11 Kitchen Safety Tips for Your Troublemaker Kiddos

As the old saying goes, the kitchen is the heart of a home, and most parents and families spend a lot of time in theirs. The kitchen can also be a very dangerous room, so it’s extremely important to safeguard the area and teach our kids about kitchen safety while they participate in cooking with us.

Here Are Some Pro Tips for All Ages:

1. With infants or young toddlers, place them into a seat, highchair, or playpen in the kitchen with you. This allows the child to observe what happens in the kitchen without having to chase them away from any dangers.
2. Make it fun! Keep safe kitchen items handy so your child can play with them while you are cooking. Pots, pans, wooden spoons, plastic whisks, silicone brushes, and many more can be great entertainment!
3. Safety proof before they become mobile. Place household cleaners in high cabinets or install safety locks on any low cabinet where these dangers live. Keep sharp objects like scissors, forks and knives in a latched drawer.
4. Keep the kids away from hot stoves and ovens so they can’t burn themselves. There are lots of safeguarding tips that may seem like common sense but are easy to forget when you’re tired and distracted, so it’s better to prepare early!
5. Unplug appliances when they are not in use, and keep them away from the sink or other water sources.Turn pot and pan handles away to face the back of the stove so children cannot reach them and pull them down!
6. If something spills, clean it up immediately. A slip and fall in the kitchen can be dangerous on many levels.
7. Keep surfaces clean and remove or wash anything contaminated with raw food quickly. Take it from me, food-borne illness is not fun for anyone.
8. When your kids are old enough, involve them in cooking! Picking meals and ingredients can help even the pickiest of eaters try new foods. Involve them in safe ways- measuring, pouring, and mixing are fun for kids and also improve their fine motor skills.
9. Allow them to safely practice cutting and chopping using safe knives for kids. My favorite are the plastic/nylon safety knives that can be purchased in any home/kitchen store and on amazon. My daughter has been chopping vegetables with me since she was 2 thanks to these! There are many other kid-friendly kitchen utensils available for your budding chef.
10. Remind your child frequently of the kitchen rules. The more you remind them to never try to cook without an adult present, not to run in the kitchen, not to use sharp knives, etc., the better chance they will remember.
11. Know what to do if there is an accident:
12. Never add water to a cooking fire.
13. Keep your fire extinguisher in an easily accessible location.
15. Know where your nearest pediatric emergency room is if they need to be seen after an accident.
17. It’s a great idea to keep the number for Poison Control on your refrigerator or saved in your cell phone and do not hesitate to call if your little one gets something they shouldn’t in their mouth or eyes.

Save It Now! Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222

Enjoy your time together! Cooking is a necessary part of life, and it can also be a great way to bond with your children and spend time with them that doesn’t involve screens or distractions.