Because of the kitchen knives and the stove, the kitchen is one of the places inside the home that children are not allowed to go in alone. However, there are simple ways to organize the kitchen to make it child-friendly and make sure that the children learn independence while keeping away from the dangerous items.
According to Vancouver Montessori, a child-friendly kitchen includes a low table and chair for kids to work or eat on. This will ensure that the child can easily get in on their chairs without the help of adults. This is also a perfect place for them in helping out in cooking or preparing meals.
It is also important to have low shelves for the kids' dishes, cups and silverware so they can gain more independence and learn how to prepare their meal or set up the table. A low shelf inside the refrigerator is also needed for the kids' prepared snacks and drinks. This will make it easier for the kids to get what they want to eat without asking an adult to help them reach for something. This will also do away with the kids' need to step on something to reach for specific items.
Good House Keeping suggests making cereal stations so that children can independently make their own breakfast just in case they wake up earlier than the parents in the morning. Aside from placing snacks inside the fridge, it is also important to have a snack basket in the pantry where kids can easily grab their food like biscuits and fruits.
Lastly, it is important to keep dangerous items like knives out of reach. It is also important to orient the kids on what not to do inside the kitchen and the items that should not be played with like the stove or the microwave.
