Breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus snacks, bottles, and oh yes, cleanup — it all adds up to quite a bit of time spent within the walls of my kitchen each day. My almost three-year-old daughter is my big helper and adores being involved in whatever I am doing, but my 11-month-old boy is another story. Not content to sit still, he prefers to be active at all times, which can make it challenging to keep him safe and engaged while simultaneously making dinner or tackling some other task.
My answer to this dilemma? A drawer full of treasures all his own.
I've emptied out a lower kitchen drawer, one that offers a safe distance from the dangers of the stove, and I've filled it with the kids' cups, plates, bowls, and other plastic items. Whenever I start working, I open it up and let him at it. While all other cupboards are off limits, he's free to empty the contents if this drawer onto the floor if he wants, and I often find him converting bowls into drums and utensils into drumsticks, making music to his heart's content. Once I'm done with what I'm doing or he loses interest, everything goes back in the drawer until next time.
Here are some of tips that have helped this be successful for us:
• Large items only. Items with small parts that could pose a choking hazard should be stored elsewhere.
• Give him space. I generally avoid using the countertop that is above where he is sitting. The last thing I want to do is accidentally drop something on his head!
• Keep an eye out. Having your child close makes it easier to watch him, but don't assume that he's safe just because he's nearby.
• Rinse it off. Since the items in this drawer are going to be handled a good bit, it's smart to rinse them well before using.
How do you keep your younger children busy while working in the kitchen?
Related: How To Keep Babies Busy While You Cook
(Image: Christie Ellis)
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This is great :) I'm always looking for ways to keep my son busy in the kitchen, since I love cooking!!
I would have thought you took a picture of my kitchen drawer. We have all those same cups and bowls!
When my daughter started walking at 10 months she wanted to be very involved in the kitchen. My answer was a drawer full of her stuff at her level. She would load and unload her items from the dishwasher, she was able to set the table (bring to the table) with her plates, and play with them while I was prepping or cooking.
That was six years ago. We still have a low drawer full of all the plastic children's dinnerware and my 17 month old son is just as excited about it as my daughter's were at that age.
I did this for my son many moons ago when he was small. It's a great idea!
Although I never had space for a 'kid's only' drawer, I would let them go to town on my tupperware. Hand them some plastic spoons and they're golden.
My son likes to help me when I am preparing chapati or making curry,,,so to avoid this I finish of the cooking when he is taking afternoon nap,...:) but ya I miss those days when he was toddler and I would give him onion potatoes to count while I would be busy cooking,
My BFF has a massive, awkward lower corner cabinet that the kids have claimed. They were never going to store anything in there due to it's inaccessibility, so her two have turned it into a fortress, complete with bunks. It's just about the cutest thing I've ever seen.