Montessori Kitchen Tools for Toddlers
Your kiddo is getting old enough to include them in the kitchen! So exciting!
Time in the kitchen working on life skills such as spreading, mixing, chopping, and mashing is such a fun time at this age, my boys LOVE the kitchen.
So, What Montessori kitchen tools should you get for your toddler first?
My advice from 2 small children so far…LESS = MORE
You don’t need it ALL, because it becomes overwhelming for them & you to keep track of it all.
5 Starter Montessori Kitchen Tools for Toddlers
TIP: Before giving a new material to your child, demonstrate how to use it first.
Once you have your starter set of Montessori kitchen tools for your home, remember to make intentional time to introduce each tool one at a time.
The 5 items:
- Small Bowls
- Spreader
- Small Jug
- Chopper
- Kitchen Stool
There are many other items children can use, but you can often get away with using what you already have in the kitchen (like a mixing bowl).
A few items are best to have child-sized though, so these are the child sized Montessori kitchen tools that worked for us and I would recommend to a friend.
Small Bowls
Small bowls can be used for SOOO many things!
Having toddler sized bowls is an absolute MUST HAVE Montessori kitchen tool
The small size makes it easy for them to carry and handle independently.
They are often used alongside other tools as you’ll see below, such as putting a dab of butter in for independent spreading.
Spreader
There are a few different options of “spreaders” you can use with your toddler.
Check what you already have in your drawer, we use a very small child-sized spatula as a spreader for butter, jam,etc..
This allows the opportunity for independence in making their own toast, icing cupcakes, putting cream cheese on a bagel, and many other cooking creations.
A spreader can be introduced at a very young age and is an simple first Montessori kitchen tool for your child to master.
Small Jug
Small jugs are a fantastic addition to your child’s first kitchen tools!
I fill the small jug with just enough milk for his needs, then allow him to pour into cup or cereal bowl.
You can also have a jug as a shelf activity for fine tuning their fine motor skills with pouring.
We began this around the age of 18 months.
Chopper
Depending on the age and abilities of your child will determine which chopping utensil you will use for you first Montessori kitchen cutting tool.
Above is a Kiddi Kutter knife that is very blunt, but good for soft food items and getting the gist of how to “cut”.
A wavy chopper can be easier to handle for younger toddlers, and later when hands have more grip they can up-skill to a kid’s knife.
Kitchen Stool
Getting your kids involved in the kitchen can sometimes mean bringing them up to benchtop level.
As your toddler grows and gets more involved in the kitchen a stool or a toddler tower will be a great Montessori kitchen tool to have ready to allow them to be involved and observe or participate in what you’re doing.
We like to keep things simple and have items in our home that will later years and be mutli-functional, so we just used a plain wooden stool with our kids from the age of 1 and were very vigilant about being with them when it was in use.
If you are worried about safety, many folks in the Montessori community use toddler towers which allow for the same independence.
If you’re worried about cost and you are interested in one, don’t forget to check out Good Buy Gear, a second-hand shop for some of the “bigger” kids items many of us want but may not have the budget for new.
Kitchen Time with Kids!
Time in the kitchen working on life skills such as spreading, mixing, chopping, and mashing is such a fun time at this age, my boys LOVE the kitchen.
So what Montessori kitchen tools should you get for your toddler first?
Why might you source child-sized kitchen tools over using what you have?
Well to keep it simple and explain the Montessori reasoning, it is best to have a tool that fits the child’s hands so they are less likely to “struggle” and more likely to have success and gain confidence & independence in doing the task.
That is a very simplified way of explaining it, but essentially if you think of a broom, it is MUCH easier for child to sweep using a child sized broom then to try use an adult one and sweep but also not hit anything behind them with the extra length of handle that swings behind them. If they kept bumping and knocking things behind them each time they sweep, they might start to avoid the task. Thus, having an child sized tool/broom sets them up for success in learning the task.
Things to consider when collecting kitchen materials for your child:
- Easy for child to grip
- Child safe (non-sharp)
- Easy for them to carry
MONTESSORI KITCHEN TIP!
Other kitchen items you might want to consider once your child is 1, is a child-sized space for them.
Child Sized Table
My eldest was just between 18-24 months in this photo below.
He thrived at his weaning table which we introduced at 6 months old.
We cook, wipe, eat, and craft at this table because it is his size and make is SO EASY for him to participate in activities at this table.
One BIG tip I give from our home to yours, Get A Child Sized Table!
If there is one more “Montessori Kitchen Tool for Toddlers” I would suggest, it would be to get a child sized table that suits young toddlers.
Child-Sized Dining Set
We started using child-sized cups, spoons, and forks from 6 months old. We included our children at every meal time and allowed them to feed themselves, only assisting at the end when we had already finished.
Having a child-sized cutlery set greatly helps with a child’s independence, and beginning learning the hand-eye coordination needed to feed themselves.
We used either a glass shotglass or a EzPz silicone cup at meal times with our children from the age of 6 months.
>>> More Info on Child Sized Tables
