How safe are your kids in the kitchen? If you’re like most parents, you probably don’t know where to start when it comes to keeping them safe around hot stoves and sharp knives. But with these simple kitchen safety tips, you can keep your kids safe in the kitchen while still preparing meals with them at your side. Plus, they’ll learn important cooking skills they can use later in life—and that will help them develop a greater appreciation for the food they eat, too!
Keep knives out of reach
It’s a good idea to keep knives out of reach of young children, who don’t have the cognitive ability to understand how dangerous they can be. If you’re planning on doing any cooking with your kids, consider keeping your sharp knives on a high shelf or a locked drawer where they can be easily retrieved when needed but out of reach when not.
Your kids should only use knives with an adult’s help. For example, let them peel potatoes and carrots while you do all of the cutting—and remind them that just because it looks like fun doesn’t mean it is!
Use childproof & shatterproof containers
Always ensure that plastic and glass containers are labeled childproof and shatterproof. If they’re not, it doesn’t mean they aren’t safe—just that you should be extra careful around children. It never hurts to check your cabinets too! Some safety bottles don’t have lids so make sure you keep them out of reach of children at all times.
Remember too just how well metal containers can conduct and transfer heat, so keep those away from small hands and off the edge of the counter to help prevent emergencies.
Don’t leave your child unattended
Kids can learn a great deal of important life skills in the kitchen and should be allowed to help their parents prep meals, meal plan, and complete other simple jobs but as they get older they will learn more complex tasks.
Regardless of their age – don’t let them cook on their own or go off and do not allow yourself to become distracted while they are cooking because they could potentially burn themselves or ruin food which may cause unnecessary stress.
Most importantly never leave your child alone when cooking, cutting, or doing anything else in the kitchen. Use your common sense – as a child learns, matures, and grows, they will excited by and ready for more kitchen lessons, but accidents can and do happen. Minimize the likelihood of an emergency by keeping a careful watch and only encouraging age appropriate kitchen tasks.
Teach Them How to Handle Scissors
Kids love using scissors. They’re a fun tool to get creative with, but they also come with an inherent risk of injury if not handled properly. It’s important to teach your kids how to handle scissors—always keeping them closed when not in use and cutting away from themselves and other people.
This is particularly important for kitchen shears which tend to be far less user friendly, sharper and more difficult to handle for little hands.
Store Chemicals Away From Children
Finally – an obvious one, but one that can’t be overstated – don’t keep cleaning supplies and chemicals within easy reach of children. Label all products that could be dangerous, and store them away from areas kids can access. (Check out labels carefully and don’t use products that aren’t intended for child safety.) Cleaning supplies should be kept in cabinets, drawers, or other places where they can be kept out of sight and mind.
