At what age should kids be allowed to use real knives or the stove?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In Denmark, they have forest kindergarten, where the kids run around and use knives to whittle things.

You all need to calm down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkiij9dJfcw

Sometimes they are idiots in Denmark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Thanks for the recommendations! For folks recommending that have used "kids knives" or Curious Chef knives, what are they really capable of cutting? A tomato? A zucchini? A chicken breast? I'm going to look into getting her some of these but would want to manage her expectations and also focus on choosing recipes that have some ingredient in them she can cut.

Re: Curious Chef knives- yes to tomato, chicken breast. Probably yes to zucchini depending on kid. No to things like a potato.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Denmark, they have forest kindergarten, where the kids run around and use knives to whittle things.

You all need to calm down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkiij9dJfcw

Sometimes they are idiots in Denmark.

Haven't really read about these kids bleeding out in the woods, so I think really you all are just overly protectionist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In Denmark, they have forest kindergarten, where the kids run around and use knives to whittle things.

You all need to calm down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkiij9dJfcw

Sometimes they are idiots in Denmark.

Haven't really read about these kids bleeding out in the woods, so I think really you all are just overly protectionist.

Sure. Average IQ is 100. Not good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At age 4 I started teaching my son with a kid's knife - he had the Opinel Le Petit knife, which is slightly smaller than an adult chef's knife and has a finger guard for safety. At first I shadowed him while he was using it, then eventually started working next to him and watching. At age 7 he graduated to a regular knife.

We also have a high-powered gas range. I waited a little longer for that. I think he was around 6 when I started teaching some stovetop things. He wasn't allowed to touch the knobs for a while - I'd start the stove, adjust the flame, and put the pan on to preheat. We started with steaming, or gentle sauteing - nothing that would splatter hot grease. Pancakes were an early win, although a bit messy until he got the hang of flipping .

He was also an early master of the rice cooker. And we got him a kid-sized set of oven mitts, so he could make muffins start to finish, around age 5 or 6. We still require an adult in the kitchen at all times, though!

Thank you for mentioning this knife! I am going to order one today - my kids are begging to help in the kitchen and this would be perfect to start them out.

[Anonymous]

At 5, I let my daughter use a stepping stool to stir things on the stove, like scrambled eggs (with supervision). I don’t remember when my son started using sharp knives (8?), but he started taking things in & out of the hot oven around age 7. He’s 10 now & been making pancakes on his for maybe a couple of years, but we use a griddle for that.

[Anonymous]

In my country, children start using sharp knives from age 3-4.

My sons are 5 and 6 years old. They got their own whittling knife at 4 but they have never used the stove.

[Anonymous]

I don’t trust my 8yo with a knife. Definitely not 4!!!

[Anonymous]

Fun fact: A Virginia Work Permit for a 15year old states they are not allowed to use a knife or the stove.

[Anonymous]

I was born in 1975 and attended a Montessori preschool. I started using a sharp knife to cut my own apples/carrots at school when I was about 4.

My own kids also attended Montessori and did about the same.

Stove, I'm honestly not sure about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fun fact: A Virginia Work Permit for a 15year old states they are not allowed to use a knife or the stove.

My son's college dorm also does not allow knives--these are 18-22 year old ADULTS.

[Anonymous]

My 3yo uses this to cut all sorts of stuff— including baby potatoes, Brussels sprouts (I cut off the bottom, he cuts in half), carrots, etc. https://www.montessoriservices.com/wavy-chopper?m2k_source=googleprod&utm_source=googleprod&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=D104&gclid=CjwKCAiA3uDwBRBFEiwA1VsajF9G6eyeGqQK5AJUncFWBFfSjXeHAyNlyN50alIuPMMCeQl7DP-oFRoCiRgQAvD_BwE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fun fact: A Virginia Work Permit for a 15year old states they are not allowed to use a knife or the stove.

My son's college dorm also does not allow knives--these are 18-22 year old ADULTS.

That is so, so stupid.

[Anonymous]

My boys get a Swiss Army knife at 7. They have been using kitchen knives, supervised, since they were 5.

They are very responsible, many years later.

I was cooking dinner for my dad and brother at age 7, because my mom worked evening shift. It is not that big of a deal to do these basic things. If they cut themselves, they cut themselves. They aren’t going to do anything life-threatening with a kitchen knife chopping veggies. It is not the end of the world to get a small cut.

[Anonymous]

4 is fine for stirring on stove! Just watch and give frequent reminders about how hot everything and note the open flame. Maybe 7 for sharp knives. I can’t believe someone said 10. I can see some impulsive kids not being ready by 10 but that doesn’t sound like OP’s kid who spends a lot of time in the kitchen.