Top 10 Safety Tips for Kids in the Kitchen

Getting your kids into the kitchen really is so much fun, but ensuring they stay safe is crucial. Here are my top 10 safety tips for kids when baking:

1. If you want to bake, always ask a grown-up before you start.
2. Always wash your hands well with soap and water and tie your hair back if it is long before you start to bake.
3. Always wear closed-toed shoes when baking so that a dropped knife or hot spills won’t hurt your feet.
4. Ovens get really hot, including the doors, rack and sides. Always use oven mitts (that are the right size for your hands) or a folded dry tea towel to remove hot things from the oven. Never use a damp or wet cloth as water is a good conductor of heat and you may burn yourself.
5. Never use electrical appliances, such as an electric mixer, near water. Always make sure you have dry hands and shoes on your feet when using these types of appliances. Make sure the appliance is turned off at the dial before turning it on at the powder switch. And when you have finished with it, turn it off at the power point and remove the plug from the switch before cleaning and putting away.
6. If you are not old enough or don’t feel confident in handling knives or hot cake tins and oven trays always ask a grown-up for help.
7. Always put a damp tea towel or cloth underneath your chopping board so it won’t slip around on the bench when you are using it.
8. When you are finished with knives never put them into a sink of soap water – they can be hard to see and someone could easily cut themselves when they go to wash up.
9. If you spill something always clean it up straight away – paper towel is always good to use for these messy jobs.
10. Always turn off your oven (and stove top if using) when you have finished using it.

And remember, these tips apply to us adults too – although I think you could possibly get away with not doing number 1!

Happy Baking!

XAnneka