Cooking with children: tips and inspiration

Weighing, mixing, setting the table: letting children help in the kitchen is not only fun, it is also educational. And it's not just about cooking itself. It is also an opportunity to create healthier eating habits that will benefit them—and the planet—for the rest of their lives.

A VARDAGEN measuring spoons in the kitchen

Less clutter, more fun

Let's be honest, most children love to make a mess. Adults, not so much. With aprons for everyone, you can let the children weigh, mix, stir, and knead to their hearts' content, while keeping the mess to a minimum.

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A young girl and a man are baking something in white VISPAD mixing bowls with eggs, flour, and baking accessories.

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Safety first for kitchen accessories for children

Hakken en snijden zijn dingen die elke chef-kok in spe onder de knie moet krijgen. Maar scherpe voorwerpen in kleine handjes kan een beetje beangstigend zijn. Veilig keukengerei in de juiste maat maakt het gemakkelijker - en minder zenuwslopend - om kinderen keukenvaardigheden bij te brengen.

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A boy is standing at a worktop, cutting an apple into cubes with a SMÅBIT knife on a cutting board, with a SMÅBIT peeler next to him.

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A step in the right direction

As a child, you automatically miss out on a lot of what's going on, simply because you're small. And that's not really fair. With a step stool, preparing food—and many other activities—becomes a lot more democratic, because the little ones can sit safely where the action is.

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A young girl is standing on a yellow TROGEN step stool/stool for children next to a kitchen worktop. An adult is standing next to the girl.

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Set the table and learn

Setting the table may seem like a simple task, but it is actually a learning opportunity. When children set the table, they work with colors, count, and learn concepts such as symmetry and left and right. And then there is the good feeling you get when you help, when they hear that they are doing well.

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A sunlit table with a tablecloth and flowers is set by a boy who places matte green FÄRGKLAR bowls on white plates.

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Water fun

Playing with water is always fun. Splashing, spraying, pouring, rinsing. It feels good, it sounds good, and it's enjoyable. So if you want to get the kids involved in the kitchen, give them tasks that involve water. From rinsing the lettuce to washing the dishes, the kitchen is a treasure trove for constructive water games.

A worktop where a boy rinses lettuce using a KLOCKREN colander while a man cuts vegetables in a white UPPLAGA deep plate.

Let them harvest what they sow

Growing Brussels sprouts is a great way to teach children about the cycle of life. And why not do it with all the trimmings? A baking dish makes a great seedbed because it can hold lots of seedlings and can be reused over and over again.

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A girl carefully places seeds in a bed of soil in a clear glass MIXTUR oven dish. A man holds a bowl with even more seeds.

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In sight, but not in the way

If you have the space, why not create a children's corner in the kitchen? With a few chairs, a table, and some storage space on the wall—all at the right height—they'll have a place to play while you get on with the serious business of cooking.

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Part of a kitchen furnished as a children's corner, with FLISAT children's table and stools, and a baking dish with Brussels sprouts.

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Healthy lunches for everyone

By making packed lunches for the whole family, everyone gets a nutritious lunch. Doing it together makes it a fun activity and allows you to teach your children what is healthy and what isn't.

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A kitchen counter with food and drinks prepared and packed in IKEA 365+ and other storage boxes.