Does the thought of baking with children introduce chaotic images of flour dust everywhere or teeny pieces of eggshells mixed into batter? You are not alone.
It doesn’t have to be that way and dare I say, it can be fun and enjoyable!
As a mama to two little ones and someone who enjoys baking and would classify myself as a novice or hobby baker, I have had my fair share of baking catastrophes and fails when it comes to baking with children.
Over the years, I have included my children in baking adventures with me because I want them to feel confident and enjoy the art of baking. If they don’t have permission to try, they won’t have the opportunity to learn. The one-on-one time spent together opens up beautiful conversation and the things they make while using their hands and getting messy is amazing to watch.
Our baking adventures haven’t always been perfect and often we do bake some fails, but each time we learn something new about what works and what doesn’t in the kitchen.
If you’re just starting out on your baking journey with little ones, or maybe you’ve tried before and given up, I have 5 super Easy Tips for Baking with Children that I hope will be the encouragement you need to step into the kitchen with confidence and excitement:
1. Separate your recipe into two days.
Time management is one of the hardest things when baking with children, especially if you have more than one child around. Nap schedules, snack times, random meltdowns. They can easily throw a wrench into your baking and next thing you know, the batter has sat for too long or the timer on the oven has beeped way past its timer and *bam* burnt cookies.
We like to separate our baking into two days by prepping and doing all the messy mixing in one day and then baking and decorating on the other. This is a great option for little ones and their shorter attention span. Separating your process into two days makes it easier for them to be present and pleasant.
2. Have them use a step stool so they can see and reach better.
If a child is able to stand up unassisted, then they are able to join you in the baking process, even if it’s just to observe and learn that way! The goal with a stool is to have anywhere from their chest to their waist be at counter height.
We use a simple folding step stool because it is lightweight and easy for the kids to get out themselves, but learning towers are another great option, especially for younger children who need the extra height boost and safety while standing on a stool.
3. Use a strainer for cracking eggs.
There is nothing more disappointing than finding a crunchy piece of an eggshell in a moist and fluffy cupcake. Learning the art of egg cracking is one of the biggest challenges with little ones and it’s also the number one question I get asked. HOW do you teach them to crack eggs? WHEN are they old enough to do this?
If they are at an age where they can listen to the rule of, “Yuck. Please don’t put that in your mouth.” (usually the age they are no longer eating crayons or play dough) then they can start to practice with egg cracking. Take a deep breath, you’ve got this…
In our house, we simply place a strainer over a bowl and crack the eggs into the strainer. This will keep those itty bitty shell fragments from falling into the bowl and you won’t have to fish around trying to get those tiny pieces out of the egg whites.
4. Use a pouring shield over your mixing bowl.
A pouring shield is a plastic attachment that hooks right onto your mixing bowl. It makes it easier to funnel in the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, etc.) and also keeps ingredients from spraying out of the mixer. Ever had a little one turn the mixer all the way up to speed 10 as flour is being poured into the bowl? Hello flour dust everywhere! This will prevent that.
5. Have a set of baking tools in their size.
Little hands need little tools. Yes, they could use a regular-size whisk or spatula, but it makes it harder for them to learn the actual skill of whisking, folding, etc. because the tools don’t fit into their hands properly.
These six inch whisks and spatulas are the perfect size for their little hands!
Now that you’ve read my 5 Easy Tips for Baking with Children, I hope that you feel ready to tackle your next baking adventure and have FUN with it!
Yes, there may be some burnt cupcakes or dropped cookie dough in the future, there may be a meltdown of epic proportions or sticky, chocolate hand prints on your cabinets, but just try to remind yourself the bigger the mess, the bigger the memory!