Multiple kids helping in the kitchen?

[Black-eyed Suzan]

My DS6 has been helping me cook since he was 2, and I felt comfortable with it because he had lots of supervision. Now DS2 wants to help, too, and I find it difficult for both of them to be there.

 

My kitchen is fairly small: an L shape with the stove on the long part of the L and a bit of counter on the end. My sons pull up chairs to stand on and there is hardly room for me. But if they are on 1 chair there is pushing, etc.

 

Lately when they want to help I've ended up ordering them both out of the kitchen, which makes me sad.

 

If you have more than one child, how do you manage helping in the kitchen?

[sillymommy]

I use a wide step stool for 2 kids to share. Yes, there's pushing & squabbling, but if they can't share, they don't get to help--or taste test the yummy treats! My sister uses the kitchen tower http://www.mystepstool.com/kitchen_towers.htm

 

Pricey, but I think she picked it up second hand.

[IsabelC]

I avoid having more than one kid cooking if at all possible. I just can't cope with trying to actually get food made, while conducting UN peace envoy negotiations about whose turn it is to stir and whether spooning the sugar in is better than pouring the milk in. If you can get your kids working together, good for you, that's great. But we find it's far easier and more relaxing to let them take turns being the chef.

[Tiffnkids]

Sit one at the table to work on "prep" - tearing lettuce, slicing bananas and strawberries with a butter knife for fruit salad, mixing ingredients in a bowl, etc.

 

Or have them take turns being cooking helper and cleaning helper. One helps with the cooking and the other puts things in the garbage, helps wipe up spills, puts things away . . .

 

And a small child would probably be thrilled just to have a ball of bread or cookie dough to make into his own creation (and of course he was VERY helpful to make it).

 

Good luck with your little chefs!

[Tap]

Is you little one old enough to understand that they can help with lunch and the older one can help with dinner?

 

Or alternte days?

[Melissa in Australia]

I always set each child with different tasks.

[LaxMom]

I avoid having more than one kid cooking if at all possible. I just can't cope with trying to actually get food made, while conducting UN peace envoy negotiations about whose turn it is to stir and whether spooning the sugar in is better than pouring the milk in. If you can get your kids working together, good for you, that's great. But we find it's far easier and more relaxing to let them take turns being the chef.

 

:iagree: I would split them into kitchen "shifts" and give the one not in the kitchen a task to help with the meal (setting the table, etc).

[Black-eyed Suzan]

Thanks, everyone! :001_smile: Now I have ideas to try.