A kitchen is the command center of the household. It's where the family not only cooks and eats, but also where they hang around the kitchen table working on homework and crafts. Too often, however, kitchens present barriers to the littlest users ("I can't reach it, Mommy!"), thwarting their growing independence. Here's how to help them help themselves
| Prep Time: Under 1 hour | |
| What you need: | |
| Chalkboard
Kid sized utensils | |
| Seasons: Year round | |
| Materials: chalk, kitchen sponges | |
| Instructions: | |
| 1. |
Snack Station:Even before the last meal's dishes have
dried, the cry comes: "I'm hungry!". Let the kids cure their own
snack attacks by placing some plastic dishes and snacks in a
designated self-service area. Select the items together and put
them in a lower cabinet or on a low shelf in the refrigerator so
the kids can easily reach them. Add a few rules if you need to
such as no eating an hour before dinner. And keep a cloth towel
or a roll of paper towels down low as well for self-service
cleanup.
|
| 2. |
Think Small:Providing a selection of kid-size tools is an
inviting way to say "Wanna help?" Whether it's a junior set of
cooking utensils kept in a special drawer or a toy broom and
dustpan hung within a kid's reach, the gear lets children
experience the satisfaction of pitching in.
|
| 3. |
The Chalkboard Nook:Turn the side of a kitchen island or
an open stretch of wall into a doodling nook by hanging a
chalkboard at a child's height.While you're busy working, kids
can draw or leave funny jokes and messages to one another.
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