So if you had the chance to do it all over again, what would you change about your kitchen to make it more kid-friendly? We've got 5 great tips for you to consider for creating a kitchen that your kids can enjoy with you.
1. Make a place for art. We love the idea of covering the refrigerator in chalkboard panels. Lots of you dislike chalkboards because of the dust it creates, but I've never had a problem with it, especially if you use dustless chalk. A chalkboard on the refrigerator panels takes up no extra space and doubles as a family messaging center and place to jot down items for your next grocery run.
2. Give them a drawer. If you've got the space, set aside a drawer or lower shelf and store all their dishes and utensils in that space. With a special place of their own, little ones will enjoy setting the table and putting clean dishes away.
3. Keep some toys in the kitchen. Stash a small play kitchen or some little pots and pans in a low shelf and let them cook side by side with you.
4. Store food in a reachable spot. Fruit and other healthy snacks can be stored on a low shelf so kids can help themselves to nutritious food when the mood strikes them.
5. Give them a comfortable place to sit. Whether it's a highchair, booster or a child's table and chair set, make sure your little ones have a place they can sit comfortably for meals, art projects and homework.
(Images: 1. Lonny Magazine via Nursery Notations; 2. Mini Nursery Tour: Otis in the House; 3. Kitchen Organization: A Drawer of Their Own; 4. Incorporating Children Into the Decor)
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my 2 year-old is delighted to help herself in the fridge, but it's a double-edged sword. maybe some creative rearranging will cut down on carrot juice incidents. but I've been planning on getting an under-cabinet drawer for her dishes since you first posted the idea. she loves her autonomy even more than she loves the kitchen!
When we renovated our kitchen we put in step stools in the toe kick area under our cabinets (2 since we have 2 children) and I must say that they have been invaluable. The children are able to cook with me and do projects in the kitchen and when we are done the stools have an out of the way storage area. It's a win-win!
#2 really works for us....but it's not actual dishes we eat from...cause she plays with them all day, but she has all her dishes in a drawer she would get into anyway (it distracts her from the other drawers too!)...she can get to them whenever she wants, and they end up all over the house by the end of the day...but it's no biggie to gather up the dishes and toss them back in.
question--those dishes in the 3rd picture are adorable. where are they from?
Icg - after a little clicking, I found that they purchased the dishes at a store called Daiso, which has a few shops in the US. Here is some info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daiso
I don't know if they have an online shop. good luck!
Hey, @girlfrog, what's up with these toe-kick stepstools? I want to know more!
I got a 'cooking' kid. She's very into it; any cooking action and she's right in there like a magnet since she could walk. Our kitchen works well only for a single cook, and we've got three, so this is a profoundly interesting topic for me. More! More!
thanks @miche!