7 Kid-Friendly Kitchen Tools to Keep Your Budding Chef Busy (and Helpful!) During Quarantine

Looking for ways to keep your child entertained during this period of social distancing? Get them involved in the kitchen! It contributes to good eating habits — they’re more likely to eat the broccoli if they helped make the broccoli — but it’s also a great family activity that isn’t yet another craft project. If the idea of the mess, the knives, the flames, and the hot, hot plates (that they always want to touch) is already sending you into panic mode, fret not! Instead, get them their very own tools that are designed specifically with curious little chefs in mind. We rounded up our favorite finds below, because who knows, you may just have a baby Ina or little Alton on your hands!

Yes, it’s a knife set for kids. But before you pass judgment, keep in mind that this set is designed for kids age 5 and older — not the little ones still learning how to use scissors. The 4-inch stainless steel knife has a ring built into the beechwood handle to help with hand grip and proper finger placement. There’s a peeler (also with a finger ring) that’s just the right size for little hands, and a finger guard to protect their tiny knuckles.

Buy: Le Petit Chef Knife Set and Kid’s Apron, $49

This silicone, BPA-free set includes everything you’ll need to keep your budding chef busy and engaged in the kitchen: a pizza cutter, spatula, pancake mold, measuring spoons, pastry brush, and more. The petite-sized utensils are also heat resistant and easy to clean. Plus, recipe cards are included to spark their imagination.

Buy: Riki’s Kingdom 17-Piece Kitchen Cooking Utensil Set, $27

Technically, these are toys, not tools, but with a whopping 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon — with nearly 9,000 customers weighing in — this cleaning set is worth a look, especially if you have an active toddler underfoot. Little kids love to mimic adults and feel like they’re helping out, so giving them their own set of tools to clean up after dinner will keep them happy and busy.

Buy: Melissa & Doug Cleaning Set, $24

While wavy choppers are great for making waffle fries, crinkle-cut vegetables and more, they are also incredibly easy to use for little hands eager to join in on meal prep or slicing fruits and veggies for morning smoothies.

Buy: Luckycivia 4-Pack of Crinkle Cutting Knives, $10

Give your kiddo the important job of washing off fruits and vegetables with this set of tiny, cute colanders. While they’re too small to drain pasta, they’re perfect for kid-sized tasks like rinsing off cherry tomatoes or blueberries.

Buy: Prepworks Progressive Colanders, $13

This cute, kid-friendly design (it’s an apple!) that boasts handles built for smaller hands, is a great tool to get your kid involved in snack prep. Just be warned that the blades are sharp — after all, it’s meant to cut through an apple — so this tool isn’t recommended for kids under seven. The company also makes the sweetest oven mitts for budding pastry chefs.

Buy: Curious Chef Children’s Apple Slicer, $22

Perfect for the rawr-some chef in your life, this child’s size apron — embellished with everyone’s favorite dinosaur, the fun, and fearsome T. rex — will keep clothing (mostly) clean while helping in the kitchen. It’s made of cotton twill, so it’s machine-washable, and features a Velcro fastener at the neck that even the smallest chef can easily use.

Buy:T-Rex Kids Apron, $25