There is nothing more special than having the kids play
with you in the kitchen. Conversation flows as the cookie dough is being
mixed and bonding happens as the cookie cutters are pulled out of the
cupboard. Nothing ruins this slice of happiness faster than an injury in
the kitchen and it could leave your kids traumatized and hesitant to
bake again. We’ve put together a list of the top 5 safety tips when
baking with your kids.

Always wear aprons:

This might sound obvious or trivial but you have no idea
how much you’ll appreciate an apron being on your little one in the
event something hot falls on their laps! Aprons not only protect your
clothes but also offer a protective layer between your little one and
anything that could hurt them.

Don’t allow any handles to hang over counters:

Make sure any pot, pan, knife etc. handles are facing the
wall or the center of your workspace. Don’t allow them to hang over the
counter where little hands can grab them and get hurt. Little ones don’t
know what’s on the other side of that handle, they just know they want
to help mom and dad out. Keep them safe by practicing this tip!

Don’t leave your kids unattended:

It’s tempting to pop out for a second to answer your
ringing phone but never leave little ones unattended in the kitchen for
any duration… Accidents happen so quickly and with sharp knives, hot
ovens and heavy rollers around, the risk is just not worth it. If you do
have to pop out, make a game of it and get them to come with you.

Make sure you have oven gloves for little hands:

There is no way you’ll be able to do the important job of
getting the cookies out of the hot oven without the supervision and help
of your little assistant. Pre-empt this by picking up some oven gloves
for your little chef and avoid accidents and disappointment – after all,
those little hands are too cure to burn and those precious eyes too
beautiful for tears.

Watch out it’s hot!:

Little hands will be eager to try the fruits of the labor
so be watchful that they don’t pop steaming cookies into their mouths.
Show them how to cool their cookies off by blowing them or put them out
of reach to cool off on their own. Either way, you’ll have to play the
bad guy in order to be the good guy!

No matter what the recipe, baking cookies with the kids
is as much fun as anything else! Follow these simple safety instructions
and you’ll be off to a good (and tasty) start!