Fun In The Kitchen- Promoting Speech & Language Development

My little one is always right next to me and that includes when I'm in the kitchen. She shows interest in what I'm doing and wants to be held so that she can see watch me cook at the counter. Now that she is 14 months old, I recently began using her kitchen helper stand, and she LOVES it. She can watch what I'm doing without me having to balance her and a hot pan. I like to include her in cooking as much as I safely can. Involving our littles in cooking activities in the kitchen can be highly beneficial for their language development for several reasons:

• Introduces new vocabulary- Cooking exposes children to a wide range of vocabulary including food, utensils, and action words. Some of these words they may not otherwise be exposed to at a young age. Using their senses, children can also learn about describing words to enhance their vocabulary.

• Teaches following directions- Cooking provides children the opportunity to practice following instructions. Not only are they learning to follow simple commands (e.g., pour it in), but they are also learning concept words such as "first, then, after" and learning to process increased loads of information.

• Builds confidence- Giving children the opportunity to be independent and help in the kitchen provides the opportunity to build their confidence. Keep giving them positive encouragement for their efforts and make sure they know how proud you are of their helpfulness.

• Encourages problem-solving- Cooking can present challenges or unexpected situations. Children learn to problem-solve and express their ideas or concerns, fostering critical thinking and communication skills. It also teaches children that it's okay to make a mistake (e.g., spill an ingredient) and how we can fix our mistakes.

• Teaches kitchen safety- By introducing your child to the kitchen and cooking at a young age, you're modeling ways to be safe in the kitchen while discussing sharp knives, hot surfaces, etc.

• Exposure to a variety of foods- Exposure to new foods can make children more eager to try them. It also allows them to see, touch, and smell new foods before tasting them, which can help alleviate some of the stress around taking a bite.

Overall, cooking in the kitchen provides a rich and engaging environment for language development, combining practical life skills with linguistic and cognitive growth opportunities.

Below are affiliate links (I may earn a commission) to my favorite kid-friendly kitchen helper tools, including my toddler kitchen stand!

Kitchen Helper Stand

Toddler Safe Kitchen Tools