NB my blender AND my food processor will not work unless the top is on properly, and it is locked in position so no fingers can be chopped off.

My daughter's preschool made vegetable soup recently, the kids washed, then chopped the veggies, then ripped up herbs and popped them in a pot and then they each had a turn stirring (supervised obviously) the soup. They then ate it. Apparently even the veggie haters enjoyed eating it because they made it themselves.

Please teach children to fill cups with milk without spilling it also.

I allow DS1 to use anything except a heat source in the kitchen, and do anything except peeling (because I don't use peelers and peeling with a knife is too difficult) and handling raw meat/fish.

He's been using sharp knives since just before 3 years - agree with a previous poster that blunt knives are more likely to cut you: you need a knife that is sharp enough to cut the thing you want to cut.

That said, I don't know how I'd feel about sharp knives in a small group. I've always done it one to one. My rules are you have to cut downwards onto a board. The thing you want to cut has to be standing on a flat edge so it will not move when you cut it.

I think this is a wonderful idea. My DS does enjoy this kind of play - he comes up with some appalling things, but I like to think it's very valuable and creative. Particular favourites are adding water to things and mashing/stirring them together, grating breadcrumbs and pressing things through the grid of the grillpan. Sieves etc. would be great too.

I think electric tools such as a blender with a small group would be a bit tricky to manage, and would probably detract from the activity - it would become all about whose turn it is to press the button and make the thing go ZZZZZZ, which is great, but not worth all the risk assessment and hypervigilance required.

In your veg garden to be... think about including Peas- eat them straight out the pod, very popular with 2-3s at our childrens centre. Also a dwarf multi strain apple tree, we have one that is 4 varieties on one tree, many of the apples have already been eaten before they are really ripe, but its very tree to child friendly.
last summer we also had strawberries, tomatoes, herbs and broad beans.

I would NOT allow them to use blenders and other sharp electricals.

Almost everything else (bar huge knives) is fine.

Thanks for that link Campion - has anyone got any info for under 3's (as most of mine are)

A little OTT duchesse. I said proper one to one supervision was needed, esp if using sharp knives, and I stand by that.What you can do with your own child isn't quite the same in a group.

Anyway,teamcullen, have you come across the British Nutrition Foundation's ' Food - A Fact of Life' here

which has some good stuff for 3 - 5 year olds with lots of information about how to integrate it into Early Years settings.

I ,too, applaud you and wish you well.

I use this sort of peeler with very young children - it is easier to manipulate imo

I am currently buying the pampered chef knives for my children (I just claimed my milk money back - 10 months!!!) - I thought 3 or 4 of them

Risk should be introduced & gently increased for young children - we intended to start cooking on open fires with our children this summer but with DH going in to hospital it went on a back burner - OFSTED were very impressed with this

I am too chicken to teach my children to use sharp knives but I'm happy for my mum, who stays calmer, to do it. I like the look of the safer knife, thanks. But then we mostly bake as he's keener on cakes than courgettes.

My 3.6 year old uses our electric hand whisk. It's light enough for him to hold. I stay very close by and make sure there is nothing near he can put in the blades.

At our playgroup we have fruit cutting for snack time whcih the children cut the fruit them selves .

They use table knives , s4 or 5 of them sat round a table with an adult .

For alot of children it is the only time that they use a knife- onoy eat with fork or spoon etc.

there are obviously rules - no walking round , no waving in air , if not using it put it on table.

OFSTED thought it was great.

Children range from 2.5 yrs to school age