Playtime: The Christmas Cook-Up

Join together as a family in the kitchen this Christmas and let your creativity flow, says Sara Whatley 

Christmas is the perfect time of year to get creative in the kitchen with children. From prepping and cooking all the delicious food to creating edible presents and special showstoppers, welcoming children into the kitchen can make magical festive memories. 

We all know kids love a job and a sense of purpose – so when you are planning your kitchen cook up make sure you have a list of kid friendlyjobs which will help save any nagging and keep everyone on track, knowing what jobs are to be done. If you can, dedicate some slow time together and really embrace the process as well as the outcome, without constantly clock checking. 

However, if you are short on time and just need to get things done, then I always find a good job for children is peeling and chopping (with age-appropriate tools and supervision) – or if all else fails give younger children a small bowl of flour and water to play with! 

Helping in the kitchen can be a real confidence booster for children, as well as being a great way to connect and feel closer to their parents or carers. Creating something meaningful in the kitchen will give children asense of purpose and pride – they have provided for their family and been  truly helpful. Praise and ‘yummy’ noises will always bring a beaming smile to their faces as well! 

Family traditions often play an important role in our festive food – be it a secret ingredient in the Christmas pudding or granny’s special sausage rolls that everyone loves at the Boxing Day buffet. Cooking with childrenis a wonderful way to pass on these traditions and show them the importance of family and connections at Christmas. 

As both a science and an art, cooking teaches children so much. Measuring, comprehension, flavours, the importance of local ingredients, healthy eating, creativity... the list goes on. No matter how long you havebeen baking it’s always amazing to see the alchemy of your raw sloppy ingredients transform into delicious spongy cakes or flaky golden pastry. It’s simply magic! 

So, what will you be creating in your kitchen this Christmas? Traditional mince pies or a show-stopping gingerbread castle? Perhaps a flavoursome nut roast or a rich venison wellington. 

Whatever it is, cooking together as a family will guarantee your food is filled with love and the joy of Christmas.