How to cook with kids in the kitchen

Cooking with kids.This topic is humbling to say the least.Sometimes I invite my kids into the kitchen and we all laugh and have fun, everything turns out delicious and I gloat to myself about what an amazing mama I am.But many times, it starts out great but in the end the oil goes in the wrong bowl, the egg my son has been vigorously whisking for 20 minutes gets splashed on the floor and I find myself turning to yelling and wondering why I even try.The truth is, cooking with kids is tough. Let’s get real here. Anything with kids is tough. But despite the challenges, I am amazed at what my kids have learned from being in the kitchen with me.What Kids Learn From CookingMath-my 4 year old’s math skills blow my mindFine motor skills-stirring, cracking eggs, etc…Patience-Both in waiting for food to be done and waiting for mom to be availableThat they can do hard things-Many of the tasks are challenging but they can learn them in a (relatively) safe environmentTaking turns/sharingBasic nutrition-This kind of food grows in the ground etc…Chemistry-We have to add eggs to keep this together or the oil on the outside of the veggies helps them get brown and crispCreativityWith all of those benefits, I say that things taking a little (or a lot) longer and occasional mishaps and frustration make it worth it to have them there with me.I like to think of having my preschoolers and toddlers in the kitchen with me as an investment in the future. I imagine myself someday sitting on the couch browsing social media while my perfectly competent young teenager takes their turn making dinner.A girl can dream, right?So, how exactly do you go about welcoming your kids into the kitchen with you while maintaining your sanity.As I started out with, none of these tips are going to work every single time, and there may be times that it’s Daniel Tiger to the rescue and that’s totally okay…but with these tips you should be able to stretch out the time you are able to cook and feel a little more peace while doing so.9 Tips For Cooking With Kids In The KitchenStart with a clean kitchen– It can be frustrating to clean something knowing you are about to get it dirty, but starting clean ensures all your dishes are ready for you and that there’s a spot in the sink for all the new dishes you are about to dirty. This will save you time allowing you to get the task done quicker ( in those little one’s attention spans).Give your kids one on one time BEFORE you start cooking-This is my golden tip for getting kids to cooperate with ANYTHING. If their cup is filled, they will be more cooperative and able to give you the time and help you need to get your tasks done, so put your phone away and engage and play with them for 15-30 minutes before you start cooking.Cook in the mornings when kids are in a good mood– Dinner time is everyone’s cranky hour in our house (ahem, including mine) so why add cooking to that already stressful time. So many dishes can be made-ahead, and if you can’t make everything ahead you can at least chop your veggies, measure your ingredients, pre-cook your grains so that dinner at night comes together in a snap. Take out your recipe in the morning and decide what you can do right then to make your evening go more smoothly.Invite children to help with age-appropriate tasks– I love to let my young kids (4 and under) gather ingredients, crack eggs, dump ingredients, stir, etc…)Set kids up with an engaging activity at the kitchen table-When they are checked out of helping or you run out of appropriate tasks, it’s totally okay to let them be done, but let them stay close to you. They will like feeling welcome and you’ll get more done with them close by (and be able to stop squabbl