Written by monthly contributor, Daniele at Domestic Serenity.

Along with encouraging my children to join me in the kitchen, I also try to supply them with tools of the trade.

Little hands appreciate equipment sized for their needs until they’re able to use more grown-up kitchen tools.  I also enjoy providing items for kitchen play…pretend toys which encourage children to role play cooking like Mom or Dad.

While a bit early to think on, Christmas will be here soon!  So I wanted to share some of our favorites items for small hands.  Maybe an item or two will appeal to your little one.

 Gift Ideas for Kids Who Like to Cook

1.  Laminated aprons.  Suggested as use for art projects, I found these aprons on Etsy to be perfect for the kitchen as well.  Easy wipe-off and clean up even after the messiest of cooking sessions!  My preschooler and 2nd grader both have one.

2.  Squeeze bottles for cupcake & cookie decorating.  While you won’t be able to use them with super thick frosting, accordion shaped squeeze bottles are great for little hands, much better than frosting bags for decorating.

3.  Chef’s hat.  It just makes it all official, right?  Every real chef has a hat!  Look around at local toy stores or online; ours were handmade and my boys love wearing them.

4.  Pretend Soup cookbook.  I found this at a yard sale one year…a GREAT cookbook for preschoolers and up.  Filled with simple recipes (such as a lemon-lime drink), and accompanying simple drawings for each step, our children have treasured this book.  A great gift idea!

5.  Melissa & Doug Cooking Sets.  Here’s where the pretend play comes in.  We own and use several of these sets from baking, sushi, sandwiches, fruits & veggies and more.  I like that they’re wooden, making them last a little longer.

6.  Porcelain Tea Set.  Yes, porcelain for little ones!  You’ll have to gauge whether or not your child is ready (or if you should stick with a plastic set), but having tea will feel so much more grown-up.  We own this set, which so far has held up nicely after 3 children.

7.  Just about anything from Small Hands Cooking catalog.  This isn’t exactly one item, but where to find many, many cooking and baking tools for children.  It’s a Montessori resource catalog, whose philosophy is all for child-sized equipment.

Certainly, perfectly-sized items aren’t necessary to encourage children in the kitchen!  But if you have a young one who loves baking or cooking, special items just their size are fun to own.

Any other items you would suggest?

Daniele Evans of Domestic Serenity is simply a woman on a journey towards intentional living. She’s wife to her best friend, a bi-vocational pastor and educator, and homeschooling Mom of five incredible kiddos.  She hopes to encourage the hearts of Christian women to care for their souls while they care for their homes and family.In light of this vision, she authored the ebook  Honoring the Rhythm of Rest, gently challenging busy women to adopt an alternative to rat-race living.