15 Essential Cooking Tools and How to Teach Your Kids to Use Them Properly

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One of my close friends, who always cooks with her young kids, has taught me the benefits of cooking with preschool-aged kids. She also shared how to get kids started with cooking. In one of our chats, she told me that it is very important for the kids to learn about cooking tools and how to use them properly since many things can go wrong in the kitchen. She emphasized that kids will need to learn the cooking tools and their uses before joining the cooking fun. In this post, I would like to share the 15 essential cooking tools, their uses, and how to teach your kids to use them correctly.

15 Essential cooking tools and their uses

Cookwares

1. Frying pan: is perfect for making eggs and pancakes. It is also great for searing meats and sauteing vegetables.
2. Saucepan: is great for cooking dishes that involve liquids like boiling pasta, making sauce, or cooking vegetables.
3. Stockpot: is good for soups or stews. It is also good for cooking turkeys.
4. Glass baking dish: is made for cooking dishes that require oven baking. 
5. Metal baking tray: is great for baking cookies, toasting nuts, or roasting meats and vegetable.
6. Kettles

Utensils

7. Knives: is designed to cut different types of food, including vegetables, meats, fruits, and more.
8. Spatula: is made to lift, flip or spread food.
9. Measuring spoons: are great for measuring spices, dried herbs, and condiments.
10. Measuring cups: are good for measuring flour, milk, water, and other cooking liquids. 
11. Whisk: is handy for mixing liquids or beating eggs.  
12. Ladles: are made for transferring liquid food like soups, sauces, and gravies.
13. Peelers: are created to peel fruits and vegetables. 
14. Tongs: are useful to flip and lift big and heavy food pieces. 

Tools and Gadgets

15. Cutting board: is good for cutting food while protecting your underlying counter.
16. Colander: is designed for draining excess liquid or washing fruits and vegetables. 
17. Prepping bowls: are handy for organizing your ingredients. They can also be used to mix or serve food. 
18. Can opener: is made to open cans. 
19. Apron: is used to protect your clothes from getting dirty and messy.
20. Mittens: are made to protect our hands from burning while handling hot objects and surfaces.

Teach your kids to use these cooking tools properly

Teaching small kids about kitchen tools and utensils can be a little tricky, but it is not impossible. There are a few ways to start providing the knowledge safely:

Card and puzzle games: One of the fun and safe ways to introduce cooking tools and utensils to your kids is to play kitchen theme card games and puzzle games. These games will familiarize little kids with kitchen items, their names, and their uses. Below are a few games you can check out:

Cooking toys: If you would like a more hands-on learning activity for your kids, you can choose the cooking toy sets. These are not usable in the kitchen, but they will allow your kids to learn the tools while playing with them. There are many sets available in the market. Below are a few for you to check out:

Observation-only lessons: these lessons might not work as well as the previous two methods, but it is a safe way to introduce cooking to your little ones. You can have a simple setting where you show your kids the actual cooking utensils and tools and how to use them. It’s also good to mention the safety protocols for each item if necessary. However, it is only a demonstration, and they will not be allowed to touch the items yet.

Kid-safe cooking tool kits: Once your kids have a chance to get familiar with the cooking utensils and tools, it is time for them to get to the real fun. However, they might not be ready for your tools yet since these might pose a danger to the little ones. We highly recommend that you get your kids age-appropriate cooking sets (see below for several options available).

Closing Words

Cooking offers lots of benefits for little kids’ development. However, it needs to be done in a safe manner. Teaching your kids about utensils and tools is a great way to start involving them in cooking activities. Please be aware that not all kids are interested in cooking. There is no need to force the matter. If your kids don’t like cooking, you can try out different involved activities with them as going on a scavenger hunt or doing science experiments. I hope you enjoy the post, and I will see you in the next one soon!