They want to know exactly what you are doing and what every ingredient is. They want to try their hand at the chef’s knife and kitchen stove, just like you. They really want to throw their hands into the hamburger meat.

While a child’s culinary curiosity in the midst of dinner prep can feel like a hindrance, it’s actually a wonderful thing; studies have shown that the more kids understand about and are involved in the preparation of their meals, the more likely they are to actually eat them!

Of course, when you are literally up to your elbows in a chicken is not the best time for them to decide to help you crack some eggs. So get the kids prepped to be your sous chef in the right setting, and sign up for some kids culinary classes. Whether you drop in for a fun afternoon or decide to let them get schooled on the basics of cooking their own meals, these options should be quite the treat.

Classes

The Kitchen Workshop

This adorable, laid-back space in a Paoli shopping center has a steady schedule of classes for adults to drop in and hone their skills (including some super-fun date night themes!), but they offer kids’ classes, too! Their Parent & Child classes are a great way for even the youngest chefs to get in the kitchen and try something new, with mom or dad at the ready to encourage and, of course, taste test.

Hungry Education

From “pre-cooking” to full-fledged meals, these classes are about helping kids make good food choices, too. The organization also runs seminars for parents looking to crack their kids’ picky eating.

HomeCooked

It’s a parent’s dream: send your child to camp, and they come home with a dinner entree and dessert. Kids love it, and they learn great kitchen skills. The camp is for kids 6 1/2 to 11, and HomeCooked does parties, too. (Keep an eye out for the holiday cookie workshops, which are legendary.)

Haverford Area YMCA

The Y has always been a great place to learn how to live an active lifestyle, but did you know their wellness angle carries over to nutrition? Cooking classes (with parents for the under 5 set, or in a regular class setting for those 5 and older) focus on letting kids get hands on while learning about healthy eating, basic cooking skills, and more.

Really Cooking With Robin

After school learning can be seriously tasty! Head to this cooking school in East Norriton for their After School Cooking Club for Kids. The school also offers birthday parties, a Life Skills class focused on teaching kids on the autism spectrum, and other drop-in classes perfect for older kids and teens. Children 7 and older can attend any adult class with a participating adult.

The Big Tasty Club

Head to Haverford for The Big Tasty Club’s cooking and baking classes. The classes are held in four-week sessions and focus on seasonal dishes. They pride themselves on using only whole food ingredients and teaching kids how to cook healthy meals. Classes are held in the chef’s private kosher kitchen. Camps and parties are also available!

La Cucina at the Market

La Cucina at the Market offers private cooking events for birthdays and other special celebrations. These two-hour events include specially designed hands-on cooking with an experienced instructor and a meal where the participants get to eat what they’ve prepared, plus snacks and a kid-friendly drink bar. 

Indulgence Cupcakery

This bakery’s themed classes encourage creativity and world exploration through recipes!  Ages 6-18 get hands-on baking experience, and you can have a sweet “Night in Paris” grown-up date if you enroll in another Indulgence class.

Parties/At-Home Classes

Kitchen Wizards

From ladies’ night out events to kids’ cooking parties, Kitchen Wizards covers all kinds of Mary Poppins magic.  They bring the supplies, teaching knowledge, and fun assistance to your space; you just show up.  If you are looking for a fantastic fundraiser or school social idea, take advantage of the large-group cupcake decorating programs, too!

The Playful Chef

Owner Angie Heron is a teacher and a mom, so you’ll know she can handle the umpteen questions and potentially flying ingredients that will take over your kitchen when she comes by for a cooking lesson. Heron offers themed 2.5 hour parties that include all ingredients, materials, and clean-up of your space, plus adorable paper chef’s hats the kids can decorate and wear with pride. 1.5 hour and 1 hour classes are also available.

 

Photograph by Sergey Novikov for Canva. Melissa Greiner, Jaime Metzger, and Gwyneth K. Shaw contributed to this article.