Are you worried that your child follows you everywhere? Well, we can’t talk about the frustration they feel when moms need a loo trip. Read privacy often compromised. But another concern that parents worry about is that children follow them to the kitchen. Hugs, been there and felt that. Until we realized that having children in the kitchen can be fun. Children have a phase of “I would do that”. They strive for independence and recognition. Let them help you around. Probably the second-best place to learn after outdoors is the kitchen. First thing first, make your kitchen child-friendly.
Trust me if you think installing gates would keep them away from the kitchen. Think again! Children take that as a problem to solve and sooner or later cross that. Still, if you want to try it get a preloved one or rented.
Wondering how to make your kitchen child-friendly?
To make your kitchen child-friendly, we not only need a thorough baby proofing but also make it functional for children. Your child would love to help you in the kitchen. Encourage them as they do that not because they can participate in MasterChef but rather because cooking is a life skill. Regardless of gender, life skills should be learned by both.
Baby proofing the kitchen
Keep the unwanted cabinets locked
Feel grateful if you are living in a home with a modular kitchen. You can put all unwanted or less used vessels, groceries, and cutleries away in high cabinets. In case you run out of space and have to use lower cabinets keep them locked with cabinet locks. You might thank us later for saving your headaches of keeping the child away from dustbins.
Such locks usually come in sets and are multipurpose.
If you live in an open kitchen without and shelves, get the wall installed shelves that can be removed when you shift home.
If you have shelves without doors and a child then go minimal, keep the things that are direly needed to make your kitchen child-friendly.
Corner guards and edge proofing
Before having a child, you might not have noticed the edges of your dining table or poking corners of shelves. Now you do, and you are not the only one. Thankfully there are easy solutions these days rather than folding newspapers and fixing tapes.
These are easy to use and usually stick for a good time before the glue wears out.
Rules to follow
Keep knives, cork openers, scissors, and all sharp objects you can find in the kitchen away from children. You never want them to play with them. The same goes for lighters, match sticks.
If you are encouraging them to help you in the kitchen, let them stay away from gas knobs. Be mindful of your work in hand.
A learning ground can be letting them know about hot and cold objects around. Keep a rule of keeping away from hot pots or vessels, say danger.
Another note to adults with children around is gadgets. Though they make life easier, they can be dangerous too. Be alert with them.
Related article: 9 home safety rules to teach your children
Dry floors
Young children while learning walking often fall. Later they become runners again keep bumping and stumbling. Even we adults can slip if the floor is wet. God forbid if we have a child in hand while falling. Giving horrors a pause, it is always better to keep floors dry.
Electrical socket guard
Babyproofing cabinets and edges are not enough when we have empty sockets around. Children have a special love for electrical sockets and poke fingers. Stay sane by using guards. They typically come by common socket sizes and comes in sets.
Making the kitchen “Functional”
Child-friendly utensils
Keep lightweight cutleries and pots, spoons and spatulas on the drawers where they can access each. Keeping kitchen tools in functional zone empowers children. If your child insists let them bring the pretend kitchen set inside and play along. The aim is to give them the right tools and independence to thrive happily in the kitchen.
Set up your food storage cupboards A.K.A pantry
Keep ready to eat snacks, veggies and needful handy for a child. So that other than whipping, wiping and more, they can pass you the needful while making a meal. Encourage them to get involved in the kitchen.
Related article: Easy things that a toddler can do in the kitchen
For example, ask the child to pass 3 potatoes from the veggies basket that is placed in the lowest shelf. Or a place where they can reach.
Step up stool
If you have the Montessori step stool that’s great. If not, you can use a general step stool for toddlers. It helps the child to reach the countertop easily and work with ease. Trust me these step-up stools are much better than dragging a chair to the kitchen every time and gives the right height to work.
Young kids are resilient they learn-fail-learn. Their learning cycle is natural. Try to give them space to learn, explore, discover and create in their workspace. Be it a kitchen, playground or classes. Provide the opportunity to bring out their inner growing mind. Make the kitchen a learning space for them. Allow them to enter the kitchen and help you around. Take a step further and make the kitchen child-friendly.
What are your thoughts about making kitchen child-friendly space and learning ground?
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