Image by StudioGabe via Flickr
While it may be many years before your child is reading to be cooking in the kitchen, there are several easy ways to include them in mealtime preparations that can help to make a family dinner special.
Give Them a Job
Setting the table is the classic mealtime job for children. One child or several can handle the job and take on different roles. Draw pictures together to help them learn where the different utensils go on the table. Involve them in picking out napkins or fun napkin rings that they can use on the table. Encouraging them to take on simple jobs early is a great way for children to feel important to the family and involved in making mealtimes happen.
Make Art Projects
Children can also help to make simple centerpieces to theme the table to different months of the year. This is a great family project that everyone can help plan and put together. A trip to the craft store will often provide lots of inspiration or some families may want to use flowers and other things found outside to create unique table centerpieces a little silver spray paint on some thin branches makes a great winter centerpiece. Children will take pride in having made something nice for the family table.
Let them Help Plan a Menu
Children can enjoy looking at cookbooks from a young age because they are very visual. Let them sit with you while you read recipes, look at photos, and pick out things that they would like to try. Making a family dinner menu on a big wall calendar will help them learn to plan and involve them in choosing new foods to try at upcoming dinners. This is a great way to get children excited about family mealtimes and encourage them to expand their food horizons.
