Cooking classes for kids are a great way to introduce little tots to the pleasure and joy of culinary creations.
Hands On Learning
Children love to learn. Cracking eggs, buttering bread and mixing a bowl of batter are all tactile activities that raise their level of understanding in the realms of density, volume and consistency. If your child has taken a certain liking for the activities found in the kitchen, cooking classes for kids may be a rewarding and fun filled adventure for them.
Enrolling in Cooking Classes for Kids
There are many different types of cooking classes. With increased interest in organic and natural based play, it has become somewhat of a trend for local offerings of cooking classes.
Pee Wee Chef courses as well as the Young Chef's Academy are just two examples of cooking courses that are often found at local recreation centers or community colleges. In a structured class setting, children will learn basic cooking skills appropriate for their age level.
Children as young as three years of age can participate in a culinary course where their interests are peaked as they learn nutritional information, read aloud, and count measurements.
In addition to kitchen basics, general cooking classes for kids are geared to teach children the following:
- Recipe preparation and procedures
- Nutrition
- Food groups and serving sizes
- Kitchen safety and food handling
- Basic food pyramid
Classes for young participants encourage parent interaction, which is a great way to bond with your child while nurturing their attained skills. If you know a child who is interested in cooking and the arts rather than sports or music, a paid cooking course may make a great birthday or Christmas gift. Although the prices for classes and sessions vary, they are generally affordable and well worth the money. If parents or caregivers find tuition too costly, find out if the institution offers tuition assistance or a scholarship program. Many youth based programs offer these services, and it is well worth a try to find out.
Little Chef Supplies
Once children are enrolled in a cooking course, they'll most likely need a few supplies to foster their new skills. To increase cooking activities in the home, children should have their own set of utensils shaped for their small set of hands. Cooking supplies are affordable, and if quality is sought and proper care maintained, the same utensils can be used for years.
Although each individual course curriculums will notify parents what children will need to participate in the class setting, stocking up on these few supplies will give kids a head start:
- Chefs hat
- Child size apron
- Clothes that can get messy
- Child size utensils
- Comfortable closed toe shoes
- Set of stainless steel bowls
- Basic set of junior sized pots and pans
Get Cooking
Although class based settings are a great way for children to interact and mingle with other tots, children need not enroll in courses to learn how to cook. Cooking with kids at home is a great way for parents or caregivers to spend quality time with their children while stimulating their kitchen curiosities. Whipping up simple preschool snacks are easy and delightful tasks for the budding chef.
There are many recipe books available that teach basic cooking skills and recipes for children and parents to cook up together. Seek out the following:
- Kids Cooking:Slightly Messy Manual
- Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals for Kids
- Simply in Season Children's Cookbook
If you've found your child to be intrigued by the happenings in the kitchen, it may be time to embrace this passion and enhance their natural love of learning by enrolling them in cooking classes.
