How to Have Fun Baking with Your Kids

a child pouring flour into a bowl sitting on a table with an open egg carton

“You have the patience of a saint!” My mother said these words to me one day as I was baking cookies with my toddler. Well, maybe on that particular occasion, but definitely not always! I do love being in the kitchen and baking. I grew up in a household of four girls where we all learned how to cook and bake pretty early on. As a mother, I want to share my love for baking with my kids, but learning how to do that and have fun with them besides is still a work in progress. Here I share some thoughts, tips and tricks I have come up with in our own adventures baking with kids!

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Some Principles to Bake by With Kids

Have Patience

When baking with your kids you need to be patient with them. They are learning how to do things for the first time. They’re just learning coordination, let alone how to pour or stir things correctly! A dear friend of mine whose kids are mostly grown shared with me a few stories of how sometimes her kids did things with really good intentions but ended up making messes. She thought to herself, “If I scold them and yell at them, that will lead them not to want to help out in the kitchen anymore.” Wow. Most of the time children, especially those under the age of reason, are just trying to do what we are doing, to help Mommy or Daddy. They only have good intentions. We can very easily crush their little spirits by saying “I don’t need you. I don’t want help.” But including them does sometimes require us to step back for a moment when something unfortunate does happen, to remain calm and to control our own emotions before addressing them.

Expect Accidents and Mess

Beyond the usual dishes that come with kitchen work, baking with kids is oftentimes (but not always!) more messy. Recently, my son spilled coconut flour all over the floor. Least to say I was not very happy. But I also knew that he did not do it on purpose; he was just trying to help. One big lesson I have had to learn in parenting is that MESSES ARE NOT EVIL. They simply are not. Yes, we have accidents and yes, sometimes those accidents lead to messes, but that doesn’t mean that they are wrong and we should scold our kids for them. Having accidents is just a part of learning.

Spend More Time

Baking with your kids takes a lot more time than just baking by yourself. However, this intentional time spent with your kids is exactly what they are looking for. It is actually far more important than anything you might bake together. I would not recommend spending this special time with them when you are in a hurry to get something done quickly in the kitchen, e.g. taking someone else a meal.

Lay the Foundation

There is definitely a generation of people who say “Get out of my kitchen!” and want to do everything themselves to make sure that it measures up to their standard of perfection. That leads to children not knowing how to function in a kitchen—not knowing how to cook or bake or clean up. They grow up expecting someone else to do it for them. So when they are adults, they have a hard time being adults, because their parents never let them grow and develop into the person they were made to be: an independent, well-functioning adult. And these adults have to learn it the hard way. So having children help in the kitchen is not only good for them, it’s necessary for their well-being.

At What Age Can Kids Get Involved With Baking?

a woman and a child using a electric mixer to beat a liquid substance in a bowl

Basically as soon as my kids were born and I had recovered enough, I would carry them in a wrap (an essential Mommy tool!) while I worked in the kitchen. When they got bigger, I sometimes would place them in their highchair to watch me while I worked. I would try to interact with them while I was working, telling them what I was doing, stopping to play with them, and giving them small items like a measuring spoon or a whisk to discover.

Once they begin walking, I find that my children want to help out. Our one-year-old has seen his older brother help set the table and empty the dishwasher for quite a while, and now he wants to help with those tasks too.

My two-and-a-half-year-old can do more. He understands that the stove and oven are hot so I am willing to let him stir things on the stove top. One morning he cooked bacon mostly by himself. He also loves dough—anything he can manipulate with his hands like cookie dough or bread dough. I often give him a little portion of dough to play with when I make these items and it keeps him busy for half an hour or more! It is amazing to watch his attention to detail and his concentration as he does his work.

My older one is also to the point of being able to help wash dishes in one of our two sinks alongside a parent. And he can also dry dishes—they may not be perfectly dried, but it really doesn’t matter.

So really, at every age your children can come alongside you and be involved in the kitchen environment. It will look different depending on the age and the child. Regardless, they always want to be near you and to do what you are doing, because they love you.

How To Involve My Kids With Baking?

a child stirring a mixture in a bowl that sits on a table with a jar, a recipe, and a carton of eggs

If you want your kids to help in the kitchen, you have to let them help. It can be tempting to make them stand still, watch closely, and not touch anything until they understand exactly what to do, but this is usually an unrealistic approach. They need to get involved! Yes, there are times where they just need to observe you doing your work, but with many tasks, they can help you. What is fun to them is to do what you are doing. There are so many things they can either help you with or do by themselves depending on their age and ability.

Here are some kitchen tasks our kids love to do:

scooping
pouring
stirring
rolling
kneading
packing
pressing the “Start” button on the blender
cutting (with a child-safe and child-size knife)
cracking eggs
wiping the table
throwing trash away
putting compost into the bin
sweeping the floor

Let Kids Use Kitchen Tools That are Their Own Size

a kid scooping baking powder out of a container

My kiddos LOVE having real kitchen items just their size. In our own home, we really try to have things made of natural materials such as wood, glass, cotton, etc. instead of plastic and synthetic materials. For real life we need real things. We have learned from Maria Montessori that children need real things too, just on a smaller scale so that they fit them properly. Using something that is way too big for you can be very challenging in the kitchen.

Here is a list of kid-size things our children use frequently in and around the kitchen:

Mini Kitchen Utensils: Our boys use a set like this and really like it. It is quite handy!
Chair: Our kitchen counters are just not kid height. We usually use a stool my husband made for them to stand on, but a chair would work well too. Our sons use these chairs and we love that they are made to adjust and grow with the child!
Apron: Having an apron for them really helps with the mess sometimes. I try to wash it every so often with my other kitchen linens.
Silverware: My boys use these at every meal and their friends like them too—we should honestly get some more!
Cups: These tempered glass cups hold up really well, even when they are thrown on the ground by a toddler!

Don’t forget about cleanup! Just because they made a mess or had an accident doesn’t mean you should do all the cleaning up. Invite them to help you clean, too. These are some of the items we use in the kitchen for cleaning:

What if I Don’t Have Any Kid-Size Utensils?

Is it absolutely necessary to have these smaller items? No, it is not. But I have found that having something of their own that is their own size gives them a sense of independence and responsibility. It is something special for them. (Also, if you don’t have the means to purchase these items, recommend them to friends and family as gift ideas for your children!)

Here are some full-size items that the kids often use with us and still enjoy:

Rolling Pin: Whether it is pie crust, cookies, biscuits, or pizza, using a rolling pin is super fun! You can get a child sized one here.
Blender: Both my two-and-a-half-year-old and my one-year-old really enjoy using the blender. They love hitting the button to make it go.
Measuring Spoons and Measuring Cups: I really like these stainless steel sets–easy to use and clean. We also have this set which is great for getting inside spice bottles.
Electric Mixer: The boys really love helping with this mixer. My older one is to the point where he can hold it all by himself and mix.

What Should I Bake with My Kids?

a woman and child scooping batter into a muffin tin with their fingers

Let’s talk recipes. What can kids even make? In my experience, kids love to help cook or bake whatever you are making. It doesn’t matter whether it is bread or soup or cookies. My oldest son loves anything with dough that you can shape and roll out, so bread and shortbread cookies are some of his favorites. However, he is willing to help with anything I am making.

Here are some easy ideas to get you started:

Strata
Cakes
Muffins
Dutch Baby
Bread
Cookies
Apple Chips
Fruit Crisps

A Final Thought

I encourage you to invite your children into the kitchen, to be with you and to work together. You will get to spend intentional time with them as they learn, bonding, trusting, sharing, and growing in patience. They might even learn their numbers while they’re at it. Most importantly, have fun! They don’t stay little forever, so soak up this time with them and bake with your kids in the kitchen!