From Garden to Kitchen, Children’s Involvement During the Pandemic

The worldwide lockdown due to the outbreak of Covid-19 has granted an ample amount of time to be spent with family and friends. In the case of children, they get to spend their 24 hours completely with their parents, and this indeed aids them in making their bondings stronger. This has also given a good opportunity to involve kids more in the kitchen and other household chores, as parents have more time to look after their children and occupy them with various activities. However, this pandemic turned out to be a nightmare for many, parents outlook this period as a window of opportunity to instill many new habits in their children.

The involvement of children in kitchen gardens can help them learn more about the importance of food and to aid them in gaining eco-literacy. They get a practical knowledge of how to cultivate the veggies they consume daily. “My daughter’s mathematical skills are enhanced with her engaging in counting the cultivated fruits and vegetables”, says the proud mother, Kousalya.

Image 1&2: Gardening, a new hobby!

Giving the children real knives, spatulas, and pans to cook is like taking them to the next level, since many children play with the kitchen sets and models. Being one of their favourite activities, children are seen imitating the elders widely and this can be used as a favor by the parents. Their ability to absorb everything they see and hear in the surroundings can be of great help to the children, in the kitchen. Many parents agree that the kitchen is the right place for their children to use their senses unanimously as they see, feel, touch, taste, and smell the dishes. Kousalya, a mother of a 5-year-old, says that her child has started helping in the kitchen and also in their kitchen garden, and adds that “My daughter asked me for a few dishes like Masal Puri and Street Food style Mushroom Manchurian, and she completely loved homemade chats and snacks. She witnesses cooking as fun, and she enjoys mixing ingredients and rolling the dough.”

Image 3: Preparation time

Image 4: Enjoying the food!