Playing in the Kitchen

Henry spends a lot of time in the kitchen. Since he really can’t help with the cooking yet, I find other ways to keep him occupied while I prepare our meals. We sing and talk and dance, but sometimes I need a few minutes to focus on the task at hand, especially when I am chopping vegetables or working with a hot oven.

There’s no need to spend a lot of money to keep your little one entertained in the kitchen. You can use many basic items that you already have on hand. 

Here are five of Henry’s favorite kitchen toys:

1.   Things with handles. You may know that one of Henry’s first toys were baby spoons. Now he loves batting around rubber spatulas, wooden spoons and pastry brushes.

Henry plays with mixing spoons and spatulas.

2.   Empty cardboard containers. Henry’s favorites include egg cartons and paper towel rolls.

Henry inspects the inside of an egg carton.

Henry checks out a paper towel roll.

3.   Metal measuring spoons and measuring cups. Henry thinks these make the best noise and he likes examining how the various sizes fit together.

Henry jingles a set of measuring spoons.

4.   Pots and pans. Henry particularly enjoys pie pans and foil baking pans. They are lighter and easier to pick up than full sized pots. They also make great noises when he bangs on them.

Henry is excited about this shiny metal pie pan.

5.   Mixing bowls and other containers. Henry is curious about all sizes and shapes of containers with and without lids. Place small containers inside larger containers for a variation on nesting / stacking cups. Alternatively, put various dry goods inside sealed Tupperware containers so that they make sounds when shaken. Pasta, rice, couscous and even a jingle bell help keep Henry’s attention.

Henry shakes a plastic container to make some noise.