For most adults, the kitchen is a place where at least a few injuries have happened in their lifetime. Because of this, you may be nervous about bringing your kids into the kitchen and opening them up to the chance of getting hurt as well. However, if you want your kids to have these all-important life skills, it’s vital that you teach them how to be safe in the kitchen from a very young age. So to help you take on this task with confidence, here are three tips for teaching your kids about kitchen safety.
Understanding Fire Safety
One of the biggest dangers that can happen in a kitchen is fire. If your kitchen catches on fire, the chances of the rest of your home catching on fire as well can be pretty high. Knowing this, it’s vital that you teach your children what to do if a fire starts in the kitchen. According to Linda Larsen, a contributor to The Spruce, your child should learn never to throw water on a fire in the kitchen. Rather, they should learn to use a lid or baking soda to smother the fire. Additionally, you should teach your child to always get an adult if something goes wrong in the kitchen and to call 911 if a small fire gets out of hand.
Practice With Safe Knives At An Early Age
While most parents don’t want their children to be handling sharp objects, in order to have your child feel comfortable using a knife, you may want to introduce the idea of using a knife to cut from an early age. According to Toria Frederick, a contributor to Super Healthy Kids, you should start your kids out with plastic knives that are very dull and won’t cut them. As they get older, you can slowly help them learn how to use real knives. Until they’re comfortable with using a knife, be sure that you’re always with them when they’re practicing how to use a knife and cut food in the kitchen.
Learning To Handle Hot Items
The kitchen is full of hot items that could burn you if you touch them. When children are small, they may not understand that something hot can hurt them. But as they get older, they’ll better understand that they need protection if they’re going to touch something hot. So to help them stay safe, Maureen Wise, a contributor to Care.com, recommends teaching them to keep their wrists up when stirring things in a pot and how to properly use hot pads so they can take things out of the oven or off the stove without burning their hands, wrists, or fingers.
If you have kids at home, consider using the tips mentioned above to help them learn kitchen safety.
Originally posted on January 26, 2018 @ 12:28 pm
