Interested in sending your children to cooking classes? Do you also want to participate in them with your kids? Luckily, there are several virtual and in-person cooking classes that you could benefit from in Thornton. Read on to discover some great places to learn.

When to Start Cooking Classes For Kids

“Cooking Camp” licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr by Seattle Parks & Recreation

Although a few cooking schools offer classes for kids aged 3-5, most are geared toward those over 6 years. As their motor skills are still developing, kids under 5 years will need very close adult supervision. Appropriate tasks can include washing fruits and vegetables, mixing ingredients like easy-to-mix batters, brushing (or “painting”) cooking oil with a brush on bread or dough, and cutting cookies with fun-shaped cutters. 

Most kids aged 6-7 have developed fine motor skills and can use a peeler to peel raw fruits and vegetables, break eggs into a bowl, scoop out avocados after being sliced in half, deseed tomatoes with a spoon, and snap green beans. Kids aged 8-9 years might be more skillful, so tasks can be assigned depending upon their maturity level. 

Children aged 10-12 can work independently; nevertheless, they should first be assessed to determine whether they can follow basic kitchen rules such as unplugging electrical appliances, using knives, safely using the microwave, and adjusting panhandles over counters to avoid bumping into them. Appropriate tasks with adult supervision can include boiling pasta, microwaving foods, baking foods in the oven, slicing or chopping vegetables, following a recipe step by step, and measuring ingredients accurately.

How Cooking Classes Can Benefit Kids

Cooking classes will certainly help kids grow. The best way to teach kids about eating right and making them more adventurous when it comes to trying new foods is to get them into the kitchen to prepare healthy meals together. An essential survival skill, cooking will help kids to develop confidence, creativity, independence, math, science, food safety, and fine motor skills. By teaching them how to cook safely with age-appropriate kitchen tasks, you can develop their interest in culinary activities.

Kids will learn the ground rules before they enter the kitchen such as washing hands in warm, soapy water before and after handling food, pulling back long hair, keeping countertops and working surfaces clean, not licking fingers or putting hands in the mouth, especially when working with raw foods, and not double-dipping or putting spoons back into food after using them for tasting.

The kitchen can be a great learning experience and a laboratory to get kids to experiment with food. Cooking can provide great hands-on experiences for kids to develop several key skills that will help them to develop as well-rounded individuals.

Cooking together with kids can be a fun way to teach them valuable life skills, promote good nutrition, and create long-lasting memories. By following a recipe with kids, you can develop their problem-solving skills by teaching them that certain steps need to be completed in a particular order. You can get kids to be creative by getting them to choose colors or designs for cupcakes or cookies, putting their favorite colored sprinkles on baked goods, and creating abstract designs by piping or frosting.

Children will also learn to be patient until the dish is ready and the value of hard work to produce something delicious. If the recipe does not turn out as expected, kids will learn how to cope with disappointment and the importance of paying attention and being careful while cooking. They will also learn important social skills such as appropriate behavior in the kitchen and the importance of following safety rules.

Places to Go for Cooking Classes

Here are some classes you can check out in the area, both online and in person:

Michael’s

Besides low-cost art and craft classes, Michael’s also offers virtual cooking classes for kids 3-12 years of age via their Kids Club. Let your child unleash their creativity at Michael’s!  

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store

Jo-Ann offers affordable classes and day camps, including cooking and cake decorating, to help children over five years explore their artistic side. Interestingly, there are virtual classes that teach how to make gingerbread houses and cookies, including making cookie dough from scratch. Kids will enjoy rolling, cutting, and decorating adorable gingerbread boys and girls, and then assembling and decorating a gingerbread house kit with candies.

Other cooking and baking classes include how to make candy filigree, colorful, dipped cookies and pretzels, homemade marshmallows, and decorate chocolate with transfer sheets. If you search Jo-Ann’s website, you can find several instructional videos on how to cook specific dishes with kids. You can view these online lessons with step-by-step instructions anytime, anywhere. You can also leave comments and interact with other students. 

The Good Food Project

This culinary professional has 10 years of teaching experience providing hands-on cooking and baking classes for toddlers, kids, and adults. She also runs a non-profit dedicated to teaching kids to cook. 

Cooking Up Fun With Chef Sabuco

Chef Sabuco offers a range of fun cooking classes for kids over five years. Kids will enjoy making healthy snacks with plastic knives that are very safe.

Comfycook

Comfycook teaches beginners a combination of cooking skills such as frying, searing, sauteing, grilling, etc. to give them a head start. He is a patient teacher and loves providing adults and kids time to bond in the kitchen. 

Create Cooking School

Create organizes Junior Chef Summer Camps for kids from 3rd–8th grade. Kids will go on a culinary journey around the world. They will learn to grill, poach, sauté, bake, chop, and learn how to prepare two to three dishes each day. 

My Make Studio

My Make Studio offers in-person and virtual cake making and decorating classes and summer camps for kids aged 8-15.

Now that you know when to start cooking classes for your child, how cooking can benefit kids, and where you could try out kids’ cooking classes in Thornton, check out a few and see what your kids enjoy most. Did we miss a favorite of yours — one that locals love? If we did, let Crème de la Crème of Lone Tree, CO know!