The messiness of baking and cooking with a young child can sometimes feel overwhelming. Hopefully the information below will help ease those concerns and allow you to find a way to have fun together in the kitchen! If you’re interested in many of the benefits I find in baking with your children, click here.
Full coverage bibs: For an infant/young toddler these were a lifesaver. Batters, dough, you name it. It makes for quicker clean up and less mess.
Our favorite cupcake/ cookie scoop: As you can see in the photo above, it’s small enough for a young child to maneuver. As they get older they learn to use to release mechanism, too. It’s an easy way to make cupcakes and cookies uniform without lots of dripping.
Kitchen helper: These are a pricier item, but are definitely worth it. It gives your child independence and allows them to more safely be involved. Ours isn’t foldable, but if I were to do it over, I’d try to find one that is.
Adjustable rolling pin: This rolling pin has removable rings to adjust the dough thickness. No need for a young child to worry about the dough thinning on the sides with a traditional rolling pin. Easy peasy!
Large silicone mat: For years I used smaller ones and they were a pain. The large mat has made a HUGE difference. It provides plenty of space to roll out dough or to simply keep under the area you’re mixing ingredients to avoid a spill. Non slip, non stick, dishwasher safe, and easy cleanup!
Magnetic Measuring spoons: Perfect for keeping things organized in your drawer and easy for a toddler to pick up the bunch. Each measurement is a different color which allows your child to memorize which is which. They’re double sided which saves space and cleaning time when you need to use the same measurement for multiple items.
Pro Keeper Baker’s Storage Set: I’ve tried MANY different containers for storing baking ingredients and these are by far the BEST DESIGN. I honestly can’t reiterate enough how wonderful they are. They’re light weight, you can see the ingredients inside, and they’re easy to open- all things that make it usable for little hands. The “containers feature measurement marks; Flour container includes a removable level; Sugar container includes a flip pour spout; Brown sugar container includes a terra cotta disk; Powdered sugar container includes dusting spoon and level; Mini keepers include a level and dusting screen.” They have everything you need already within the design. My son can easily scoop and level ingredients with these which makes things extra simple. Is it going too far to say they’re a joy to use?
Rubber bottomed mixing bowl set: Bowls with rubber bottoms make it steadier for when your child is mixing and greatly decrease the chance of spill. This is especially important when dealing with thick doughs like cookie dough. The set linked is similar to ours but has a few extra sizes which I appreciate.
Our favorite Citrus Zester: We use this daily for everything from citrus to cheese. It’s easy to clean and feels safe to use together.
Chopping knives for learning: These are wonderful! They are sharp enough to be effective, while not feeling dangerous. Learning to use knives safely is an important tool and these help with that while giving your little one a sense of independence.
Favorite Baking Pans: Caraway recently came out with baking pans and I absolutely love them. They have a toxin free non stick ceramic coating that is a dream to clean and fantastic to bake with. I’ve tried lots of different types of pans, but these are by far my favorite and they look beautiful too. The most important aspect for me is that they are healthy to use. The bundles are definitely an investment (they do have sales!) but even just buying one or two of your most used baking pans is worth it. It’s such a treat for me that I’d totally ask for a pan for a birthday or holiday.
Accessibility and Organization:
Organization: It can be challenging to keep things organized, especially with young kids. I’ve found that having bins to contain the mess is invaluable. It’s also easier for everyone in your household to keep up with the effort you’ve put into organizing and decreases waste by knowing where things are. I’ve had this label maker for almost a year and I’m constantly recommending it to friends and family. It’s inexpensive, easy to use, and quick. I’ve literally been walking out the door taking my son to school and printing a new label for his water bottle.
Accessibility: As my son got older and more independent I decided to make the lower shelf of baking supplies full of our most used items that were safe for him to access. This allows him to get the ingredients himself and learn to put them back afterwards. Over time he has learned what types of ingredients are in different types of bakes. He may come up with a recipe idea himself and then go get all the necessary tools and ingredients to make it together. I love that he takes ownership of the process and has such pride in learning and doing it himself.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for following along! I hope this information is helpful and an encouragement to try something new with your kiddo.
Everyone’s baking journey will look different and that’s okay. It’ll be messy at times, things won’t turn out well, but there’s always a silver lining. My son will sometimes quote Daniel Tiger when things don’t go as planned and it feels like a bigger reminder to me than anyone. After all, in the business of motherhood, we often seek a positive outcome for time investment. When it doesn’t happen it can be disappointing. It’s the time together that’s the most meaningful 🙂
“Things may change and that’s okay, today we can do things a different way.”
-Daniel Tiger
Set in Sand 
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