Kids in the kitchen
MAKING YOUR KITCHEN A CHILDFRIENDLY SPACE IS A RECIPE FOR COOKING UP SOME FUN, WRITES KIRSTEN CRAZE
A wave of cooking reality TV shows coupled with an increasingly multicultural community means today’s youth are keener than ever to get their little hands messy while helping with dinner or dessert. But some kitchen designs are better equipped to handle an extra set of small hands than others. Our experts reveal just what it takes to inspire a mini MasterChef with suggestions like the size of furnishings and the placement of island benches. —
A WAVE of cooking reality TV shows coupled with an increasingly multicultural community means today’s youth are keener than ever to get their little hands messy while helping with dinner or dessert.
But some kitchen designs are better equipped to handle an extra set of small hands than others.
Founder of Bake Club, Anneka Manning, teaches budding chefs of all ages and knows just what it takes to inspire a mini MasterChef.
“Whatever you choose, however you design the space, ask yourself ‘Is this encouraging my child to be with me in the kitchen and to help me cook?’,” she says.
“Because the more you can do that at a very early age, the more confident they’re going to be into their teenage years, and the more dinners they’ll be able to produce for you in the long term as well.”
LITTLE CHEFS, GRAND DESIGNS
Try to approach kitchen design from a child’s point of view, says Christian Becker, Ikea home furnishing specialist.
“Children enjoy things that match their size or style,” he says.
The layout of your kitchen is key to keeping things moving with a growing family.
“The Metod kitchens are great and really versatile,” Christian says.
“You can even consider including a bench top designed for children, creating a great space for them to help out and bring them closer to the action.
“It can also act as a quick place to stash larger items and grocery bags,” he says.
Tyler Sadler, colour and design consultant at GJ Gardner Homes says the kitchen is where the action is.
“From kids doing homework there or cooking for a large party, it’s one of the most important parts of the home, if not the most important,” she says.
According to Tyler, homebuyers are now particularly conscious of safety now that little hands are more active in the kitchen.
“Induction cooktops are popular, because it’s the most kid-friendly cooktop as it’s able to cool down quickly,” she says.
Interior designer, television presenter and Granite Transformations brand ambassador Shaynna Blaze says it’s worth considering which kitchen surfaces best suit the rough and tumble of many small hands.
While marble looks amazing, it can be prone to chipping or staining unless it is sealed, while laminate products are
FROM KIDS DOING HOMEWORK THERE OR COOKING FOR A LARGE PARTY, IT’S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE HOME, IF NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT TYLER SADLER, GJ GARDNER HOMES, SYDNEY NORTH
both tough and easy to maintain. Engineered stone benchtops and granite can offer the best of both worlds.
“The main thing is looking at the flexible ways you can arrange your kitchen so that your children can still feel engaged,” Shaynna says.
DRAWER THEM IN
Dedicating a drawer or shelf in the kitchen helps a child learn about different utensils and teaches them to get organised. A personal space for each child is a great idea too, to avoid little wars breaking out: “It’s good sometimes to give them ownership over a certain cupboard or pantry shelf,” Anneka
says. “Little containers can be fantastic to put things in like sauce bottles in one and all my spices in another because you can pull out the whole container, put it on the bench and say ‘there you go, find the cinnamon and the nutmeg, that’s what we need today’,” she says.
ISLAND ESCAPE
If there is one family-friendly addition to this generation of kitchens, Tyler says it’s the island bench. “Large island benches are a huge change,” she says.
“Kids can be in the same room as the cook and it brings the family together.”
Anneka says while island benches are a great anchor point for little chefs to learn about cooking, she says homeowners should consider their style carefully.
“I’m a really big fan of island benches, but not such a fan of those with sinks in the centre of it.
“Having an island bench that’s unbroken can be used for so many different things whereas you’re a little bit more restricted if you’ve got a sink in the middle of it,” she says.
INSPECT YOUR GADGETS
There’s a gadget for everything these days, but the experts all agree that some kitchen ‘musthaves’ outweigh the others.
As well as ditching the microwave for steamers and introducing more induction cooktops for safety reasons, Tyler says there are a lot more hi-tech and child-friendly appliances on the market, and the range is only getting bigger.
“Some oven doors are now triple glazed, therefore reducing burns and accidents with little ones,” Tyler says, adding that smart technology of the future will add to the family experience.
“There will be more smart gadgets, such as fridges that create your shopping list by scanning your food, electric slide-out pantries, electricopening wall units and storage areas,” Tyler says.
Many of us have fond memories of cooking with a parent. Anneka Manning from Bake Club says cooking for children should be a sensory experience.
“Be prepared that it is going to be incredibly messy, but just have fun. It’s all about creating memories,” she says.
More: ■ GJ Gardner Homes, gjgardner.com.au; ■ Ikea, ikea.com.au; ■ Granite Transformations, granitetransformations.com.au