Motherhood Mondays: Toddlers in the kitchen

This weekend, I read two fantastic posts (by a mom whose child goes to a Montessori school) about toddlers pouring their own drinks and making their own snacks. A basic Montessori motto is "help me do it myself," and I see how by encouraging toddlers to help in the kitchen, we help them build confidence and feel a sense of accomplishment. And why not? Toby is two and a half, and I’ve always just poured his water, washed his strawberries, and peeled his bananas myself without thinking twice. But of course he can help with those things. Mama forehead smack!

Inspired this weekend, I got out a small pitcher and Toby poured water into his glass by himself. When he spilled a bit, I handed him a tea towel, and he happily mopped up the water himself.
Then Toby and I made these two-ingredient cookies (bananas + oats!), and they were a HUGE hit with both Toby and my thirty-year-old brother who stopped by that night:) Toby loved helping peel the bananas, pour the oats, add a few handfuls of cranberries just for fun, squish everything together, and eat the dough.

Do your kiddos help in the kitchen? Any recipe suggestions? Guacamole might be fun? This book, Kids in the Kitchen, is now on my wishlist.

P.S. In other news: French kids eat everything.

(Top photos by How We Montessori, and cookie photo by The Burlap Bag. Thank you for the huge inspiration, Kylie!)

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