It is said that cooking is an art. Like most art forms, a person can have some natural talent, but there’s a whole lot of learning and experiencing that has to happen before they’re any good at it. Cooking is no exception. First, children need to be exposed to good cooking, so they can appreciate the differences, then they need to be given the chance to try cooking themselves.

They need to learn the basics, through your instruction or a kids’ cooking class, and they need to practice, practice, practice. Making spaghetti one time won’t do it; they need to make spaghetti several times. One reason is so they can remember how to do it and the other is so they can learn to add or take away from the recipe to improve it. You want them to be able to branch out from a recipe and become a true chef.

As far as the learning goes, here are a few tips to start your kids off on the right foot when you’re the teacher:

1. Show them how to read a recipe. This isn’t hard; just take out a few recipes and go over them. Explain the road map of the recipe and point out where information like ingredients, utensils needed, cooking temperature, directions, and prep time is located. Pick an easy recipe or one for their favorite dish to start with.

2. Make sure there is enough time to make the dish. If you are rushed, it won’t be a pleasurable experience for either of you.

3. Explain what wet and dry ingredients are and the proper measuring cup for each. This is important with baking, which is more a science than an art.

4. Show your kids where you keep everything in your kitchen. Give them a tour! Even after you’ve done this, they’ll still ask where something is kept. The best way to overcome this is to have them repeatedly put away the clean dishes from the dishwasher.

5. Show them how to use a knife. Tell them not to run with knives or turn around quickly with knives when someone else is in the kitchen with you. They shouldn’t try to catch a knife if they drop it. These are probably self-explanatory.

6. Explain other safety issues such as cleaning up the floor if they spill (but not with the sponge you use on the dishes) so no one slips, washing their hands, using potholders, turning the pot handles inwards on the stovetop, cook all meat thoroughly, etc. Don’t assume they know kitchen safety.

7. Turn off the TV so there are no distractions. This is a time to work together and maybe talk!

Your child will probably need a lot of help when they first start out, but that will change the more they cook. Don’t be afraid of a messy kitchen. You may even want to do the dishes for them so they’re not so overwhelmed or turned off. Keep giving them a chance to create in the kitchen and you will be amazed at how fast they learn to put a meal on the table. Now that’s a beautiful thing!

Peggy is the editor of the popular Cookin’ Kids Newsletter. Interesting themes, fun facts, silly clip art, easy recipes, kid jokes, cooking terms, and safety tips make this newsletter a hit with kids! Learn more about it at http://cookinkids.com/Newsletter