10 kid-friendly kitchen gadgets every family should own
Cooking with your kids can be fun and educational, and these tools will keep them safe.
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When my 8-year-old daughter asked me for an Easy Bake Oven before her birthday this year, I knew it was time to get her more involved in the kitchen. With a new baby brother in the family, she and I weren’t getting as much one-on-one time as we were used to, so having her as a sous chef was a great way to rekindle that bond and help foster her independence. Not to mention, it’s such a help for this busy mom!
What I found was that our kitchen tools needed some modifying and replacing if little hands were going to be slicing and dicing.
Here are 10 kitchen tools perfect for children who want to help make dinner and learn to cook:
1. Colorful prep bowls that stay put and teach math
Useful, pretty, and doesn't take up a lot of space? Yes, please!
Hold the bowl AND stir? This takes time to master! These no-slip bowls come in fun colors. I like this particular set because it also includes measuring cups. Knowing “green” is one cup and “light blue” provides an early start on knowing what’s what in the world of fractions.
Buy now: 8-Piece Nesting Bowl Set for $29.99 on Amazon
2. Monkeys that peel more than bananas
Your kids will go bananas for a peeler they can use themselves.
“Mom, can you peel my apple?” If I had a quarter for every time I’ve heard this! Well, not anymore. This peeler is not only kid-friendly in looks, but the blade is well-protected, making it a great way for the kiddos to help themselves to healthy snacks or help with dinner prep.
Buy now: Animal House Monkey Peeler for $12.88 from Amazon
3. A blender little hands can handle
The rubber handle makes it easy for even small hands to hold.
While a hand-mixer would do the trick, too, the immersion blender seems to be less intimidating for kids. It’s fairly easy to control and doesn’t tire the limbs so quickly. We just made a healthy and delicious pumpkin muffin recipe and this tool made it a breeze for my daughter. I barely helped.
Buy now: Chefman Immersion Blender for $29.99 from Kohl’s
4. A no-slip cutting board that prevents messes
This cutting board stays put while you slice and makes it easy to transfer your ingredients.
Sometimes trying to keep the cutting board in place can be a discouraging task when starting out. This flexible cutting “board” is a safe option because the kiddos can have all their focus on chopping rather than needing one hand to hold the board steady. Another bonus: You can roll it up and slide those juicy fruit slices right onto a plate or into a mixing bowl without any toppling onto the floor.
Buy now: Kitchen Gizmo Flexible Cutting Board for $15.99 on Amazon
5. A kid-friendly knife set for safe slicing
Knifes gentle enough to protect tiny fingers but tough enough to slice and dice.
I’m 33 and if I’m in the kitchen with my mother during a holiday, she’ll still wince when I use a big knife. This knife set has serrated nylon edges that will cut many things, but thankfully, not fingers. Maybe I’ll snag a set for my mom’s house to put her mind at ease next time we’re baking apple pie.
Buy now: StarPack Nylon 3-Pack Knife Set for $9.45 on Amazon
6. A fun batter dispenser for splatter-free baking
Cooking with kids is messy enough. This helps keep at least some of the spills contained.
This is great not just for pancakes, but for filling cupcake or muffin tins. It can be hard to have a steady hand when transferring batter from a bowl to its new destination. With this gadget, kids feel in control and the clean-up becomes practically non-existent.
Buy now: KPKitchen Easy Pour Batter Dispenser for $15.99 on Amazon
7. Ouchless kitchen gloves to protect tiny fingers
You can never bee too careful, especially with kids in the kitchen.
With smaller kids, these lightweight, snug kitchen gloves really add an extra layer of protection. Put your fear at ease, knowing your junior chef is protected from even the sharpest of blades.
Buy now: NoCry Cut-Resistant Gloves for Kids for $10.99 on Amazon
8. An adorable egg yolk separator perfect for learning
Eggs are icky, but this makes cracking them even more fun.
Cracking an egg is exciting for kids but the next step takes some time. This adorable little fella is great practice for separating egg whites and yolks.
Buy now: Egg Yolky Egg Separator for $3.99 on Amazon
9. A flexible spatula for easier scooping and flipping
Flexibility makes it easy to scoop anything up off the pan safely.
Sometimes getting your spatula into a yoga-like position is a must for flipping a burger or slippery egg. This tool lets you perfect a meal from any angle and most importantly, helps keeps your little one's hands burn-free.
Buy now: StarPack Ultra Flexible Silicone Spatula for $11.95 on Amazon
10. A chef that whistles when your pasta is al dente
This little guy really whistles while he works.
At first glance, this isn’t a necessity, right? It’s just a kitchen extra? While that’s partially true, it’s also effective in achieving that just-right-bite of pasta. For kids to be able to feel what an “al dente” piece of macaroni feels like will help them whip up an impressive Italian meal on their own later on. Just drop the chef in the water with your spaghetti and wait til he sings.
Buy now: Al Dente Chef Singing Pasta Timer for $19.99 from Bed Bath & Beyond
Prices are accurate at the time of publication, but may change over time.