Helpful Tips
The following tips are recommended for keeping children safe as they learn to help out in the kitchen:
- Be sure you've taken essential safety steps, such as having a fire extinguisher handy and posting emergency numbers near the phone, before introducing a child to cooking.
- Make sure your children wear close-fitting clothing when cooking.
- Never hold a child while cooking.
- Never leave cooking food unattended. It is the number one cause of house fires.
- Never leave a child unattended in the kitchen. Close supervision is essential, whether children are helping an adult cook or simply watching.
- Pay particular attention to items sitting on tablecloths or place mats, so that young children cannot pull hot food or liquid down and scald themselves.
- Put hot foods and liquids away from the edges of counters and tables.
- Put pans on back burners and turn all pot handles toward the back of the stove.
- Supervise your child when he or she is near or using a microwave, and never let a young child remove heated items from the microwave.
- Unplug appliance cords when not in use and keep them tied up out of children's reach.
- Use caution when heating food and liquids in the microwave.