3.3. Describe the role of the adult during a cooking activity with children

This guide will help you answer 3.3. Describe the role of the adult during a cooking activity with children.

Supporting Safety During a Cooking Activity

An adult must make sure the cooking space is safe before children start. This means checking the area for any hazards such as sharp knives left out, hot surfaces, or spillages on the floor. If a hob or oven is used, children should be kept a safe distance away. When using small electrical appliances like mixers, all wires and plugs should be checked.

Supervision is constant throughout the activity. Young children can be curious and may touch items without thinking. An adult needs to be alert and watch each child closely, stepping in before an accident happens. Safety rules should be explained in a way children understand, using simple language.

During cooking, adults should model safe behaviour. For example, showing how to mix ingredients without spilling, or demonstrating how to carry a bowl with two hands. By leading through example, children will copy safe actions.

Safety can be supported by:

• Checking all equipment works and is safe
• Removing choking hazards such as small pieces of food from very young children’s reach
• Keeping handles of pans turned away from the edge of counters
• Using age-appropriate tools such as plastic knives
• Washing hands before and after handling food

Teaching Good Hygiene

Cooking involves handling food which creates a risk of spreading germs. An adult plays a key role in teaching children how to maintain good hygiene. This can be explained through simple steps such as washing hands and wearing aprons.

Before cooking starts, the adult should make sure all children have clean hands. Singing a short handwashing rhyme helps younger children understand the process and makes it more enjoyable. Surfaces must be clean and utensils washed.

When teaching hygiene during cooking activities an adult needs to:

• Encourage children to tie back long hair
• Explain why raw meat or eggs can carry germs
• Use separate chopping boards for different foods where needed
• Wipe spills quickly
• Cover food if it needs to stand before cooking

Hygiene is not only about avoiding illness. It also helps children form good lifelong habits around food preparation.

Encouraging Participation

The adult’s role is to make sure every child takes part at their own level of ability. Some children may measure ingredients, others may mix, and some may help with tidying up. Adapting tasks helps children feel included.

It is important to recognise different ages and skills within the group. The adult can assign safer, simpler roles to younger children such as tearing salad leaves or sprinkling toppings. Older or more confident children can help with tasks requiring more precision.

To encourage participation an adult can:

• Offer choices about which role to take
• Give praise for effort, not just results
• Make the activity fun by using bright bowls and utensils
• Use positive, clear instructions

Participation boosts confidence and helps children feel part of a team.

Promoting Learning Through Cooking

Cooking provides many learning opportunities. An adult can weave in topics such as maths, science, literacy, and social skills without making the activity feel like formal teaching.

Examples of learning:

• Maths through measuring ingredients, counting spoonfuls, or dividing food into portions
• Science through watching ingredients change when heated or mixed
• Literacy through reading recipes and food labels
• Social skills through sharing, turn-taking, and working together

The adult can ask open-ended questions to encourage thinking, for example, “What do you think will happen when we stir this?” This helps children explore ideas and make connections.

Supporting Healthy Eating Messages

Cooking helps children learn about healthy food choices. An adult can use the time to talk about the benefits of eating fruit, vegetables, and balanced meals. This can be done in a positive way without criticising other foods.

During cooking activities the adult can:

• Talk about how different foods help our bodies
• Show children how to use healthy ingredients
• Explain how colours in food mean different vitamins
• Offer tasting sessions with healthy options

Children often feel proud to try food they have helped prepare. This can encourage them to try new tastes.

Managing Behaviour

Cooking activities can be exciting and sometimes noisy. An adult needs to guide behaviour so that it stays safe and fair. Clear expectations should be explained at the start, such as waiting for a turn or listening to instructions before touching equipment.

If behaviour becomes unsafe, the adult must act quickly. This could mean removing a dangerous item or stopping the activity to talk about what happened.

Behaviour management tips include:

• Giving short and clear instructions
• Using positive reinforcement
• Keeping the group size manageable
• Positioning yourself so you can see every child
• Setting up the workspace to prevent overcrowding

A calm and structured environment helps children focus on the activity.

Supporting Emotional Development

Cooking activities allow children to express themselves and feel valued. An adult can recognise achievements, even small ones, and give encouragement. This can help boost self-esteem and self-confidence.

Food often carries emotional connections. An adult can link cooking activities to cultural traditions or family recipes that are meaningful. This helps children feel respected for their backgrounds.

Emotional support is shown by:

• Listening to children’s ideas and preferences
• Celebrating what they have made
• Encouraging them to share the food with others
• Creating a relaxed atmosphere without rushing

Adapting for Additional Needs

Some children may have allergies, sensory sensitivities, or physical limitations. An adult’s role includes adapting the activity so everyone can take part safely.

For allergies, ingredients must be checked in advance and substitutes provided if needed. For sensory sensitivities, the adult can offer alternatives to tasks that children find uncomfortable. This could mean allowing them to stir with a spoon instead of using their hands if they do not enjoy certain textures.

Adaptations may involve:

• Using special utensils with easy grips
• Providing visual prompts to help follow steps
• Allowing extra time for each action
• Working one-to-one with a child who needs more support

Making adjustments shows children that their needs are understood and respected.

Offering Guidance and Support

Children often need guidance about sequencing steps and understanding timing. An adult can help by breaking the task into clear stages, showing what comes next, and explaining why each step matters.

If something goes wrong, the adult should turn it into a learning moment rather than a negative experience. This teaches problem-solving skills and encourages resilience.

Guidance involves:

• Demonstrating and then letting children try
• Giving feedback that is kind and constructive
• Encouraging independence where possible
• Supporting teamwork

Linking Cooking to Broader Curriculum Themes

Cooking can link directly to early years curriculum areas such as physical development, communication and language, and knowledge of the world. An adult can plan activities that cover these areas naturally, without forcing the learning.

For example:

• Physical development is supported by mixing, pouring, and chopping
• Communication develops through talking about the ingredients and steps
• Knowledge of the world grows as children learn about food sources and cultural dishes

By connecting cooking to these wider skills, the adult can reinforce learning across areas without it feeling separate.

Creating a Positive Atmosphere

The role of the adult includes making the cooking session enjoyable. A positive atmosphere helps children stay focused and happy. Smiling, showing interest in what children are doing, and laughing together when mixing or tasting builds strong relationships.

Setting up music or themed decorations can add to the fun. Some children may feel nervous about new foods or tasks. A warm and friendly approach helps them feel relaxed.

Positive atmosphere tips:

• Greet children with enthusiasm
• Use encouraging language
• Celebrate all efforts, not just perfect results
• Make the space colourful and inviting

Guiding Preparation and Cleanup

Cooking is not just about making food. Preparation and cleanup are part of the process. An adult can use these as teaching moments about responsibility and teamwork.

For preparation, adults should guide measuring, arranging ingredients, and setting up safe work areas. For cleanup, children can be taught how to wash dishes, wipe surfaces, and dispose of waste correctly.

These actions promote responsibility and independence. They also help children appreciate the effort involved in making food.

Final Thoughts

An adult’s role during a cooking activity with children is much more than supervising. It includes creating safety, teaching hygiene, encouraging learning, promoting healthy eating, managing behaviour, supporting emotions, adapting for needs, guiding steps, linking to wider skills, building a positive atmosphere, and teaching responsibility.

When adults take an active and thoughtful role, cooking becomes an engaging and memorable experience for children. The activity can strengthen skills for life, build bonds between the adult and children, and open the door to learning in many different ways. By being present, supportive, and attentive, the adult ensures that each child can enjoy cooking while staying safe, learning new things, and feeling valued.