How old for child to cook?

[tmarquez]

In the microwave? Stove top? Oven?

What do you let your kids do?

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Here's what we've done, I can see speeding this up with a kid who was more interested in cooking than mine.

Up until 6: Participate in the cooking process, but only in those parts that didn't actually involve touching a heating appliance. A possible exception might be pushing microwave buttons while in my arms.

6 - 8: "Help" cook, by doing things like standing on a chair and stirring a pot of pasta, or setting the oven with me right there. Can do an entire process in the microwave with me supervising but not neccessarily coaching. E.g. easy mac, or microwave popcorn, or making frozen veggies. Can also make toast. No putting things in the oven or removing them from anywhere once they're hot. (e.g. don't take the bowl of soup out of the microwave)

9 - 11: Can do an entire process in the microwave without supervision. Can do an entire process on the stove top with supervision (note: easy process like scrambling eggs, or making pasta). Taking things out of a hot oven still a no.

12: Can do things like eggs and pasta, even if I'm not home. We haven't tried the putting things in or taking them out of the oven, but I don't object in theory at this age.

13 and up: I don't know, I never had a kid this age and I tend to parent by instinct.

 

[GinnyEmma]

they are most tender when young...

Mine started making eggs and such by 5ish, and it was meal by meal as time passed. Heating a piece of pizza or soup, they were young. Pushing buttons is nature at their age.

They all made cakes etc. as soon as they could read. That was where they learned fractions, also.

 

[Gigi22]

I was standing on the seat of a kitchen chair stirring rice pudding on top of the stove when I was 5. By the time I was 13 I could make souffles. (I had about a year of Home Ec. in grades 7 and 8 that taught the basics of cooking).

 

[GinnyEmma]

I made thanksgiving dinner at 13 when my mom had to work 7-3. I have two sons that really like to cook. The others can cook anything, but it isn't a love.

 

[mamacatnv]

My DD is 12 and was afraid of taking things in and out of the oven until about a year ago now she bakes up a storm.

I started letting her "help" as soon as she was old enough to stand on a stool and reach whatever we were doing.

As for unassisted - DD has been making her own micro snacks and breakfasts since she was about 5/6

Using the stove: she started making hamburgers, mac & cheese and fried eggs on the stove top about 3 years ago.

 

[PollyannaMom]

DS is 10. He uses the microwave wthout me, but the stovetop (gas) only if I'm right there. We haven't moved on to the oven yet, but he really isn't that interested, so I haven't had to think about it.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I wonder if the kind of stove people use has any influence over this but I have always been worried about gas and open flames so my kids have only recently started with the gas stove without me watching this year. Popcorn, Progresso or Cambells soup in the microwave since about 8 but warming leftovers since about 10 and even now I'll hear a yelp when someone makes a mistake with metals and things spark or flame up. Our microwave is directly over the stove so it's a bad spot for a short kid, stools were too dangerous for my liking. We have a electric teapot that the kids have used to boil water for things like cup-o-soup, hot chocolate and mac & cheese for a few years now, maybe that started at 9 or so.

My kids sort of enjoy cooking and will feed themselves but it's not high on their favorite things to do list. Not that I blame them, I'd prefer it if I had someone else do all my cooking for me too

 

[hereyago]

DD12 has been doing the microwave for a few years now. it's an older one and it doesn't like me, so DD will work that microwave.

she does stove top cooking and she loves to bake and I love to eat what she bakes

 

[NHdisneylover]

It depends on how much time they have spent in the kitchen with you and how naturally careful they are about things.

Mine were allowed to use the microwave for easy things like popcorn or instant oatmeal by 3.

Stove top by 5 or 6 depening on the kid. Taking things out of the oven, runnign the mixer and blender, etc. a few months later.

When D was 5 we visited friends. The girls had been told they could make pancakse for breakfast. I thought our hostess was in the kitchen with the two 5 year olds and she thought I was. We realized our mistake as the girls were turing batch 5 or 6 out. They found the cookbook and did it all--so, I figured she was really pretty okay in a kitchen

My youngest is 12. The ONLY thing I do not let him do in the kitchen without an adult around is use the torch (for creme brule, etc).

 

[SandrA9810]

I was cooking and baking by the time I was 10.

I got home around 2 from school, my sister didn't get home till 4:30 or so from middle school, and my aunt worked till 6-7pm and sometimes didn't get home till 8pm. It was a case of learn how to cook or you won't be eating.
By the time I was 14, I could make full dinners. I still went the easy route, chicken and ground beef, but I wasn't afraid of the kitchen.

 

[justhat]

My 4yo makes himself oatmeal in the microwave every morning. Initially his sister was doing hers (she was 6yo), but then he, of course, had to do what she did, so she taught him how. They'll occasionally do popcorn or something else microwavable too, but not too regularly, but simply because of their interest.

My 7yo has an easy bake oven and she does that herself, but she hasn't actually used the real oven alone yet. She has mixed all the ingredients and put stuff together, but I put it in and take it out. My only reason for this is because we also have a 1yo, and I am afraid that the 7yo might not be aware of where the baby is or leave the oven open while putting the pan down and the baby gets hurt.

 

[NHdisneylover]

My 4yo makes himself oatmeal in the microwave every morning. Initially his sister was doing hers (she was 6yo), but then he, of course, had to do what she did, so she taught him how. They'll occasionally do popcorn or something else microwavable too, but not too regularly, but simply because of their interest.

My 7yo has an easy bake oven and she does that herself, but she hasn't actually used the real oven alone yet. She has mixed all the ingredients and put stuff together, but I put it in and take it out. My only reason for this is because we also have a 1yo, and I am afraid that the 7yo might not be aware of where the baby is or leave the oven open while putting the pan down and the baby gets hurt.

Why don't you hold the toddler once in a while and allow her to experience putting the pan in and out of the oven? I best getting to do those final steps herself would really make her feel proud

 

[mamacatnv]

Kind of as a side note:

My Aunt the educator swears that cooking/baking is a great way to teach kids how to stay on task, how to follow directions and how to start and finish something without getting off track and time management.

My DH has horrible time management and can't stay on task, he has very trypical adult ADD characteristics - he also is a complete disaster in the kitchen. The chicken is done, the bread is burnt and oopps he forget a veggie, its still frozen.

My DS as a youngin was having issues with staying on task and completing things so my Aunt suggested we start with cookies from a recipe.
He had to assemble the ingredients
follow the directions
and then finish with the baking and the clean up
DS thought it was fun to make a batch of cookies, little did he know that we had ulterior motives

 

[NHdisneylover]

Kind of as a side note:

My Aunt the educator swears that cooking/baking is a great way to teach kids how to stay on task, how to follow directions and how to start and finish something without getting off track and time management.

My DH has horrible time management and can't stay on task, he has very trypical adult ADD characteristics - he also is a complete disaster in the kitchen. The chicken is done, the bread is burnt and oopps he forget a veggie, its still frozen.

My DS as a youngin was having issues with staying on task and completing things so my Aunt suggested we start with cookies from a recipe.
He had to assemble the ingredients
follow the directions
and then finish with the baking and the clean up
DS thought it was fun to make a batch of cookies, little did he know that we had ulterior motives

Oh how interesting-and it makes all kinds of sense when you think about it

 

[sunnyday123]

DD has always helped in the kitchen. She's 13 now, and just made paella, and is now baking cookies. ( I love this kid!) By 10 she was making a full meal, but I still help get heavy stuff out of the oven. I've always told her how hot the stove was and how bad it would burn ( like the candle she touched when she was 3) and for some reason at 5 she decided to find out herself and touched the rack in the oven.

I don't think it's unreasonable to supervise them in the kitchen at any age, plus we've had the best conversations while making a meal-stuff she would never talk about unless preoccupied with something else.

 

[Theosus]

how old for child to cook? In the microwave? Stove top? Oven?

I would say 10 to 12, even up to 14 if they are active free range children. Definitely no younger then 5, too much fat and the muscles are stringy.

Ohhhhhhh.... Oops.


I would say start with letting them help from early age. Measuring and cracking eggs, pouring and stirring, and reading directions. It can only help, especially with stuff like fractions... (1/4 cup.... 1/3 tsp).

 

[cntrygal]

I learned to cook when I was about 5, helped before then, by the time I was 8 i was cooking better then my mother

I remember making Fetticine alfrado all by my self from scratch in 3rd grade for some international day thing.

And the kicker was i learned to cook on a woodstove. We had a double oven 8 burner stove in our kitchen, we had an electric cooktop too, but we only used that in july and aug when it was too hot to have the woodstove going. So not only did i need to know how to make the meal I had to know How to regulate the fire too.

my daughter by 9 could make pasta and maranara sauce by eye, with out a recipe. She gets a kick out of making hamburger helper too...not that i normally buy it, but had too becuase she really wanted to make.

 

[Lassie Lynne]

Kinda funny, because the other day I was going through my childhood diaries and found an entry when I was 10 " Grandma still in hospital, got up, cooked Grandpa eggs, bacon and toast, watched game shows. Later in evening cooked dinner, did dishes and then went to bed."

No idea what I cooked for dinner tho'

 

[Mandychelle79]

Both of my kids can make easy foods in the microwave ( think soup, corn dogs, easy mac, chicken nuggets) with me telling them which numbers to push. They are 8 and 5. 5 yr old has been doing this for about 2 yrs or so. Each of them also have the option of making pbj's or lunch meat sandwiches if they do not like what is made for dinner.

5 yr old helps with dinner a lot. A few weeks ago he made chili cheese dogs and chili cheese fries with very little help from me. I think I put the pan in and out of the oven.

I was cooking dinner for the family by 4th or 5th grade and want my kids to be able to cook when they move out. As my hubby at 40 is not finally able to make an egg.