At what age can kids start to cook?

Question

My son is 9. Is he old enough to start cooking? He's average as far as maturity goes, but not very responsible. He's got a touch of Hyper ADD too. Anything easy he can begin to help with in the kitchen?

Answer 1

Start him off with the microwaveable stuff first, then have him do things that dont involve the stove, soon enough he'll know not to burn himself (posibly after doing it once or twice), and he can cook on the stove. Don't expect the food to be great, but it'll teach him self suficency young. Thats important.

Answer 2

My kids both started helping with meals when they were 3. My youngest is 3 now. He has one night a week that is his night to cook. That means he has to plan the meal and we assist him in the preparation. The cooking he does is very simple. But kids can do way more than you think. I like to bake a lot and my kids are always right there with me. I read the recipe out loud and I show them the measurements and now I ask them to show me the measurements. I'll say, "I need 2 1/4 cups flour, what does that mean" They both have done it so much that they can measure ingredients with no problems. Just be there with your son and walk him through everything. Like last night we had tofu sticks. I cut firm tofu into strips and then they are dipped in soy sauce and rolled through bread crumbs. Then we bake them until they are crunchy. I had to do this to two blocks of tofu. So, each of my boys took a block and they did the dipping in the soy sauce and the rolling through the bread crumbs. When they were done I popped the pan into the oven. It was a very simple task for them but they were part of the process. Recently my 6 yr. old learned to flip pancakes. He is hesitant because he is a little scared of the stove and getting burned. But that is a good thing because he is careful. Your son is 9. He should be able to handle some tasks but probably only if you are there to assist him.

Answer 3

I think you son is well within the age of helping in the kitchen. Use common sense about thing like using knives etc. You can have him help with things like "shucking corn on the cob", making salads, peeling potatos and carrots, etc. If you choose to let him use a knife then start him with something small like a paring knife. Be sure to teach him proper use and safety. The Food Network.com and other sites have instructions on safe use of different types of knives.

My grandson has severe ADHD. My daughter allow him to start helping in the kitchen at age 5. When in the kitchen he shows no signs of ADHD. At 12 1/2 he is quiet the cook. He wants to go to Culinary School. When he learned that Culinary School was dependant on his behavior and grades in school, it seemed to do the trick and his behavior and grades improved. He wants it bad enough that he has not had one behavior problem or grade lower than a A so far this year. In his first 7 yrs of school (k - 6) he was suspended at least once every year for behavior problems.

Answer 4

I didn't start helping my mom in the kitchen until I was 11 or 12. I think your son can do basic stuff, like making a sandwich. More complex cooking skills, I would wait until he is a little bit older (maybe he can start the same age I started). When he is learning, always keep an eye on him to prevent an accident. Good luck and I hope this helps:)

Answer 5

I used to help my mom around by the time I was 7 or 8 and doing little things at around 9...but if your kid is hyper I would just keep an eye on him before leaving him alone in the kitchen

Answer 6

yes , you can start him making simple things or you can get him right into cookies or a full blown dinner ....I would explain about cleaning up as you cook and make sure he is super aware of the open flame or hot oven ....and of course you need to be there to supervise untill he and you have reached an acceptable ''comfort level'' within' the kitchen .......... I say it would be good for him and potentially help him focus a bit more and gain responsibility ........ go for it but be there it ''help out '', be super firm on the making sure he cleans up as he works or you will be stuck with the messy kitchen and he will devolp bad kitchen habits its a great thing and he is at the perfect age for learning cooking skills ......

Answer 7

i started helping my mom in the kitchen at the age of 3. and was cooking dinner on my own at 8 once or twice a month. at the age of 10 i did dinner every night for 3 months (my sister was born and mom could not get up to help) now i am 17, i still do a lot of the cooking. my mom realy enjoys it and we like cooking together. i am trying to get into culinary school next year.

Answer 8

He can help with the prep -- chopping / cleaning, etc, etc.

My mom started teaching us by 6-7 and by the time we were 11-12, we could cook a full dinner with what was in the house -- mom was not big on recipes, use what you have and experiment (some of the earlier trials were just awful, but my parents choked them down and I learned). I taught all my kids the same way and they can make a wonderful dinner using their imaginations -- no need for recipes all the time.

Answer 9

I'd say it just depends on how comfortable he is in the kitchen. My daughter grew up helping me in the kitchen (as a toddler she'd stand on a chair so she could see and help). By the time she was ten, she was doing all of her own cooking.

Let your son help you in the kitchen when you cook so he gets comfortable with where things are and how things work. As his comfort level and knowledge grow, so will his ability to cook things on his own.

Answer 10

My boyfriend's son is 10. When he first started coming around two years ago he couldn't even get a bowl of cereal for himself! I started my son at age 4 getting himself cereal (bought small cartons of milk) and getting snacks for himself. Now at 5 he can make his own toast and sandwhiches (plastic knives) an my b/f's boy can do anything in the microwave that can be done there, including eggs. I started working with him when someone is there with things on the stove like oatmeal and he helps when we make certain things. You know your sons mental stage, work with him, show him the basics. The microwave is the first step. He will get excited that he can do something on his own!