how old can a child start learning to cook?

Answer 1

Very young - 2 year olds can help with making crispie cakes for example. It depends on the child, but as long as it is age appropriate, I'd have said any child over the age of 18 months would benefit from some sort of 'cooking' time.

Answer 2

That depends entirely what you mean by Cooking. You are in the Preschool education section so I am guessing you are talking about that setting. In an actual preschool you don't usually cook as far as using heat. You may make a peanut butter and jelly cracker. Or put cream cheese and coconut on an apple slice. Maybe use plastic knives to cup up fruit for a salad.

In my class we would have picture recipes. All the ingredients would be on the table and there would be a picture recipe card showing the steps. And one of the teachers would be nearby but would not "instruct" the child, unless things got out of hand. Instead we would let them learn by experience.

My kids on the other hand learned to cook at home very early. My daughter is nine and can cook anything from grilled cheese, homemade soup(not Campbell's) to spaghetti. And she started at about 4 with getting her own bowl of cereal . I would split the milk into a smaller bottle with a good seal and pour spout and let her try and "not cry over spilled milk" and then went on to sandwitches and pudding and so on. The thing is,if you want kids to learn to cook early you need to encourage self help skills early. Have your child set the table at 3. (make sure to use plastic or paper plates and cups) And in the late threes they can start to pour. Give them your old measureing cups(or dollar store ones) and have them measure dirt, sand or water out in the garden. Give them an old timer at 4 and have them set times on in. All these little things add up to skills later on. If you hand a child a chicken and spices and a recipie at 9 with no previous experience, all you will get is a burned mess. But I can hand my daugher the same and end up with Tandoori chicken. But she was always encouraged to try from an early age.

Answer 3

At the age of 4

Answer 4

Kids can start when they're in the high chair!
A 9 month old can help put things in a bowl, with your help of course
An 18 month old can pour liquids into a bowl and stir a little
A 2 year old can do the same, and help get things out of the fridge
My 4 year old helps top pizza and beat eggs, etc. So incorporate what you're doing into what they are learning. There's always something appropriate for their age level.

Answer 5

I would start with making sugar cookies. You make the dough and she makes a ball and puts it onto the cookie sheet. When i was three i got a winnie the pooh cook book. Look for something like that. You can also make jello. Jello is fun to make fun to eat and will teach your child some basics of cooking.


Good Luck

Answer 6

I work at a preschool, and the kids there help cook our Thanksgiving feast. Even at 18 months, they can stir and pour. Don't listen to the child "physcoligist" above me...whoever it is can't even spell their profession correctly. That answer they gave made so sense whatsoever. Children don't have to wait til six years old to be interested in cooking.

Answer 7

My two kids started with pizza toppings on split English muffins at around two...
They started helping make marmalade then too (lovely messy job pulling the flesh from inside the oranges!)
By three they were doing stuff like breaking eggs for scrambling, rubbing fat and flour together for pastry and scones. Also assembling mince pies (cutting the pastry, spooning in the mincemeat and brushing on glaze).
My seven-year-old now makes all sorts, including bread.
It's just the hot-oven stuff that I don't let them do yet. I've got to make myself useful somehow!


By the way (see answer above): most child psychologists can spell the word 'psychologist'. ;)

Answer 8

the child can start as early as 2 years old. I mean it is all up to the parent and what they teach them. Of course things need to be supervised and no cutting of anything. But, this will help with their motor skills and to get them interested in very useful skill at an early age.

Answer 9

18 months is a good time. They can start pouring and scooping, patting and molding. (Great beginning measuring, counting, tactile and building those small muscles in the hands, hand eye coordination). There is also all the great science stuff, like watching sugar, a solid dissolve into a liquid, and a liquid like cake mix, turn into a solid. Obviously, keep them away from sharp things and heat. Other than that, get them going young!

Answer 10

As soon as they can stir something without it going all over the floor. If you start small and help them do things, then over the years they will get a lot better and you can sit down to a full 4 course meal with homemade wine (maybe not), by the time they're 12!