If you’re a parent to a toddler, you’ve probably got your hands full. With curious minds and seemingly endless energy, finding  games to play with your toddler can feel like a full-time job. Baking or cooking with your toddler is a great way to get them involved and keep them entertained, whether you’re preparing a meal to keep the household running or just baking for fun. 

Baking and cooking with a toddler can be made easier with a carrier that isn’t restrictive, so your child can get  involved. The Tushbaby carrier can be a good solution because you can keep your toddler close while you’re in the kitchen without any complicated wraps keeping them restricted. Simply secure your Tushbaby high and tight around your waist, hold onto your toddler with one arm, and get to cookin’! This support will help save your back and arms while moving around the kitchen and showing your child the ropes. 

Keep reading for 9 tips to make cooking and baking with a toddler safe and fun. 

Disclaimer: Tushbaby does not guarantee to keep your child or toddler safe while cooking or baking. Please take necessary precautions while using any baby carrier during cooking or baking sessions with your little one.

Tips for Cooking & Baking With a Toddler

Table of Contents

• #1. Start with something small
• #2. Make it fun
• #3. Patience while cooking or baking with a toddler
• #4. Choose recipes YOU like to eat
• #5. Pick a recipe you’re familiar with
• #6. Be prepared
• #7. Be okay with the mess
• #8. Take breaks when needed
• #9. Stay safe
• Benefits of cooking with toddlers

#1. Start with something small

Taking baby steps is the perfect approach for introducing your toddler to baking or cooking. Start with baking or cooking something small or by giving your toddler a small task – for example, you can let your toddler be in charge of mixing or opening and finding ingredients. You can also give them a smaller bowl of their own ingredients while you work side by side. 

#2. Make it fun

While keeping in mind that you don’t want to go overboard on this culinary quest with a toddler, there are still plenty of ways to make it fun. You can share stories about where the recipe came from, play some tunes to liven up the party, or even incorporate arts and crafts. With your Tushbaby Hip Seat Carrier on, you can even use oven waiting time as an opportunity for a kitchen dance party. Things that allow your child’s creativity to shine, like decorating cookies, are also a great way to make kitchen time fun. 

#3. Patience while cooking or baking with a toddler

Because we’re about keeping it real, we should also mention that you can expect cooking or baking with a toddler to take about three times longer than doing it yourself. If you plan for that type of delay, it will be easier to be patient as your toddler insists they can use the mixer on their own – cue the flour all over the kitchen floor. While easier said than done, laugh it off and keep the good times (and the dough) rollin.’ 

Your toddler might also want up one second to see what’s in the bowl, then down the next so they can grab the next ingredient from the pantry. Talk about tiring. Be sure to keep your Tushbaby strapped on so that your arms, neck, and back don’t have to get tired while keeping up with your energetic little chef.

#4. Choose recipes YOU like to eat

Parents of toddlers are all too familiar with the rather ‘exploratory’ phase of eating, to put it lightly. What your toddler likes one day, they may despise the next day. And sometimes, they just won’t eat as much as we’d hoped they would. So, it’s best to choose what YOU wouldn’t mind eating for leftovers. Your toddler can still have fun preparing it with you, even if they don’t end up eating much of it.

#5. Pick a recipe you’re familiar with

As exciting as a new recipe is, cooking with your toddler might not be the time to experiment. Sticking with the basics and what you know will help your cooking or baking experience come with fewer surprises (but keep reading, we aren’t saying there won’t be any surprises). 

Also, keep in mind that a familiar dish or treat that your toddler has eaten before might help them stay more focused, which means more time to bond with the help of your Tushbaby instead of running to the fridge or pantry for additional ingredients.

#6. Be prepared

To start your baking or cooking fun off on the right foot, you’ll need to be prepared. Decide what recipe you’d like to make, check the pantry, make a list, and head to the store. 

With your Tushbaby Carrier, grocery shopping with a baby or toddler can be made much simpler. Our Tushbaby Carrier features an open design that allows you and your baby to feel more free while providing support for you and your toddler. If you’ve ever carried your baby on your hip and wished you could carry them without the numb arms and body aches—you can, with the Tushbaby! 

To take your preparedness to the next level, hit the store with Totebaby, our buttery vegan leather diaper tote that doubles as a spacious sustainable grocery bag. Totebaby comes fully stocked with an organizer and divider pocket that are both easily removable to stash produce and Pinot Noir alike.  

#7. Be okay with the mess

To no surprise, cooking with a toddler can come with quite some mess. If you’re doing some baking or cookie decorating, you can get creative with disposable tablecloths for easy cleanup of a million sprinkles. If you’re using your Tushbaby carrier while in the kitchen,  you can have fun knowing that it’s easy to clean! Our polyester Tushbabies are machine washable, while our vegan leather options can be hand-washed with mild soap and water. So embrace the mess and enjoy the extra back support. 

Once the fun is done, simply remove the plastic insert, empty your carrier pockets, and wash away! Lay it to dry, and you’ll be ready to whip up your next meal with your toddler chef—or take a break from the kitchen for a bit. We get it. 

#8. Take breaks when needed

As we mentioned, cooking or baking with a toddler can take a bit longer than if you were to do it yourself. Take breaks if either of you are feeling the heat of the kitchen (literally and figuratively). If you’re wearing your Tushbaby carrier, your toddler can relax on your chest for a little break and relaxation, or easily be put down from the hip seat carrier to get their extra energy out if needed.   

#9. Stay safe

Anything can happen when you’re baking or cooking with a toddler, which is why it’s important to be prepared. Kitchen safety is a must, so be sure to plan out how you’ll incorporate your toddler in the kitchen and, most importantly, how you’ll keep them safe. 

The Tushbaby Hip Seat Carrier will allow you to keep your toddler in arms reach (literally) so that you can be cautious in keeping them away from any harm or mess that you’d prefer they don’t get into. And when your toddler insists they’d like to get down, or you need to put them down while you stir something on the stove or pop a pan into the oven, Tushbaby makes the transition fast and simple. 

Disclaimer: Tushbaby does not guarantee to keep your child or toddler safe while cooking or baking. Please take all necessary precautions while using any baby carrier during cooking or baking sessions with your little one.

Benefits of cooking with toddlers:

• Exposes them to new foods: Toddlers are just beginning to explore new foods. Cooking and baking together can allow you to introduce tons of new foods. And most importantly, they get to try them on what they think is their own terms. It is also a great sensory activity for your child.
• Bonding: For many families, baking or cooking becomes a time to connect as a family. Starting early is a great way to kickstart those memories and get even more time to bond with your child.
• Developmental Skills: Baking and cooking can help introduce your toddler to reading, math, and language skills. Between measuring ingredients and naming foods as you go, you’re expanding your child’s developmental skills in a fun way. Not to mention, you’ll have some pretty great entertainment listening to your toddler try to pronounce those tough ingredients. Have you ever heard a toddler try to say ‘ spaghetti’? Doesn’t disappoint. 

While cooking with a toddler can be a great way to have some fun in the kitchen, create memories, and enhance development skills, you may be ready for a break. And that’s well deserved. If you need a night off from kitchen duty, check out our tips on taking a baby to a restaurant!