Garden Kitchen
This activity is so fun to witness and your little one will blow you away with their skills and mini celebrity chef persona. It’s amazing how much they pick up from watching their parents and carers in the kitchen. The activity evolves with their development too, so lots of fun to be had through the early years.
There are lots of ways to set something like this up, and you may already have an outdoor kitchen for your tot. All I did was set up an outside coffee table on the grass outside so mess wasn’t an issue. For babies who can sit up but can’t stand up yet, you can do it on the ground.
I gave her some cooking utensils and bowls - including a few spoons in different sizes, a whisk, wooden mortar and pestle, coconut bowls and a stainless steel bowl, but you can use anything found in the home. It’s also good not to have too much choice, and can change up the utensils every time you do the activity to keep it fresh - for example pots and pans, muffin and cake tins.
We collected a few nature bits and bobs from the garden in a small bucket, and then filled up a bowl with water, and her cooking show commenced! We have a lot of rosemary in our garden so I love adding this to the bunch as it smells nice, and she can mix it up with the other bits and bobs like flowers, seeds and water.
Everything can be poured back into the garden afterwards, not harming the environment. You may be asked to try their concoctions, nothing like some pretend play. Happy cooking!
✅ Fun ✅ Fine motor skills ✅ Cooking practice ✅ Creativity ✅ Independence ✅ Minimal waste ✅ Eco-friendly ✅ Connection to nature ✅ Sensory ✅ Open-ended play
