Kody Hanner
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Chores and Recipes to to Make Your Kids Feel at Home in the Heart of the Kitchen
I have let my kids help in the kitchen as soon as they are old enough to hold something in their hands. Sometimes, this meant handing a baby a wooden spoon to play with while I prepared a meal. This has made all the kids (even the boys) comfortable and accommodating in the kitchen from the word “go.” And when we have six kids and a busy homestead, I need all the extra hands I can get.
Let them come help even if they mess up sometimes. Shooing them out of the kitchen because “it’s easier to do it without them” teaches the kids that it is their place in the home to “not help.” Kids can and should start helping around the house once they can follow simple instructions. This means if your 18-month-old toddles into the kitchen, hand them a piece of trash to throw away. It will give them a sense of belonging and being a part of the family.
I talk about chores and responsibilities more extensively in my book, Raising Self-Sufficient Kids – An Honest Mom’s Guide to Intentional Parenting. So, if you want to get them involved right away or you are struggling to get them to help. Check out this raw and straight-to-the-point book.
Benefits of your kids helping in the homestead kitchen
Remember to do these tasks as a family as often as possible. Kids are more likely to model behavior than “do as they are told.”
- It helps with the chores happening faster to spend more down time as a family
- Fosters independence
- Gives the kids ownership
- Creates a strong work ethic
- Teaches daily responsibility
- Prepares them for adulthood
- Helps to build relationships and respect for parents
- Has the kids be accountable for someone other than themselves, reducing entitlement
What responsibilities should I give them?
I strongly believe that every child is different. I also believe that all my kids should have the same expectations, just possibly different accommodations to get there. Below, you can see homestead kitchen responsibilities appropriate for each age. If they aren’t getting it, circle back in a few months.
Homestead Kitchen Responsibilities (Age 1-3)
- Put eggs from the coop in a carton
- Help stir food
- Help pour ingredients
- Sort silverware
- Wipe down table
- Throw away trash
- Put scraps in the compost
Homestead Kitchen Responsibilities (Age 4-8)
- Learn basic recipes
- Prepare a simple breakfast and lunch for everyone
- Be your prep cook
- Set the table
- Wipe down counters
- Sweep floors
- Empty Dishwasher
- Harvest the garden with supervision
- Take out trash
- Take out compost
Homestead Kitchen Responsibilities (Age 9-12)
- Cook meals
- Prep complex meals independently
- Help with food preservation
- Help with butchering
- Help with a shopping list
- Turn the compost
- Wash dishes
Homestead Kitchen Responsibilities (Age 13 & up)
- Harvest and tend the garden independently
- Help with the harvesting of livestock for meat
- Handle steps of butchering independently
- Bake bread
- Take inventory of pantries
- Plan meals
- Create shopping list
- Do the grocery shopping independently
Check out these fun recipes below to get your little kids comfortable in the kitchen!