Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Atlanta, GA

Both my boys love to help me in the kitchen. I love cooking and want to pass that love on to my kids.

Cooking with your kids is a great way to keep them entertained, spend time with them and teach them healthy eating habits. And basic "help" can start as soon as they can stir a spoon. And as they grow, they can help more and more.

The boys will help me with whatever meal I'm making. Sometimes they like to make their own lunches and I generally try to let them do that with as little interference as possible. They also love to help me bake and make dinner.  I make them my "sous chefs" and they think it's fun.

We have several children's cookbooks; our favorites are, "Disney's, The Magic Kitchen Cookbook," and "Stir, Squirt, Sizzle: A Nick Cookbook." These are nothing special except the food is usually geared toward kids with pretty pictures and fun names for everyday things (like "Drizzled and Drenched Fries" which is nothing more than oven baked french fries), with healthy, easy to follow recipes.  

Children's cookbooks are by no means necessary, but they do help get the kids excited about what they are making. The boys love looking through the books and picking out something special to make for one of their meals.

Obviously anything involving cutting, a hot oven, hot burner or open flame is Mommy's Job. But you can involve the kids depending on their current skill level.

Sam will help by carrying things from the refrigerator or cupboard to the counter and he helps to set the table. He can also put the pre-measured ingredients into a bowl, crack eggs (and yes I do have to fish out the egg shells) and mix up the ingredients. Since Josh is older, I can have him help read the recipe and measure out the ingredients. 

If you find your child really loves to cook, enroll them in a cooking class through the parks and rec departments or try "The Young Chef's Academy."  They have several locations throughout the Atlanta area.

I love having the kids in the kitchen with me.  Yes things take longer, but time we can spend together. And I find that (generally) they are more apt to try new foods if they have a hand in preparing it.