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So much of life revolves around food, whether you’re planning meals, putting away groceries, preparing food, or eating it. That all adds up to a lot of time spent in our kitchens.
Kids tend to want to be involved with things their parents are involved in, which easily translates to interest in kitchen tasks. That makes it essential to teach your kids kitchen safety.
How to Put Out Fires
Fires are never to be taken lightly. Kitchen fires can be especially dangerous because the normal method of extinguishing them–throwing water on them–could have explosively disastrous results if it’s the wrong sort of fire. With 49% of house fires resulting from cooking, knowing how to extinguish kitchen fires safely is essential.
Oil and grease fires should be smothered and the heat source turned off. Turning off the heat source is also what you should do in the case of an electrical fire. Flammable objects that catch fire may be doused in water. Your child should know how to use a dry chemical fire extinguisher to put out a fire as well.
How to Handle Knives
Knives are endlessly useful in the kitchen, but they’re also dangerous. There are plenty of knife safety tips you should teach your kids. It’s important to communicate in a kitchen whenever you’re moving around with a knife.
Restaurant staff often use the word, “Sharp” to communicate that they’re carrying a knife around. If your child is new to handling sharp knives, consider getting them a cut glove until they know how to hold and use them properly. Never try to catch a knife. Keep your knives clean and sharp. It may sound counterintuitive, but a sharp knife is a safe knife.
How to Handle and Store Chemicals
A clean kitchen is a safe kitchen. Keeping your kitchen clean and sanitary reduces bacteria growth that could lead to illness. Sanitizing your kitchen usually requires the use of chemicals. Chemicals can be dangerous, so teach your kids how to handle and store them safely. They should read and follow all the instructions for using them. Chemicals should be returned to their proper storage location away from food when they are not in use. Kids should never use chemicals without parental supervision.
Learning to cook and safely use kitchen implements are invaluable life skills. No matter whether your child has a future in the food industry or simply cooks for themselves, everyone benefits from learning how to cook. The kitchen is full of sharp objects and temperature extremes though. Teach your kids how to be safe in the kitchen so they can navigate it with minimal risk of injury.
Did you enjoy reading this article? Here’s more to read. How to Help Your Kids Practice Self-Care For The Busy Days Ahead
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