Give your kid a knife: 10 best kitchen tools for small hands
Simple kitchen tasks can build kids' confidence and food knowledge and make them more likely to try new things. Here's how to get them cooking.
Photo: Erik Putz
Mash
Kids are stronger than they look sometimes. Harness that power for your potatoes.
OXO Good Grips masher, $15, bedbathandbeyond.ca
Mix
A deep plastic mixing bowl with a handle and non-slip silicone bottom is key for ensuring ingredients stay contained.
Kids’ Cookie Baking Set (also includes stackable measuring cups, scraper, spatula, cookie cutters and recipe cards), $80, pamperedchef.ca
Grate
This curvy citrus zester fits in the palm of a small hand and captures the goods inside the clip-on chamber. While your kid grates, talk about the colours and smells of lemons, limes and oranges, and how zest adds flavour to foods.
Flexi Zesti citrus grater, $13, kitchenschoice.com
Scrub
Because vegetables need cleaning (and kids will probably do a better job than they do on their own feet).
Joie Mushroom Brush and Vegetable Scrubber, $3, amazon.ca
Measure
Reinforce fractions and talk through the difference between baking soda and baking powder with this colourful five-piece set.
Joie measuring spoons, $3, well.ca
Whisk
Whether you’re making salad dressing, pancake batter or scrambled eggs—a whisk is better than a spoon or spatula for moving ingredients around and keeps them from flying everywhere.
Red 8-in. silicone whisk, $12, crateandbarrel.com
Set
Place a silicone trivet under the bowl or plate your kid is working with to keep it from slipping and sliding.
Joie rainbow trivet, $9, well.ca
Chop
With a little help, kids can slice vegetables and even hard-boiled eggs into six segments with this clever gadget. It’s the perfect tool to speed lunch prep along.
Veggie Wedgie, $19, bedbathandbeyond.ca
Slice
French kids eat everything—and maybe they cook everything, too. Trust a classic French knife maker to put a blade in every child’s hand. Stainless steel and round-tipped, the 10-inch blade is perfect for teaching cutting and slicing, while the red plastic finger guard protects the hand holding the food to be cut, at the same time teaching kids the proper “claw” position.
opinel le petit chef knife, finger guard and peeler (next slide) set, $74, amazon.ca
Peel
The learning ring (your kid slips their finger in there) ensures the proper holding and pulling technique crucial for perfectly peeled carrot sticks.
Read more: 8 tips for cooking with kids Cooking with kids: Recipe for disaster? Confession: I love my kid’s fancy play kitchen way more than he does
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