Do you love to spend time in the kitchen? Do you enjoy trying new recipes? Lightening up decadent dishes? Or just preparing a delicious meal for your family? Then you probably have a genuine love for cooking and baking.

You know how important cooking is to you as an adult, but what about for children? For children, cooking is more than just the opportunity to learn a recipe. It has many benefits that you might not even think about. Now is the time to get your kids in the kitchen so they can obtain all of the benefits of learning to cook and bake.

• Cooking Is a Life Skill: If you ever spoke with an adult who doesn’t know how to cook, they will most likely tell you that they wished they knew how. Cooking is a life skill that a child can carry with them into adulthood. Start by teaching basic cooking skills and recipes that the children love to eat and let them progress to more complicated dishes. Your kids will appreciate this skill further down the road.
• Cooking Is a Family Activity: In an age when kids are busy with school, sports, and activities – and even various electronic devices – you may be trying to find ways to spend more time together as a family. Cooking can be that way! Get everyone together and cook a meal as a family – any meal. If you are all together for breakfast – then plan a special breakfast that can have everyone involved. Cooking together is fun, and then you all get to enjoy a nice meal together.
• Cooking Helps Children Learn About Healthy Foods: While the grocery store may be filled with more and more unhealthy foods when you prepare a snack or cook a meal with your children, you have the perfect time to talk about healthy eating. You can share healthy foods and recipes and let the kids learn why some items are healthier than others.
• Cooking Teaches Responsibility: When it comes to preparing a meal, it’s an ideal time to teach responsibility. You can teach children about keeping their prep area clean, handling utensils correctly, and keeping an eye on the dish as it cooks. Additionally, kids learn about cleaning up when they’re finished. All these small things are excellent for growing children.
• Cooking Teaches Safety: Lots of parents worry about their children being in the kitchen when a hot stove or knives are involved. But, this is the time to teach kids about kitchen safety. You can start teaching kids about how to handle knives and how they can protect their hands and fingers when dicing and chopping. (A safety knife may be a good way to start.) You can teach them about safety regarding stove burners and a hot oven. Additionally, show them how to handle a hot pan. Even something as simple as loading a dishwasher requires teaching safety when sharp knives are involved.
• Cooking Can Help Picky Eaters: Do you have a child who is a picky eater? Getting them to help in the kitchen may broaden their palette. If they are actively involved in preparing and cooking a meal, they may be more apt to try it. Start with dishes that might only add one new ingredient or let them pick out a new recipe that excites them. 
• Cooking Can Be Creative: When it comes to cooking, many chefs don’t ever follow a recipe exactly. This allows for modifications and creativity. Your kids can do this, too. Let them taste as they go and teach them how they might adjust a recipe to match what they like.

If you want to teach your children how to cook, let them start now. They’ll reap so many benefits when they spend time with you learning to prepare a delicious meal.