food prep - The Montessori Mommy

Montessori Services & For Small Hands – Review

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One of my absolute favorite home Montessori businesses is Montessori Services. As a Montessori teacher, there were so many supplies we would purchase through Montessori Services or For Small Hands to use in our classrooms. While Montessori Services specializes in items for Montessori classrooms, For Small Hands caters to supplies and toys for the home.

Cooking

For Small Hands offers everything you need to help your child be an independent chef at home! In the cooking section, tools are organized into preparing food, baking, serving, snack and lunch, and books. Within each section, you will find items appropriate for different age groups, from toddler to elementary.

Some of my favorites are this wavy chopper, bamboo cutting board, juice pitcher, and sturdy juice glasses. If I were to only buy four items from For Small Hands, these would be it! The chopper and cutting board are perfectly sized “for small hands” and are the perfect intro to basic chopping and food prep.

For snack and meal times, I find the juice pitcher and juice glasses to be essential items. These items are made of glass, which does mean they are breakable. However, I have found the glass to be very sturdy and both the pitcher and glasses have survived small tumbles! Additionally, I prefer glass and ceramic (breakable) over metal and plastic because children really do learn to be more careful.

food preparation — Photo by Daria Obymaha on Pexels.com

Cleaning

While I will not get into the many benefits of children doing chores in this post, will give you a link to find exactly what you need to help your child do a little housework! For Small Hands has a great section for cleaning tools for your child. While there are many options, I will highlight my three favorite cleaning tools my own children use:

A traditional corn broom. I prefer corn brooms over other types of brooms, so this looks most similar to our adult sized broom. These brooms can be used indoors or out, so they are great when my kids need to sweep the porch as well!

A compact brush and dustpan. I love this brush and dustpan set! The handle fits nicely in a child’s hands and it is just the right size for sweeping up small messes. Additionally, I have found the handle on the size of the brush is easier for children to use than the handle on top of the brush (such as this: Whisk broom and dust pan).

Finally, a window washing kit. I don’t know about your children, but mine love to wash windows! Sometimes I think their hand prints are intentional, just so they can wash the windows again. This set comes with everything your child needs to make windows sparkling clean: a spray bottle, cleaning cloths, a squeegee, and a handy caddy to carry it all in. Properly used, your child will not need any more than water in the squirt bottle to clean windows!

Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA on Pexels.com

Toys!

Of course, children have toys. While I try to limit the amount of toys that enter our home and be intentional with what toys we do have, it can be hard to prevent a doting relative from generously giving children toys. I try to be proactive and let family members know how much I appreciate their kindness, and then steer them in a direction everyone can be happy with.

For Small Hands has many, many toys and activities to choose from! Everything offered has some kind of educational benefit, is a quality item, and sure to be enjoyed by your child. There are simple stacking and sorting activities for toddlers, constructing activities for elementary students, gross motor activities for children of all ages, and everything in between.

As a bonus, I have found that grandparents have been impressed with the options for toys and games available at For Small Hands, as they offer activities that are both lots of fun and educational.

Final Notes

I have only great things to say about this company. The selection of items is wonderful; it seems no matter what home Montessori items I need I can find it here! They have great items for practical life activities, books, arts and crafts, and games. While they don’t supply many traditional Montessori materials, they do have support materials, such as phonetic objects. Customer service has also been great. Luckily I have only had one issue, and they reached out immediately to keep me updated and make sure I was satisfied.

What about you? What has been your favorite find (or finds!) at For Small Hands?

What Do Children Need for Cooking?

*This post contains affiliate links*

I have tried so many different cooking tools with children over the years. There are some I have come to love. Others… not so much. Here you’ll find a collection of my favorite kitchen tools and utensils for children.

Shelving

If your kitchen has the space for it, I highly recommend a dedicated shelf or cart for your child! A small kitchen island can be a great tool for children, as it can contain all of their own kitchen tools as well as provide their own space to work. I prefer open shelving for children, over closed cabinets, because it helps children see what they need better. This 20″ x 40″ island is counter height, so a child will still need a stool to reach, but it would make a fantastic kitchen are that can grow with your children.

A smaller alternative is a metal, rolling cart. Most of these have enough room for everything a child will need to cook with, plus they can be wheeled wherever it’s needed- or tucked out of the way as necessary.

A Tower

One of the most important things when letting children help in the kitchen is making sure they can easily reach things. Ideally, children should be working at a counter that is their height. In most Montessori schools, you will find a food prep station at just the right height for the children in the room. Of course, this is not often a reasonable alteration families can do in their home. Instead, step stools and “learning towers” can be a big help for our littlest helpers.

My favorite is the IKEA Bekvam (not affiliate). I used this as-is with my children. I was a little nervous at first since it is a little higher than I was comfortable, but my children have exhibited great care and now that my oldest is almost 7, it’s just a handy step stool for her. Additionally, I’m never far from my kids when they use this. Still, there are some great tutorials for turning the BEKVAM step stool into a learning tower! (If there is no IKEA in your area, here is an Amazon link)

I have used the Little Partners Kids Learning Tower in other family’s homes and I highly recommend it. It is sturdy, has four sides for safety, and has an adjustable height. I love the size; it is larger than some others, so it may not fit in every kitchen, but it can be helpful for a young chef.

Food Prep Tools

A top held wavy chopper is my favorite chopping tool. Because the handle is on the top, I don’t worry about children accidentally grabbing a sharp blade instead of a handle.

A cutting board is essential for food prep! This small cutting board is non-slip and comes in a variety of colors. It is just the right size for most of my kids’ food prep activities. I also love that it is dishwasher safe! If you are looking for a more natural alternative, such as a bamboo cutting board, I recommend this. It is a good size and looks beautiful.

Liquid measuring cups are another essential kitchen tool. I use the Pyrex set of 3 measuring cups for both myself and my children! My only complaint is that eventually, the ink washes off in the dishwasher. However, they are sturdy and easy for the children to handle! I like having a variety of sizes to better accommodate our needs as well as so different liquids don’t get mixed.

Finally, mixing bowls, measuring spoons, and measuring cups are essential. I prefer to use metal for these kitchen tools. Metal bowls are more lightweight compared to stone or glass bowls. This makes them easier for young children to handle, especially once they are filled with delicious food! Metal measuring cups and spoons, I have found, hold up best to use long term. I found this set on Amazon that offers all this and a little extra! You will also get a whisk, spatula, spreader, and lids.

Cookbooks

A cook book is a must have tool for any aspiring chef! Our favorite cook book is The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs: 100+ Recipes that You’ll Love to Cook and Eat . We got this when my younger daughter was 3 and while she can’t read the recipes herself yet, the images are enticing and she loves picking foods out. The recipes are kid-tested and not too complicated.

Things You Already Have

Of course, many families use things they already have for their children! There is absolutely no need to buy the contents of a second kitchen just for your children. The most important thing is not to have “all the things,” but to make sure things are accessible to your child/children. When everything a child might need is in one spot, it is easier for him or her to find exactly what they need. If children have their own set of cooking tools, they will know where to find them without rummaging through all the other cabinets and drawers. Having their own set can also make food prep more enticing and give them a sense of pride and ownership- making them more likely to want to properly clean and take care of their tools!

In my own home, I have one space for all the children’s belongings. Other things we use, such as our mixing bowls, are shared by the family. While they eventually have learned where we keep everything, it was a little more difficult for them.

Your kids cooked THAT?! Helping Kids Learn to Cook

My kids often impress friends and family with their cooking abilities. My two year old (nearly) independently makes frozen waffles and scrambled eggs in the morning. Meanwhile, my 5 year old is learning to follow a recipe and has made meatloaf, pancakes, and a few slow cooker meals. Both children have helped with a variety of cooking and baking activities.

My youngest, after recently turning 2, learning how to make lasagna

Why so young?

Food prep is an integral part of a Montessori classroom. Most classrooms have some sort of food prep available daily for children. Sometimes it’s something simple, such as an apple slicing station. Sometimes it’s a large group effort, such as a large recipe where everyone contributes something.

One of the benefits of giving children opportunities to prepare their own food is that they become more willing to eat the foods they have made. In fact, when parents tell us their child is a picky eater, this is one of our first suggestions! Another benefit is a child’s self esteem. A few months ago, my oldest daughter asked for meatloaf for dinner. I had not been planning on making that, though we had all the ingredients. So I suggested she make it herself. The look on her face when she showed the family her meatloaf was priceless. She happily told her dad that she made dinner and asked me send pictures of her with her meatloaf to her grandparents.

Also, children who practice cooking skills at a young age gain confidence in the kitchen. I do not expect my children to leave our home as master chefs, but I hope they can make simple, delicious meals for themselves, friends, and families. I’ve met a number of people who found themselves on their own and realized they had no idea how to cook. Eating out and pre-made meals became expensive. If that is how my children eat as adults, I would rather know it is their choice rather than them struggling to figure it out on their own.

Finally, it often becomes an enjoyable activity for my kids and I to work on together.

How did we do it?

Like most things in a Montessori classroom, we start simple and build. As infants and young toddlers, my children were often in the kitchen with me when I was cooking. They were observing what I was doing and even got to sneak some tastes. As their motor skills grew, they started standing on their stepstool next to me. I would offer them spoons and whisks and they would happily stir.

Then we introduced a crinkle chopper, a nylon knife, and a small cutting board. Bananas and strawberries are very easy first chopping foods. Making guacamole is an easy- and delicious- snack for toddlers to make. As their abilities grew, we started adding tougher foods to chop. Cucumbers, then apples, then carrots. Pretty soon, they can make a whole tossed salad!

When baking, I started with measuring ingredients and letting my children pour them into the mixing bowl. Turning our stand mixer on is also a favorite with my kids. When they are ready, they start measuring the ingredients themselves, carefully scooping and leveling with a butter knife. Now that my older daughter is learning to read and knows simple fractions, she is able to figure out exactly how much of everything she needs.

When it comes to cooking in a pan, I like to start with scrambling eggs. My toddler will happily crack an egg into a bowl, pour a little milk, add salt and pepper, and mix it all up. She pours the mixture into the pan and scrambles everything. She only needs help with getting the eggs out of the pan. Another easy food prep is browning ground beef, which uses similar skills to making scrambled eggs. My kids have helped make beef chili and taco meat.

Safety and the Adult’s Role

Of course, safety is a concern. Before children begin using a stove, they need to understand the pan is hot. We only use cast iron skillets at home, so a potholder or handle cover is necessary to handle a hot pan. Anything coming from the oven is also hot. I often show how hot the pans are by inviting my children to hold their hands, briefly, near the hot pan so they can feel the heat.

I give them the tools they need to be safe and handle things beyond their capabilities, such as putting things in and out of the oven. At this point, my kids just aren’t large enough to safely reach into an oven. Small burns are inevitable, even I have been known to burn myself now and then. A little first aid (cold water, maybe some ointment, and hugs) and the children will learn to be a little more careful.

Chopping foods can also be a safety concern. My favorite first tools are top handled crinkle choppers and nylon knives. We practice holding the food in a safe place, away from the blades. We also look at the parts of the knife or chopper, noticing which part looks sharp and which place is safe for holding.

As my children become more independent with food prep, I am often close by keeping an eye on things. I do my best not intervene unless necessary or asked. I find it is helpful if I am working on my own cooking task alongside my children. While I am prepping some chicken, perhaps one of them is cutting vegetables for a salad.

As they practice more, the more independent they can be with things. For most snacks, I know my kids can get what they want easily and safely. The foods and tools they need are within reach. Spreading peanut butter on crackers or bread is a quick and easy favorite in our house.

What do your children like to cook? How comfortable are you in letting them cook? Let me know in the comments!