What you need
- A simple recipe (try our banana pancakes visual recipe below!)
- Equipment and space to cook
- A safe place for your child to sit or stand while they cook
The steps
- Find a recipe your child can follow with you, and eventually take the lead on! Recipes with pictures or photos are ideal for this - try our banana pancake recipe below.
- Give your child as much ownership of the cooking process as possible, letting them measure or pour ingredients, do the mixing and any other jobs they're able to do safely.
- Although you’ll always need to be by their side keeping them safe while they cook, as they get to know the recipe they can start to use you as an assistant instead of the other way around!
Benefits for your child
- By having a recipe they can follow more independently they can also practise important cognitive skills as they make sense of the pictures and recall the order tasks need to be done in.
- They will enjoy being more independent and able to make food or snacks for you to enjoy.
Recipe idea: