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Get the kids cooking and teach them healthy habits

Measuring, mixing, setting the table – having the kids help out in the kitchen is not only fun, it's educational. And not just when it comes to teaching them how to cook. It's also a chance to create healthier eating habits that will serve them – and the planet – throughout their lives.

A tabletop mid-baking session – eggs, flour and utensils. Hands work doughs in white VISPAD mixing bowls and in a banneton.
A tabletop mid-baking session – eggs, flour and utensils. Hands work doughs in white VISPAD mixing bowls and in a banneton.

Less mess, more fun

Let’s face it – most kids love a good mess. Grown-ups, not so much. With aprons all round, you can let the kids measure, mix, stir and knead to their heart’s content, and still keep the mess to a minimum.

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A young girl and a man huddled over a baking project including white VISPAD mixing bowls, eggs, flour and baking accessories.
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Kid’s kitchen accessories put safety first

Chopping and slicing are things every budding chef needs to master. But putting sharp objects in small hands can be a bit hair-raising. Safe tools in the right size make it easier – and less nerve-wracking – to teach the kids kitchen life skills.

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A boy stands by a countertop, focusing on dicing an apple with a SMÅBIT knife on a chopping board, with a SMÅBIT peeler beside.
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A step in the right direction

When you’re a kid you automatically miss out on a lot of what’s going on, just because you‘re short. And that’s not really fair. A step stool will make food prep – and lots of other activities – more democratic, safely getting the littlies where the action is.

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A young girl stands on a yellow TROGEN children's step stool placed by a kitchen countertop. Next to the girl is an adult.
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Lay the table and learn

Setting the table may seem like a simple task, but it’s actually a learning opportunity. When kids set the table, they work with colors, counting, and concepts like symmetry and left and right. And then there’s the good feeling that comes with helping out. Just be sure to show your appreciation.​

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A sunlit table with a tablecloth and flowers is being set by a boy distributing matt-green FÄRGKLAR bowls onto white plates.
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Wet and not so wild

Playing with water is always fun. Splashing, spraying, pouring, rinsing. It feels good, it sounds good and it’s messy. What’s not to love? So, if you want to get the kids involved in the kitchen, let them do the water-based tasks. From rinsing the salad to washing up, the kitchen is a treasure trove of constructive water games.

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A countertop where a boy rinses salad using a KLOCKREN colander while a man slices vegetables into a white UPPLAGA deep plate.
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Let them reap what they sow

Growing sprouts is a great way to teach kids about the cycle of life. And if you’re going to do it, why not go all-in? An oven dish makes a great seed bed because it holds a lot of seedlings and it can be used time and time again.

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A girl gently places seeds into a bed of soil in a MIXTUR clear-glass oven dish. A man holds a bowl with more seeds.
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Under supervision, but not under your feet

If you have the space, why not create a kids' corner in the kitchen? A few chairs, a table and some wall storage – all at the right height – will give them a place to play while you get on with the serious business of cooking.

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A section of a kitchen set up as a children's corner, with FLISAT children's table and stools, and an oven dish with shoots.
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Healthy lunches for everyone

Packing lunch boxes for the whole family will make sure everyone gets a nutritious lunch. Doing it together turns it into a fun activity and lets you teach the kids what’s healthy and what’s not.

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A kitchen countertop with food and drinks prepped and packed into IKEA 365+ and other food containers.
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