If you love cooking, you know the joy that finding wholesome ingredients, putting together the perfect recipe, and then sharing your dish with loved ones can inspire. You can pass along that feeling to your kids by teaching them to enjoy cooking from an early age. Fortunately, the area in and around Leawood boasts a variety of kid-friendly cooking opportunities to help get you started. Crème de la Crème of Leawood put together this list so you can easily find the perfect place.

Whether you’re looking for a class you can attend with your child, an interactive kids-only experience, or even an online course you can explore together from the comfort of your home, you’ll quickly see that the value of these classes goes well beyond teaching young chefs a new recipe or two. Cooking classes can spark their imagination while teaching useful kitchen safety skills. All in all, cooking classes offer a fun, memorable way to bond with your kid, no matter if they turn into the next master chef or just want to pitch in with family meals here and there.

TasteBuds Kitchen

Image via Unsplash by anniespratt

Leawood boasts its very own TasteBuds Kitchen location, and that’s great news for area families looking to try out new recipes and cooking techniques. This spot offers a range of classes designed for budding chefs, giving you the perfect opportunity to introduce your kids to cooking. They offer classes for kids as young as two years old, too, so even the youngest in your brood can get in on the fun.

TasteBuds Kitchen offers special one-time classes, letting you sign up for one of three categories: caregiver classes for parent and child pairs, family classes designed for kids, caregivers, and parents to cook together, and drop-off kids-only classes. So, whether you want a family bonding experience or your kid’s eager to start cooking on their own, there’s something for everyone here! They even offer private classes for groups of six or more people, great for small play dates with friends as well as bigger group parties.

Even better, TasteBuds Kitchen now offers a wide range of online cooking classes, so it’s even easier to find a class that works for your lifestyle. Choose from live and on-demand courses, then drop into a single class or sign up for a full 12-class series. With options for courses specifically designed for toddlers and caregivers, TasteBuds Kitchen makes good on its commitment to offering a full culinary entertainment experience for kids.

The Olive Tree

Check out The Olive Tree’s classes and events to spice up your family’s cooking routine. Kansas City’s popular olive oil and balsamic vinegar shop includes a demo kitchen and student classroom space where locals can enjoy classes taught by up-and-coming cooks and well-known chefs alike. They’re currently offering a range of online classes, making it even easier to get in on the action with your kids alongside you.

Whether you’re craving Italian classics or you want to construct a unique and thoughtful gift for other members of the family, these classes will inspire kiddos to try out new cuisines while fostering a love of cooking. The online format is ideal for busy families. You just need an internet connection and the ingredients, and then you can tune in at the scheduled time to learn tricks for cooking up treats that range from rich hot chocolate to southern-style collard greens and everything in between.

Your kids can get hands-on along with you, or if they’d prefer to observe while you cook along with the class, that easily works as well. That’s the beauty of online learning — you can tailor the experience to fit your family’s needs.

The Culinary Center of Kansas City

Located in downtown Overland Park, The Culinary Center of Kansas City offers hundreds of contemporary cooking classes and demonstrations taught by experienced instructors every year. The culinary arts center is on a mission to cultivate an appreciation and knowledge of food for experienced home cooks as well as total beginners. The result? Your one-stop-shop for cooking classes that cover a wide range of cuisines, all at the right level for you.

The Culinary Center of Kansas City even offers a “Kids in the Kitchen” series of classes, with different options for kids ages 5-8 and 9-14. You can also find various online cooking classes offered here, so you’re sure to find a class (or maybe two or three) perfectly suited to your family’s current needs.

From cookie baking to Italian pizza making, this center has it all. Little chefs attend class with an adult, while classes for the older age set allow but don’t require adults to register along with their kids. These classes not only teach kids some practical cooking skills, but they also give them insight into how to get around the kitchen overall.

Young Chefs Academy

Young Chefs Academy in nearby Lenexa is a cooking school designed with kids in mind. Classes take place in a safe environment, encouraging kids to discover and create. Kids come out of every class with new food preparation skills, not to mention enhanced knowledge of kitchen safety, etiquette, and menu planning.

YCA typically divides class sections by age, though individual class placements can vary depending on particpants’ skill and experience levels. For example, the KinderCooks program is for kids 4-6, and it’s paced for preschool and elementary school-aged children to stay engaged while having fun and learning. Kids learn age-appropriate recipes along with essential nutrition and kitchen safety skills that will help them become an integral part of your family’s kitchen long after the last day of class.

You can sign your child up for weekly classes, create a birthday party to remember, or try things out with a one-time special event or workshop (think: cupcakes, gingerbread houses, and more). No matter what your kid is looking for, chances are, Young Chefs Academy has it.

We hope this list inspires you to get your kids involved in having fun in the kitchen. Maybe we missed a favorite local cooking class your family loves? If we did, drop us a line so we can check it out and add it to our list!