10 Must-Have Kitchen Tools for Cooking with Kids

Cooking with kids is an exciting and hands-on way to spend time together as a family and having the right kid-friendly kitchen tools makes the experience even more enjoyable. Whether your little ones are mixing up batter or learning to safely chop veggies, the right gadgets can boost their confidence and keep them engaged in the process. From colorful, child-safe knives to fun mixing bowls made for tiny hands, these must-have kitchen items will make cooking safer, easier, and a whole lot more fun! Ready to start your journey of cooking with your kids and building lasting family traditions? Let’s dive into the top 10 kitchen tools every parent needs to get their kids excited about cooking!

1. Kid-Safe Knives

A colorful set of kid-friendly kitchen tools, including child-safe knives, a cutting board, vegetable peelers, and fun fruit and vegetable cutters designed for teaching children how to cook safely. — These are a favorite in our kitchen, and honestly, I grab the knives often when I know there will be little hands grabbing things around me. Everyone from our 6-year-old and up loves this set!!!

- Why: These specially designed knives allow kids to help with cutting tasks safely. They’re usually made of plastic or nylon and feature blunt edges that can still cut through fruits, vegetables, and bread.

- Recommended Use: Toddlers can cut soft foods like bananas, while older kids can tackle harder veggies like carrots.

2. Measuring Cups and Spoons

Colorful set of stainless steel measuring cups and spoons filled with spices and ingredients, showcasing precise measurement tools for cooking and baking. — Color-coded handles make it easy for kids to match colors, helping them learn measurements even before they can read.

- Why: Teaching kids how to measure ingredients is a great way to improve their math skills. Look for colorful, easy-to-grip sets that kids can use to scoop and measure dry and wet ingredients.

- Recommended Use: Kids of all ages can measure flour, sugar, liquids, and more with a little supervision.

3. Whisks

Set of four colorful silicone whisks in red, yellow, blue, and silver, ideal for mixing and baking, displayed in varying sizes. — We have had way more success with metal handled whisks, and of course keeping it colorful helps!

- Why: Stirring and whisking are tasks that kids of any age can help with, especially if you provide them with child-sized whisks.

- Recommended Use: Let your little ones whisk pancake batter, mix cookie dough, or stir ingredients for sauces.

4. Rolling Pin

Two mini silicone rolling pins in blue and orange with wooden handles, perfect for baking and cooking projects.

- Why: A child-sized rolling pin helps kids roll out dough for cookies, pizza, or pie crust. It’s a fun, hands-on way to engage them in baking or meal prep.

- Recommended Use: Toddlers and preschoolers can help roll out soft dough, while older kids can assist with more precision for pie crusts or pizzas.

5. Silicone Spatulas

Set of colorful silicone kitchen utensils, including spatulas, a pastry brush, and stirring sticks, ideal for baking and cooking. — This set is amazing, and not just for kids! You see those little guys on the end? They will be your new best friend, no more dirty fingers trying to get to the bottom of a jar! Oh and the kids really do love them too!

- Why: Silicone spatulas are soft, flexible, and perfect for kids to help scrape bowls, spread batter, or fold in ingredients. They come in bright colors and are easy for little hands to handle.

- Recommended Use: Have kids scrape bowls or spread frosting and batter, teaching them to use every last bit of an ingredient.

6. Kid-Safe Vegetable Peeler

Snail-shaped vegetable peeler set with protective gloves, shown peeling a cucumber. Fun, ergonomic design for easy and safe vegetable peeling. — This is a big one in our house, for some reason peeling things is the most asked for task. My six-year-old says “its satisfying,” so having a peeler that won’t cause you to stress each time you watch them pull it back is a must!!

- Why: A child-friendly peeler allows kids to help with peeling vegetables like potatoes or carrots. Look for peelers with ergonomic grips that fit well in small hands.

- Recommended Use: Older kids can peel vegetables with supervision, contributing to meal prep and learning about textures.

7. Mixing Bowls with Non-Slip Bases

Stack of stainless steel mixing bowls with colorful lids, perfect for food prep, mixing, and storage." — Something you don’t really think about until the extra excited helper mixers the bowl right off the counter!

- Why: Non-slip mixing bowls stay in place, making them ideal for kids to help with mixing and stirring without worrying about the bowl sliding around.

- Recommended Use: Younger kids can help stir dry ingredients, while older kids can mix batters or salad dressings.

8. Cookie Cutters

Set of colorful cookie cutters in playful shapes, including heart, star, dinosaur, penguin, and more, ideal for baking and kids' crafts.

- Why: Cookie cutters make baking interactive and fun for kids. Let them choose fun shapes to cut out dough for cookies, biscuits, or even sandwiches.

- Recommended Use: Toddlers and preschoolers love using cookie cutters to create shapes from dough, adding a creative element to their cooking experience.

9. Oven Mitts for Kids

Pair of pink oven mitts with white heart pattern, shown with a child wearing one in the kitchen, ideal for safe baking and cooking. — Giving your children something that fits their hands for important things such as removing items for an over is very important. We all know how hard it is to use our hands when we have those giant oversized snow gloves on, we need to make sure they can grab things correctly.

- Why: Child-sized oven mitts allow kids to safely help remove hot dishes from the oven or stove. They give them a sense of responsibility and help them participate in every step of cooking.

- Recommended Use: Older kids can use their own oven mitts to help take out trays or handle hot items with supervision.

10. Mini Muffin Tins or Loaf Pans

Set of red silicone baking molds, including round, square, and mini muffin trays, perfect for cupcakes, brownies, and mini treats.

- Why: Smaller baking pans, like mini muffin tins or loaf pans, let kids help portion batter and get involved with baking. The smaller size makes it easier for kids to handle.

- Recommended Use: Younger kids can help scoop batter into muffin tins, while older kids can experiment with making their own mini-loaves.

Bonus Tips:

Kitchen Step Stool

White wooden kitchen helper stool for kids, perfect for safely reaching countertops while cooking and baking.

A sturdy step stool lets kids safely reach countertops and participate in tasks they normally couldn’t access.

Aprons

Striped kids' apron with adjustable straps, shown on a smiling child, perfect for cooking, baking, and arts and crafts.

A fun, kid-sized apron helps them feel like a real chef and keeps their clothes clean while cooking.

With the right tools, cooking with kids transforms into a fun, educational, and bonding experience. So, grab these essentials, and let your kitchen become a hub of creativity, learning, and unforgettable family moments!