Having the kids help cook dinner?

[BigJohn]

My wife thinks it would be "fun" to have the kids, ages 9 and 6, help with making dinner a couple nights a week. I think they might be a bit young(especially our 6 year old) and it will be more frustrating than anything else.

Do any of you have the kids helping to cook dinner? Any tips?

 

[Caleb]

I think it's a great idea too! Kids like to help out and it's great bonding time (or so my wife says). My kids help us and they love it. My tip would be to make something simple to start. Let your youngest be in charge of putting a salad together or something simple like that.

 

[Josephmorisson]

My kids love messing up things in the kitchen. Every time my wife bake a cake, my kids love to play the plain flour and icing. It seems that they are too young to help cooking stuff. My daughter can cook basic menu like scrambled eggs and fried fish.

 

[SilverVeil]

Sure, have them help out. Six year olds can open cans, peel onions, measure out rice or pasta. I let my kids do the prep work, never work the stove. Setting the eating area and preparing the plates is also a big deal to them.

 

[Kenny]

I think it is a great idea and we plan to get our little one involved in household chores and cooking as soon as she is old enough. A family should be like a team and teams have to work together to get the job done. It's a great way to teach about pulling one's own weight.