Get Your Kids in the Kitchen!
In the January 2009 issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News I found an article titled, “Designing the Kitchen With Children in Mind.” In the article, Mary Jo Peterson, CKD, CBD, CAPS, does a good job of outlining the important areas to keep in mind when designing a kitchen with children in the home, including safety, prep zones, restrictions, and other activities.
Safety
When considering safety, of course you will want to keep in mind the use of certain utensils & appliances, including knives, stove, microwave, etc. You can safeguard some of these possible risks by locking certain cabinets and drawers. Depending on the age and experience of the children, your specific needs may be different.
Prep Zones
The age and height of children will help to determine what prep zone is appropriate for your family. One thing to consider is having a lower counter area to accommodate the height of the children. Other considerations would be adding an under counter refrigerator, prep sink, and possibly a slide-out work area to utilize more space.
Restrictions
Because not all children should be allowed free range in the kitchen, those restricted areas should be established well in advance. Generous clearances are another thing to keep in mind when designing the kitchen space, as to help avoid potential injuries and accidents.
Other Activities
Another thing to contemplate when designing your kitchen is work space for homework and arts & crafts. The kitchen is often times a gathering area, and could provide for a computer workstation and supply storage.
I feel one of the greatest benefits of getting your children involved in the kitchen is the opportunity to expose them to various new and healthy foods. Children are often times hesitatant to try and experience new foods, especially vegetables. This is your opportunity to incorporate these foods with their help, and this time they just might like them!
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Angie
Posted in Cooking in your kitchen on January 9th, 2009 by Angie | | 2 Comments
on February 5th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Kitchen design is always so tough for me. Thanks for the idea!
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Angie Reply:
February 9th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
I glad you found the information helpful. Good luck with your design! Thanks for reading.
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