Toddler in the kitchen
My kids love to be in the kitchen. I have mixed feelings about all of this. Anything you want to cook or make or cut or clean takes more time, makes more mess, and (in my case) often leads to unexpected breakdowns, but I continue trying new kitchen adventures with my kids. These are the adventures I feel have been (more) successful than others and tools I have found that have helped.
First, and foremost, a kitchen toddler stool. Something that reigns them in and gets them to counter height. We have something like this:
Wood Stool: https://amzn.to/45DN5KJ
There are also ones that can fold and put away if that’s your jam like this one:
Folding Toddler Stool: https://amzn.to/3VXEa3u
I recommend measuring the space you have to make sure the one you get will fit. It took me a while to find one that I could push under our counter and out of the way.
#1 Fruit Smoothie Popsicles
These are my favorite. Old fruit laying around? Do you have a blender or food processor? Make fruit popsicles! I used to have the plastic pop molds, but found those were particularly messy when being eaten. Then my mom got me these. I love them. They are silicone, squeeze pops molds. Steps: wash fruit (my daughter tends to do this quickly but painlessly), cut fruit (I like to do this, but there are kids plastic knives I have left my daughter use now and again with soft prey (e.g. bananas) without injury, link below), put in blender (my daughter is very good at this step), blend, pour, and wait. Note, since its just blended fruit you can also consume as a “smoothie” if your children like mine are working on their patience. Sometimes I add yogurt.
Molds -> https://amzn.to/3VJaXrt
Knives -> https://amzn.to/3zgyvN8
If you prefer just to make smoothies, which we do a lot, I’ve found normal size reusable straws cause major toddler distress when trying to drink a thick smoothie through them. I got these and love them, especially since they come in a bag that (somehow) we continue using and keeps them confined in my “straw and many other odd kitchen things and left over ketchup/soy sauce packet drawer.”
Big straws -> https://amzn.to/3KYp6MC
#2 Banana Muffins
Bananas tend to turn black in my house. When we have a few black ones and I feel up to a cooking adventure I like to make banana muffins with peanut butter and egg. Smush up a banana (up to you if your toddler helps). My daughter did particularly well with this when the banana skin is super pliable and you can mash the fruit while still in the skin. Add a similar volume of peanut butter. If its 1-2 bananas (unless they’re big) I add 1 egg, if it’s more I add 2 eggs. And, no, I do not let my toddler break the eggs. If you do, my hat is off to you. Sometimes I like to add a handful of oats or chocolate chips, but that’s kind of risky behavior. Poor it into muffin tins (I line them with muffin liners to make clean up easier - and putting the muffin liners in the pan is a great activity for my daughter), and bake 350 F for 15ish minutes, or until fluffy-ish (these are not the fluffiest creations, but I suppose you could add a bit of baking powder if you wanted them to fluff more) and all done. Sometimes I put some shredded zucchini in when the zucchini garden supply is endless, but this has yielded some soggy results so do so at your own risk.
My daughter loves to mix. Mixing has created many undesirable messes. This bowl helps with this (link below). Also, I envision this bowl with a baking mix, mixing spoon, and kid’s apron as a very cute gift for a 3-5 year old.
Suction Bottom Bowl: https://amzn.to/45JRfQY
#3 Charcuterie tray
This may sound fancy, but it is not. Get some ice cube trays (muffin tins work too). Now tell your toddler they can make their own “charcuterie tray” which in my household holds an air of mystery. Also Charcuterie is a tough word, so my daughter currently says “Tootery” snacks which adds to the experience. Now find things that they can put in the small sections of the tray and let them create their masterpiece (of course eating while they go)…. some of my favorite components are black olives, craisins/raisins, cut up grapes, cheese (my daughter loves using her plastic knives to cut sliced cheese into smaller pieces), carrot sticks/rounds, cucumber slices, gold fish, pirates booty, etc. Bonus if you have a fork small enough to retrieve these snacks from their cubbies. I have ice cube trays with silicone bottoms (which I love when actually making ice) but my daughter loves when eating her Tootery snacks because she can elevate the very bottom of the cub contents for better grabbing.
Ice cube tray -> https://amzn.to/4cBdJpz
