With us and many countries in lockdown due to the COVID-19 spread and the Easter holidays are here, get the children to love cooking as much as you do, in your child-friendly kitchen.
We are staying in more than ever now so in this blog, we will look at ways to introduce child-friendly ideas into the hub of the home at this difficult time.
The kitchen island
A kitchen island is on many people’s wish lists, however, they are not possible in every kitchen due to some being smaller spaces. A small table is just as good. The kitchen island is designed to suit your needs, which makes them perfect for a family, social gatherings and cooking. They look great in the kitchen and if they have enough space around, include chairs for the children to play and do their homework while you cook. Another great table come island is a lower section on an island for the children to sit. This allows the children to sit low and safe so they don’t have to climb the stools.
Play zone
Make the kitchen a magnet for the kitchen but a safe one! Children do love to play and create. If you have a large open-plan space you can make an area in the kitchen theirs. The area needs to away from the cooking zones ideally, but where you can still see them. Inject colour into the space and include their favourite things.
Pops of colour
Who doesn’t love pops of colour? and children love bright things. What better way to inject some colour into the kitchen. You could even make their own kitchen area.
Perfect seating area
Eating with the children is a social and knowledgable time. It allows you to discuss things that day and ask questions. Relationships get bigger and other family members find out how your day went. Research shows that psychologists studied families with children between the ages of 6-11 and found that they concentrated more at school, with better social skills because they took part in family meals.
Eating at an island isn’t always easy for children due to the high bar stools. Add a smaller table to the room if you have space that’s just for them. It allows for the children to still get involved in the family meal, but also feel grown-up, as well as learning on how to behave at mealtimes.
Get the children to help themselves
Make drawers and cupboard just for the children that are in reach of their tiny little hands (obviously making sure they are safe). Place their cups and plates in these, children love helping out in the kitchen, so this will allow them to set the table. Make an area for snacks, so if the child is feeling hungry or thirsty they are able to help themselves to the drawer that is designated for just that. These drawers can also be separate from the rest of the food, making it a healthy drawer for the children – you decide what goes in!
Doodling
What child doesn’t like to doodle and be creative? In these more modern times, many things have been designed and are available in mind for children and families, to help create a multi-functional kitchen. A chalkboard is a great idea to add to the kitchen. It makes it a fun place where you can write shopping lists and messages to one another. The children can draw pictures, or practice their spellings and times table. When the design goes out of fashion or you no longer require this it is very easy to cover over!
Child-friendly surfaces
Cawdor Stone Gallery provides you with worktops that are child-friendly, hard-wearing, stain-resistant and easy to clean. We have a huge range of materials, colours and styles to suit all kitchen designs. Rounded worktops are a good option to stop children from bumping their heads and a lot of parents also opt for handleless doors to stop this, as well as finding them hanging off the handles.
Make a safe environment
The environment always has to be safe for the children. A good kitchen designer will show you how to best plan your kitchen around you and your family and make it as safe as possible. A hob situated on the island is a great idea to allow you to face your family while you are cooking, checking in on the kids too.
Design the appliances in a safe way. Some appliances are safe for children and some are not. An induction hob is a safer option for a child as it does not get hot when in use, so there is no risk of burnt little fingers. You could always consider locks on appliances and cupboards, to keep potential hazards from little fingers.
Suitable flooring
A slip-resistant surface and not a hard type of floor is great for children. You want to choose a material that is suited best for children. You don’t want them to slip and fall over on a very hard surface.
Cooking with the children
Children cooking in the kitchen allows them to learn new experiences with their parents and other family members. It’s practical and a basic life skill, as well as academic – reading, science and maths. Time spent with the children cooking encourages interaction and communication amongst one another and a healthy meal has been prepared.
Children have lots of imagination and this can be found when cooking. You can experiment and solve problems using the ingredients. It also allows the children to use their eyes, mouth, ears and skin to observe the different foods you are using.
The importance of getting the children involved in the kitchen
There are many reasons why it is important to get the children involved in the kitchen. It is always good to show our children a basic life skill such as cooking. They are simply important skills to have in later life, so teaching them young is a great idea.
It allows the children to:
- Make decisions
- Be responsible
- Be independent
- Get involved
- Social skills
- Develop creativity
- Improve self-confidence
- Get a good understanding of nutrition
- Bonding with us to make cooking enjoyable and fun
Cawdor Stone Gallery are a division of the Cawdor Group, one of the UK’s leading natural stone providers. With over 30 years of experience, our highly qualified team have undertaken international projects of all sizes, providing high-quality materials and a comprehensive range of stone-related services to a range of projects. Contact us today for more info on our quartz and granite worktops.
