A guide to cookery skills by age

Cooking with the under 3s

Your little one may not be able to dress himself or go to the toilet on her own but from around 18 months, your child will probably want to start 'helping you out' in the kitchen. Take advantage of their interest to give yourself a break. If they're entertained in the kitchen you can get on with the business of cooking and you'll both be happy.

Ensure all hazards are away from grabbing hands - pot handles, hot food and liquids, sharp or heavy utensils and cleaning products. Think about what they can reach or trip over and make sure there is always a clear path if you're carrying anything hot, sharp or heavy. You can set them up on the kitchen table so you know they're at a safe distance.

Once you've cleared the way, this is your opportunity to teach your child about food and familiarise them with the kitchen environment.

Here are some of the activities very young children will enjoy:

Washing vegetables - this is a great way of teaching them the names of vegetables and sparking an interest which will hopefully encourage them to try different foods
Stirring ingredients - they should be at room temperature
Mashing with a fork or potato masher - again watch out for temperature
Sprinkling - flour, cake decorations and icing sugar, put a tray underneath to avoid too much mess
Spooning ingredients into scales - you'll need to help!

Another way to keep young children occupied is to give them plastic containers and utensils to wash in the sink - this can provide lengthy entertainment while you cook.

Cooking with 3-5 year olds

In addition to the skills listed for under 3s, 3 - 5 year olds with their increased common sense, ability to follow instructions and dexterity can undertake a wide range of skills. It will depend on your knowledge of your child, as skills can still vary greatly at this age. Many children really don't want to listen to what mummy or daddy say so think safety first and don't try and tackle anything your feel unsure about.

Activities to try with 3 - 5 year olds

Weighing - pouring or spooning ingredients into scales. Using measuring spoons
Washing fruit and vegetables
Cutting soft ingredients eg butter, mushrooms, strawberries using a strong plastic knife
Breading and flouring - you can set up three stations with flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs for fish fingers
Mixing - using either a spoon or hands to mix together ingredients
Tearing and squashing - tearing herbs and lettuce or squashing fruit
Sieving - it's best to balance the sieve over a bowl and tap it rather than shaking it around!
Using a pestle and mortar - a light wooden one is better than a heavy one
Kneading - light kneading can be fun but you'll need to step in to complete the task
Rolling, shaping and cutting dough - choose plastic cutters and a small rolling pin
Spreading - buttering bread and spreading icing
Podding, picking and hulling - podding broad beans, picking leaves, tomatoes or grapes off the vine and hulling strawberries

Here are some recipes to try with your 3 - 5 year olds:

Cooking with 5-7 year olds

Along with the skills suggested for 3-5 year olds, you can now introduce your child to trickier techniques and equipment. At this stage, you could think about buying your child a knife designed for young cooks or using a small adult one.

With the introduction of sharp cutting tools like knives and scissors, always consider the ability of your child and if you're not comfortable, then leave it for a while. There are still other more complex skills they can enjoy. If you do think they can manage then still always keep an eye on them as it's very easy to slip even for adults.

Activities to try with 5 - 7 year olds

Cutting using a small knife - children should learn how to form their hand into a claw to keep fingertips out of danger, take a look at our knife skills video
Cutting with scissors - if you can get smaller scissors or children's scissors, use them to snip herbs
Grating - fingers can easily be grated so keep watch and make sure they don't get too close to the end of whatever they're grating
Measuring - even the very youngest children can do this but as children learn to read and do basic maths, this is a great opportunity for them to do this with less supervision
Rubbing in - rubbing in flour and butter with fingertips is called for in many recipes
Beating and folding - show children how to beat cake mixture with a wooden spoon or fold in egg whites without knocking out too much air
Greasing and lining a cake tin or tray
Peel oranges or hard-boiled eggs - make sure eggs aren't too hot, run them under the cold tap first and be careful of residual heat
Setting the table - encourage them to cherish the ritual of family meals

Here are some recipes for you to try with your 5 - 7 year olds:

Cooking with 8-11 year olds

Along with the skills suggested for 3 - 5 and 5 - 7 year olds, when children reach 8 +, they can start to get involved with planning and undertake activities with a bit more independence. Supervision is still key due to the number of hazards in the kitchen but take a hands off approach where possible.

Activities to try with 8 - 11 year olds

Planning the family meal
Following a simple recipe
Finding ingredients in the cupboards and fridge
Using a peeler
Whisking, using a balloon whisk or handheld mixer
Using heat on a hob, oven and microwave
Making salads
Opening cans

Gradually introduce your children to the above and make sure they are aware of the dangers involved. If you feel they are not ready, hold off for a while. Cuts and burns are common in the kitchen so always keep an eye on them. However capable they may be, it's easy to get distracted or try to rush an activity.

Here are some recipes for you to try with your 8 - 11 year olds:

Cooking with 12+ year olds and learning opportunities for all

Along with the skills suggested for 5 - 7 and 7 - 11 year olds, when children reach 12 +, they can begin to prepare more complex recipes and even start improvising. How much they can achieve depends on how interested they are in cooking and how much they've done before.

Even much older children should have some supervision to avoid accidents in the kitchen.

Recipes for 12+ children to try:

Learning opportunities

Food hygiene - washing hands at the beginning and in between touching raw and ready-to-eat ingredients
Maths - counting, dividing portions, doubling recipes, adding and subtracting
Recognising ingredients and learning their origin
Recognising kitchen equipment and learning how to use it
Reading and following recipes in order to create the final dish
Following instructions - young children are particularly inclined to want to add more, jump stages or taste when they shouldn't
Different tastes, textures and foods
Time and patience
The science of cooking“ and what happens to things when you apply heat or cold
Dexterity, fine motor skills and coordination and carrying or pouring without spilling, opening containers and packets, weighing

Creativity

When children learn to look, they will do so by following the recipes carefully with your help. As they become older and more experienced, let them experiment with quantities, although remember that most baking recipes have specific quantities that will not work if changed. Give them opportunities to let their imagination run wild when it comes to presentation of the final dish.

Children will learn many things through cooking but the greatest lesson they can learn is to love preparing delicious, healthy, well-rounded meals.

Here are some recipes to get them started: