding experiences for young chefs, but it also takes a fair amount of preparation. If your kids try to start baking without the right tools, they could end up with a complete mess on their hands. So, if you want to start your kids out baking the right way, be sure to equip them with the basic supplies they need.
Some of the most important kids baking supplies and utensils include:
- Measuring Spoons – One of the best things about cooking with kids is all the practical life skills they can learn along the way. Measuring spoons can help your younger kids master hand-eye coordination while also learning about measurements and fractions.
- Cookie Cutters – Kids love baking sweets and desserts, so always make sure to have some fun cookie cutters on hand!
- Frosting Spatula – If your kids want to bake cakes or cookies with frosting, they’ll need a frosting spatula to add the finishing touches.
- Pizza Cutter – Pizza is another food that is a lot of fun to cook as a family. While your kids don’t absolutely need a pizza cutter to get the job done, it can make it much easier for them to divide the pizza evenly.
Serving & Cooking Utensils For Small Hands
Kids have small hands, which means that many of the everyday utensils you use in the kitchen may not be suitable for them. For example, a large whisk or spatula may just be too cumbersome for a young child to use. Consequently, it is important to get certain utensils and tools that are specifically designed for small hands.
Some of the best cooking utensils for small hands include:
- Oven Mitts – Safety is always a top priority when you have kids in the kitchen, and a good pair of oven mitts offer one of the best ways to avoid unnecessary burns. While you might be able to get by with regular mitts for older children, younger kids will need their own smaller mitts.
- Pie Server – You can’t properly serve a piece of pie, pizza, or similar dish without a pie server designed for kids!
- Mini Whisk – A mini whisk is perfect for smaller hands and an essential tool in any kitchen.
- Mixing Spoon – Much like a whisk, a mixing spoon is an important tool in your child’s arsenal.
- Spatula – Having a small spatula helps your child do a wide range of tasks in the kitchen, from mixing scrambled eggs to flipping pancakes!
- Tongs – Like oven mitts, tongs help your child grasp items without using their hands. Tongs are particularly useful when things are hot out of the oven.
- Pasta Scooper – Since pasta is such a popular dish, it only makes sense to keep a small pasta scooper on hand!
Cooking Knives For Kids
As you probably know, knives play an important role in the kitchen. However, the thought of your kids wielding sharp, metal knives might make you panic. For this reason, it is not advisable to let your kids (especially younger kids) use knives made for adults.
Instead, you should invest in a kid-friendly knife that has the ability to cut food, but is far less likely to injure anyone. Kid-safe knives are typically made of nylon or a similar material that is sturdy enough to cut most foods without being sharp enough to pierce the skin. This is truly one of the most important utensils you can get when your children are first learning to cook.
Utensil Sets For Kids
Many parents prefer to buy individual utensils as they need them. However, this could mean that your child won’t have the utensils they need when they’re ready to cook. To avoid this problem, you can opt for a more robust cooking or baking set. These sets come with various tools and basic cooking utensils that kids can put to good use in the kitchen.
Here are two great utensil sets that provide dozens of basic cooking tools for kids:
- Baking Set – If you want to get just about everything you need in one handy gift, you can’t go wrong with a starter baking set for kids.
- Mega Tool Pack – Kidstir’s Mega Tool Pack has all of the basic utensils your child needs to start cooking, baking, and serving delicious food!
Kids Kitchen Accessories
There are some accessories that are fun to have in the kitchen, but they may not be a necessity for your kids. That said, things like cookbooks and chef’s hats can make the cooking experience more fun for many children. So, here are a few additional items to consider for your young chefs:
- Egg Timer – An egg timer is a fun and easy way to make sure that your kids don’t undercook or overcook their eggs.
- Cookbook – A cookbook allows your child to record recipes and take notes on everything they’ve learned in the kitchen!
- Chef’s Hat & Apron – An apron not only keeps your child’s clothing clean while they mix ingredients, but it also helps them feel more like a professional chef. To make this item even more fun, your child can get an authentic chef’s hat to help them really get into character!
Do you want to learn even more about kids cooking utensils? Are you in need of high-quality kids cooking kits? If so, be sure to reach out to Kidstir today!
