We are big believers in getting our kids into the kitchen. They love to help us with finding recipes, making snacks and cooking dinner. No matter the age, there are jobs that kids can help with in the kitchen. Here’s our handy guide to essential tools and gear to make the task a lot easier (and more fun)!

Knife and Peeler. We love this kid-friendly knife and peeler from L’Opinel’s Petit Chef collection. The small ring helps to position children’s fingers and keep them away from the blade. Close supervision is still required of course.

A sturdy step stool. We wrote before about this incredible Learning Tower from Little Partners. It has a large footprint, but it is so helpful for getting toddlers in a safe spot so they can help with mixing, pouring and stirring.

A good stainless steel bowl (or two). I haven’t met a kid yet who doesn’t like to help with whisking eggs, stirring dough or mashing bananas. Invest in a couple of non-glass bowls for the job. There are options to fit any budget, from IKEA to All-Clad.

Vegetable Brush. Even the littlest chefs can help with scrubbing and cleaning potatoes and carrots with this cute vegetable brush.

Measuring cups and spoons. Who doesn’t love to bake? My kids love to help with scooping and measuring when we are whipping up cookies and muffins. They have graduated to using regular measuring cups and spoons, but there are some very cute and kid-friendly versions available.

Cookie Cutters. Oh, how we love cookie cutters in this house! We use them for cookies (of course), but also for making crackers and cutting shapes out of sandwiches, cheese, veggies, you name it! We have them in all shapes and sizes and we use these for small crackers and veggies.

Popsicle Molds. Ok, ok, these aren’t essential. But they sure are fun to use and a great way to let children feel in charge of their snacking choices. We love these zoku mini  popsicle molds because the size is perfect for little ones. Check out our favorite homemade popsicle recipes for ideas!

Some kid-friendly cookbooks for inspiration! We have so many kid-friendly cookbooks on this site and they are such a great source of ideas when we are stuck in a recipe rut. Some of our favorites are The Help Yourself Cookbook for Kids and Ella’s Kitchen: The Big Baking Book.