Home
Cook Up Something Safe This Holiday Season

Baking gingerbread houses and cooking festive feasts with the kids close by requires more than the usual ingredients.  One cup of sugar and two tablespoons butter, combined with one cup of supervision and a pinch of patience, can be the right mix during these hectic times. As holiday goodies are being prepared, children are eager to lend a hand.  Whether they are decorating cookies or mixing salad dressing, children need close adult supervision at all times in and around the kitchen.

“The holidays present a great opportunity for children to learn about cooking in a fun, festive manner, but it can also be dangerous,” said Heather Paul, Ph.D., executive director of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign. “It’s crucial for parents to keep a close eye on the kids and set strict rules for kitchen safety.”

The National SAFE KIDS Campaign recommends the following tips for keeping children safe as they learn to help out in the kitchen:

• Be sure you’ve taken essential safety steps, such as having a fire extinguisher nearby and posting emergency numbers near the phone, before introducing a child to cooking.
• Never leave a child unattended in the kitchen. Close supervision is essential, whether children are helping an adult cook or simply watching.
• Never hold a child while cooking.
• Put pans on back burners and turn all pot handles toward the back of the stove.
• Use caution when heating food and liquids in the microwave.
• Supervise your child when he or she is near or using a microwave, and never let a young child (under age 10) remove heated items from the microwave.
• Make sure you and your children wear close-fitting clothing when cooking.
• Never leave cooking food unattended – it is the number-one cause of house fires.
• Place hot foods and liquids away from the edges of counters and tables.
• Pay particular attention to items sitting on tablecloths or placemats, so that young children cannot pull hot food or liquid down and scald themselves.
• Unplug appliance cords when not in use and keep them tied up, out of children’s reach.

AGE-APPROPRIATE TASKS FOR CHILDREN

Since each child is different, it is important for parents and caregivers to consider the developmental levels and abilities of their children when it comes to assigning kitchen duties.

Generally, children under age 10 don’t fully understand what danger means and therefore should not handle the stove, electrical appliances, sharp utensils or hot dishes. Younger children can begin helping in the kitchen with basics, like washing vegetables and fruits or other tasks that don’t require sharp knives, appliances or heat.

Following are a few suggested activities and age guidelines the National SAFE KIDS Campaign recommends to parents to help keep the kitchen a fun, safe place for the family. Remember that children should always have close adult supervision!

Children over age 5 can:

• Stir ingredients together in a bowl.
• Rinse foods under cold water.
• Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes in dough

Children over age 9 can:

• Use a butter knife or plastic knife to spread peanut butter or slice soft cheese. 

Children over age 10 can:

• Squeeze garlic from a garlic press.
• Use electrical kitchen appliances, such as a blender, food processor, electric mixer, microwave or toaster oven.

Children ages 12 and up can:

• Chop or slice with a paring knife.
• Turn stove burners on and off and select oven temperature.
• Flip pancakes on a hot griddle.
• Place a tray of cookies in the oven.
• Peel vegetables.
• Use an electric can opener.
• Shred cheese with a hand grater.

Older children can take on more responsibility in the kitchen.
Children over age 14 can:

• Operate the stovetop without adult supervision.
• Drain cooked spaghetti into a colander.
• Remove a tray of cookies from the oven.