Cooking With Kids: Easy Tasks for Kids in the Kitchen

If your kids are anything like mine, as soon as you walk into the kitchen to start making something, they suddenly need to be right there beside you, on a stool, touching things and wanting to help in every way possible.

And honestly… as chaotic as it feels, they really do love helping. Generally they don’t care what the task is, they just want to be included and try new things.

The tricky part is figuring out what jobs are actually age-appropriate and what will end with you silently chanting “it’s fine… it’s fine… it’s FINE.”

So I put together a guide to help make cooking with kids fun, stress-free-ish, and confidence-building for everyone.

⭐ You may also want to check out some of my other blog posts in the Kitchen Creations section.

Why Cook with Kids?

Yes, it takes longer, there are more messes and sometimes you need to restart after a mistake, but in the end it’s worth it. They are learning to be more independent and real life skills that they will hopefully continue to master so they can cook for themselves one day. For my older kids, we’ve started to incorporate math as they are learning fractions at school (think ⅓ cup or how many ⅓ cups do I need to to make ⅔ ) and it helps relate what they are learning in school to real life.

In addition to teaching skills, sometimes they will even try new foods since they now know what goes into it, or want to try it because they made it. Involving them in the cooking or baking process is a great way to learn and try new things.

Kitchen Tasks for Toddlers (Ages 2–3)

This age group is adorable… and just wants to be a little helper.
Keep it simple and expect the mess.

👩‍🍳 Great toddler tasks:

• Washing fruits and veggies - Kids love playing with water so this is great task! Although, prepare for some splashing and wet countertops by putting a couple towels down.

  
  

• Dumping ingredients you measure first - Who doesn’t love to pour things into a bowl?!

  
  

• Stirring with a big spoon - This is the fun task! Make sure you use bowls with higher sides so the mixture doesn't go everywhere.

  
  

• Tearing lettuce - Instead of bringing out the knife to cut salad, have the little ones pull it apart into bit size pieces.
  

⭐ Parent tips:

• A sturdy stool with sides is a lifesaver. But really anything to get them to countertop height works great!

  
  

• Have everything laid out and measured in advance. This will keep you more present in the moment and the activity moving to keep their attention.

• Just know there will be messes, and that is ok. If you are mentally prepared going into it, that’s half the battle!

• You might also want to consider having a “play” bowl for when you are done measuring the real ingredients. Sometimes they want to continue to help, but all the toddler tasks are complete. Dump some flour and other items into a bowl and let them play and stir. Sensory play for this age is so much fun and keeps them engaged.

Kitchen Tasks for Preschoolers (Ages 4–6)

This is the “I can do it myself!” stage.
And honestly… they can (mostly).

👨‍🍳 Tasks they love:

• Cracking eggs - My kids love doing this, but make sure to do it into a separate bowl first so you can easily spot any shells that accidently made it in.

  
  

• Measuring dry ingredients - They really start to feel like they are contributing to the meal or dish.

  
  

• Cutting soft foods with a kid-safe knife - With supervision, this age can start cutting up food like soft fruits. Think bananas, strawberries or cantaloupe.

  
  

• Rolling dough or shaping cookies - Who doesn’t love playing with dough?! If you are making cookies, they can also use cookie cutters to make some cool shapes.

  
  

• Setting the table - While not exactly a kitchen task, you do need a place to sit down and eat. Kids this age can put the plates and silverware out, or any condiments that may be needed for the meal.
  

⭐ Parent tips:

• Show them once, then let them try. - Teach them how to do the task but then give them the space to try it on their own.

  
  

• Give them ownership: “Your job is mixing today” - This instills a sense of responsibility and focus.

  
  

• Prepare for messes and mistakes and encourage them as they succeed. - This is where patience comes into play. Positive reinforcement along with feedback is important so their time in the kitchen is fun and safe.
  

Kitchen Tasks for Ages 7–9

This is a great age in the kitchen. They’re more coordinated now and can handle more responsibility, so can take on more ownership of a specific task or even simple dish.

👩‍🍳 What they can handle:

• Using real knives (with close supervision) - Make sure you’ve taught them proper knife cutting skills first like know how to hold the knife, where to put their fingers and what type of surface they should cut on.

  
  

• Peeling carrots or cucumbers - This one includes teaching some safety skills first as well, like making sure they are peeling away from you.

  
  

• Operating the Air fryer or Microwave - Don’t they all love to press buttons? Having a little cheat sheet next to the appliance about how long to cook something like popcorn will start to give them the confidence to do it on their own. You still may need to help with this one to get the hot food out of the appliance.

  
  

• Following simple recipes - Pick easy two or three step recipes that have a few ingredients and work up from there. Small victories will help to grow their confidence to try harder ones next time.

  
  

• Scooping batter into muffin tins - I still find this one hard and get batter all over the place! Pick out some cute muffin liners and help by rotating the muffin pan so the empty ones are closest to them. This helps to cut down on the mess.

  
  

• Stirring on the stovetop (right next to you) - Using the burner closest to you, let them stir something like soup or sauce. Since these are normally on a simmer, there should be minimal bubbles splashing up.
  

⭐ Parent tips:

• Let them take the lead on a recipe - They are old enough now to read through the ingredient list and the basic steps to get started. They might even surprise you by beating you into the kitchen first to cook!

  
  

• Talk through safety before they touch anything hot - As they start to venture into more complicated recipes, it’s important to continue the safety lessons. Don’t assume they know to stand back from the oven when you open it, or what the indicator light means on the stove. These are important topics to cover now that that they are doing more.

Kitchen Tasks for Tweens (Ages 10–12)

This is where things get exciting. They’re capable, confident, and sometimes even… helpful? Hey, my 10 year just made herself scrambled eggs the other morning all by herself!

👨‍🍳 Perfect tasks:

• Making simple breakfasts (scrambled eggs, pancakes, French toast) - These are simple dishes they can make themselves at this point. Next step - reminding them that breakfast is more than just one item and that they could cut up some fruit to go with it.
  

• Cooking pasta or rice - 2 or 3 ingredients and some basic instructions. You’ll want to remind them to use a timer as well so they can complete the task, and not just dump everything in and walk away. They need to learn when it’s done!

• Using the oven with guidance - The right pot holders make a difference here!
  

• Baking with minimal help - They still may need help or guidance as they work through a recipe, but make simple chocolate chip or sugar cookies is a great starting point!
  

⭐ Parent tips:

• Assign a weekly “you cook one dinner with me” night - This gives them time to think about what they want to make, look through recipes and get a shopping list together if needed.

  
  

• Teach cleanup as part of the deal (or you’ll regret it) - This part is hard, but important. It’s the same concept as picking up your toys after your done playing. After cooking, cleaning up is part of the deal.

Keeping It Stress-Free (or Close Enough)

• Expect the mess (it washes) - There will be flour all over the countertops, sticky fingerprints on the fridge, and maybe some water spilled on the floor . Just know it’s part of the deal. Mess means they were involved, learning, and probably having a blast. Floors mop. Counters wipe. It’s temporary… unlike the memories and photos.

• Keep a soapy towel or wipes handy - A quick swipe mid-process keeps the chaos from snowballing. I prefer to keep up with the mess as we go, so I keep a warm, soapy rag right on the counter so I can do a fast “mom swoop” every few minutes. It helps keep my anxiety in check.

• Start when you’re not rushed - If it’s 5:48 p.m. and everyone’s starving, that’s not the moment to invite little hands to help measure flour. Choose a time when you’re calm(ish), in a good mood, and not trying to beat the clock. A slower pace makes the whole thing feel fun instead of frantic.

• Let go of perfection — your muffins might be lumpy today and that’s okay - Kids don’t care if the batter is overmixed or if the cookies lean slightly to one side. Their joy comes from being part of the process, not achieving pâtisserie-level results. Remind yourself that you’re teaching them life skills, not auditioning for a baking show. Lumpy muffins still taste great.

• Cheer them on; kids really love feeling helpful - A little praise goes so far. Tell them, “You’re my best mixer,” or “I couldn’t have done this without you.” Their faces light up, and suddenly they take even more pride in their work. Plus, it’s a sneaky way to build their confidence and independence—one crooked pancake at a time.
  

Final Thoughts

Cooking with kids isn’t perfect, but it is worth it. Start small, pick one task they can own this week, and watch their confidence grow. Before you know it, you’ll have tiny kitchen helpers who know their way around a recipe—and maybe even surprise you with breakfast one day like my 10 year old is doing now.