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A kitchen is a natural place for making memories with grandchildren. Somehow between chopping and measuring (and a lot of patience), a legacy is built and that’s a win for everyone.
Growing up, one of my favorite things to do was to help my mom or grandma in the kitchen.
Grandma had a special drawer set aside for us grandkids.
We could ‘use’ anything we wanted while we ‘cooked’.
Oh, the feasts we prepared!
We also were invited to help her prepare snacks and meals using real food.
I remember feeling so grown up!
My grandkids live hours away, so we’ve got to be creative to spend time in the kitchen together.
With a little coordination from their parents and the wonders of technology, making memories with grandchildren in the kitchen is possible.
We are making it work!
1. Have Patience To Make Memories
Baking with kids, or prepping any kind of food with kids, takes just a bit more patience and thought than just whipping up something quickly ourselves.
We’re sharing some tips for grandchildren at every age, and then be sure to check out the list of goofy snack ideas for one of their favorite holidays…Halloween!
2. Divide the Prep Into Little Steps
The great thing about food prep is that there are so many little steps.
There will be something that everyone can do.
Consider breaking the prep down into as many little steps as possible.
Think about the part that will be easiest for your grandchild to do.
For example, if the recipe calls for ‘1 egg’ we automatically open the fridge, get the egg, crack it, add it to the bowl and throw away the shell.
Which part of ‘add one egg’ is your grandchild ready to help with?
3. Give Them Space (2 & 3-year-olds)
This group needs lots of supervision.
Their motor skills and dexterity are still developing.
Give them as much space as you can, and a really big bowl for the task to prevent spills and frustration.
They’ll be great at:
washing produce,
tearing up lettuce
helping you add pre-measured ingredients
stirring soft ingredients
4. Adapt to Their Skills (4-5-year-olds)
All of the above. Then, since there is so much variability in their development and skills at this age, select what they may be able to do from the list below.
My granddaughter LOVES cutting strawberries with a regular table knife.
5. Add Complex Tasks (6-8-year-olds)
The fine motor skills of kids in this age group have usually developed to the point where they can take on more complex tasks.
Add the following to the list of possibilities.
They may be able to:
grate cheese (under careful supervision)
peel potatoes and dice veggies (again, under your watchful eye)
form cookies
measure ingredients
assemble and garnish
6. 8- to 9-year-olds
They may be ready to:
cut the pizza
transfer batter to muffin cups
skewer food
slice bread
clean up and put away
with your direct supervision, work at the stove
7. Independent Work (10- to 12-year-olds and up)
These guys are ready to go!
They can begin working independently and prepare snacks and simple meals for you!
It’s a great idea to do an assessment of their knowledge of kitchen safety, the proper use of kitchen tools, and food safety before turning them loose though.
Remember grandkids this age still need you. They just need you differently!
RELATED: What Does a Middle Schooler Need From You?
8. Making Memories with Grandchildren by Keeping Parents in the Loop
As always, check-in with their grownups will give you a great idea of their ability or what their parents are comfortable with.
To get started in the kitchen we recommend checking out these fun Halloween snacks that are simple and fun. Or if you’re more of a Christmas baker then check out our Grandparents Guide to Christmas in the Printables Library for free. Simply sign up below to join our email list and you’ll receive the password within minutes.
A great place to begin making memories with grandchildren is with laughter. The final product of these recipes is sure to win a smile!
We hope that as you spend with your grandchild in one kitchen, or two or more via Facetime or Alexa, in addition to making some great snacks, you have a blast making memories with your grandchildren!
