How to Teach a Child to Cook

Children are like sponges and soak up almost everything that they encounter. When teaching a child how to cook, start with the kind of foods that they most love to eat. Make it fun and educational by pointing out mathematical, reading and science concepts that come into play while you cook, such as fractions and chemical reactions.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Sit down with your child and make a list of simple foods that he enjoys eating. To begin teaching your child how to cook, choose the simplest recipe.

2. Bring your child to the grocery store so that she can help you buy the ingredients you need. If the child is just learning how to read, have them attempt to read some of the words that she sees on the box labels.

3. Teach your child about the ingredients for his favorite recipe. You can discuss a dish's origins, ethnicity, how the ingredients are grown and how they work together to create his favorite recipe.

4. Let your child do the measuring to help them understand fractions. Children learn to cook by doing. Let them measure the ingredients and add them after you check that they got them right.

5. Discuss with your child the other aspects of cooking so that she learns responsibility. Outline safety issues, such as keeping the flames at a certain height and using pot holders to remove anything hot. While the recipe is cooking, allow the child to clean up the mess and have her set the table.

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