Teaching Your Child About Kitchen Safety

While children may not need to cook until they’re a little older, it’s never too early to start learning about kitchen safety. Beginner lessons may go something like “hot stoves are bad” or “don’t touch the knife.” As your child grows, however, so should their knowledge of how to be safe in the kitchen. Here are some important tips for teaching your child about kitchen safety:

Start with Cleaning

A clean kitchen is a safe kitchen, and clean hands are essential for meal preparation. Show your child that they need to wash their hands before cooking, between meals (and in some cases, ingredients) and after cooking to stay safe in the kitchen. Teach them how to clean up spills and messes as they go, as well as wash the dishes when they’re done using them!

Dressing the Part

You don’t need to buy your aspiring chef a uniform, but there are some clothing items that they should wear and others they should avoid. If they have long hair, they should tie it back when cooking. They should also wear shoes in the kitchen to avoid hurting their feet. Loose clothing and dangling jewelry may be hazardous, so those items should be considered as well. 

Enforcing Knife Safety

You can make the call about whether your child is mature enough to use a knife. However, at any age, they should know about knife safety. Teach them to ask for your permission before using one or to ask you to use it for them. Eventually, they’ll need to learn to use one themselves. They need to learn to grab knives only by the handle and to avoid putting their hands in the way of the blade. When they’re comfortable using a knife, teach them how to safely clean it. 

Avoiding Taste Tests

When your child is crafting a delicious work of art, they may be tempted to lick the spoon — and then put it right back into the bowl or pot. This isn’t just icky; it can spread germs and put the wrong kind of bacteria into the food. There’s also a risk of foodborne illness when licking a spoon that has been exposed to raw eggs or other raw meats. If your child wants to sample a sauce, make sure they use a small spoon that goes directly into the sink after. 

(Not) Playing with Fire

Heat is the main safety risk in any kitchen, especially if something goes up in flames. Your child needs to know early on not to throw water at the fire. You can throw baking soda on a small fire or put a lid on a pan to put out a fire. If a large fire starts and begins to spread, call 911 and leave the house. 

Turning Everything Off

It’s common to cook and then wonder an hour or two later whether you turned off the oven. If you have gas, this can be a huge safety risk, one you want to make sure your child doesn’t take. Even with electric units, leaving your oven on can eventually end up heating your house and making your burners dangerously hot. Smaller appliances should be powered off to reduce wasted electricity. 

With over 57 years of academic excellence, St. Teresa Catholic School, a Titusville private school, provides a quality education that challenges and empowers students to develop their full potential. Teachers foster qualities that are essential for lifelong learning and equip students for future success. To learn more about why St. Teresa is the perfect fit for you and your student, contact us today.