Do you shoo your kid out of the kitchen when you cook? Don’t! Kids can learn a lot from cooking. Besides, both of you will have lots of fun!

Your kid learns the names of foods, utensils and techniques. The different colours, tastes, textures and aromas of foods are a feast for his senses. He sees science in action when his agar-agar dissolves in boiling water and hardens again when chilled. He is fascinated by the effect of heat on foods – fish turn opaque, prawns curl and redden while rice softens and fluffs up.

Mathematics is roped in when he counts shallots and whatnot needed for your curry. He is introduced to fractions when measuring ingredients and grasps the concept of time when he waits for cookies to bake. Learning about shapes and sizes is more fun with crockery, pots and pans as teaching aids.

Your kid also gets to practise physical skills like kneading, rolling, stirring and beating. His coordination and balancing skills are tested when he pours drinks or carries a laden tray.

Cooking also nurtures your child’s creativity. Allow him to garnish a dish or decorate some cup cakes. On the social front, he becomes a more cooperative and patient fellow. He learns to express himself when presenting a critique of his cooking. Lastly, when he manages to produce his own culinary masterpiece, he feels a sense of pride and accomplishment which contributes towards his emotional development.

However, with little helpers in the kitchen, we need some basic safety rules:

• Supervise your kid so that he will not come into any danger.
• Assign tasks according to his age and capability. A preschooler may help wash or peel vegetables while an older child could be guided to cook something simple like an omelette or MAGGI® noodles.
• Teach kids about the dangers of hot water or oil, electrical appliances, gas burners and sharp equipment like knives.
• Ban running in the kitchen.

Happy cooking!