This week has been super crazy with my getting ready for several presentations and family and friends visiting. I have placed Farrah in daycare for an extra day and have had several days to work on things… still not getting everything done.

Dinners have been especially hectic, as when Dad and Mom try to cook, Farrah has become increasingly whiny and clingy.

Last night, however, was a wonderful opportunity to finally include Farrah in our cooking! I have been waiting for the day when she understands, kind of, what needs to happen. So we put it to the test last night.

I had visions of a red face, red clothes and hand prints lining the cabinets. But this did not happen! I was pleasantly and thankfully surprised! So here is what we did and what steps we took to ensure an easy and virtually no-mess adventure into cooking.

We bought the pre made pizza crust.

We decided what ingredients to include on the pizza (For Farrah it was a no brainer: Cheese and Sauce).

Michael prepared the “dough” with some olive oil in hopes of making it slightly crispy. We put all of the ingredients in little bowls. We soon realized that Farrah shouldn’t do the sauce, so we spread the sauce and let her continue to add the crowing jewel. CHEESE!

She dug her hands right into the bowl and sprinkled (or dumped) the cheese onto the pie!

It was fantastic! And she had such a blast. She started to go after the sauce on the dough, but once she realized throwing cheese was so much more fun she dove in! Never once did she touch the sauce 🙂 What a wonderful family activity!

Here are some tips in cooking with your little one:

– Be prepared! Don’t start the process until all ingredients are within an easy reach.

– Measure everything out prior to letting your toddler touch it.

– If you have a toddler who mouth’s everything (Like ours) make sure the ingredients you use are edible even before you place them in the oven or take care of the raw things yourself before letting the wee-one dive in!

– Supervise. I had my hands all over Farrah’s arms… she needed some guidance on where to place the cheese at first. (Although there are no pictures of this, she was no longer given guidance on the second pie).

– Get them on your level. We found a great little step stool from IKEA and while it isn’t the safest for her by herself, with supervision it puts her at the counter perfectly for cooking. (When not in use, it is stored in the closed bathroom or laundry room).

-Don’t be afraid to get messy. Kids will be kids, and while this time, she chose NOT to touch the sauce. Next time may be a completely different story, so BE READY!

Great ingredients for pizza with toddlers:

Cheese and Sauce

Mushrooms

pre-cooked chicken

pineapple

BBQ sauce

spinach or basil

PS: Those of you who are looking for some fine motor activities. Add this one to your list! Picking up the cheese and either letting in clumps, or sprinkling it around is a fantastic way to work those skills!