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10 Benefits of Engaging Children in Cooking

As we all find ourselves spending more time at home, you may be looking for ways to entertain your children. Engaging your children in the creation of mealtimes may be one of the most beneficial activities that you can create for them.

1. Cooking helps create adventurous eaters. Children are much more likely to try and like foods that they have had a hand in preparing.

2. Cooking teaches life skills. Cooking is a basic skill that will benefit children for the rest of their lives, making them more independent and self-sufficient.

3. Cooking builds self-confidence. Children will experience the pride that comes with completing a task and creating something that benefits everyone in the family.

4. Cooking is a great opportunity to teach and learn about health. Cooking opens the door to discuss all kinds of topics about health. For instance, children can help evaluate foods and recipes to decide how and why they are healthy. They can also explore how changing up ingredients can make foods more nutritious.

5. Cooking helps build language and reading skills. As children read recipes, they learn new words, increase reading comprehension, and practice following directions.

6. Cooking is great practice in math. Not only do children learn various measurements such as cups, quarts, and teaspoons. Kids also practice with fractions and learn the importance of math in everyday life.

7. Cooking teaches science. Kids learn how different ingredients, times, and temperatures equal different results. They also see firsthand examples of scientific concepts like chemical versus physical reactions.

8. Cooking sharpens focus and attention. Kids quickly learn the benefits of staying focused on the task at hand and paying attention to the smallest details.

9. Cooking builds appreciation. Children who help cook have more appreciation for the time and effort it takes to prepare a meal and to clean up afterward.

10. Perhaps most importantly, cooking encourages family bonding. Children and caregivers who cook together learn to work as a team. Cooking creates a great environment to pass along family traditions and to simply be silly and messy together.

The HEAL website has many kid-friendly cooking videos and recipes to get starting with. Check out a few of our favorites that are ideal for even the youngest and least experienced chefs:

 

HEAL Recipes