very LO "helping" in the kitchen

[dahlialia]

I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in Toddlers.

DD2 is 10 months old. While she is content to play on her own some of the time, this is never the case when I am doing something in the kitchen. She desperately wants to be up watching whatever I am doing.

At the moment I can accommodate this by putting her in the bjorn. Which might be the best solution for a few more months, until she is old enough to safely use a learning tower. I'm not sure what else I could do...her high chair doesn't get her up high enough to see. We have a travel high chair that clamps onto a table, but there's nowhere in the kitchen to clamp it where there would be room for her legs.

I'm not thrilled with wearing her (and I don't wear her for unsafe aspects of cooking), but I'm more than happy for her to be involved.

[Honey693]

My DD is 20 months, but she's been "helping" me cook for quite some time so I thought I'd chime in. If I'm baking and not using a knife I'll let DD sit on the counter to watch and help stir. If I'm chopping or doing stuff on the stove I stick her on the floor with a bowl of water and a few cups and she'll happily play.

[momto4plus4]

We've always kept a drawer for of plastic dishes like tupperware, sippy cups, etc that the babes find fascinating to take them in & out of. Also pots and pans with a wooden spoon to bang on-we ended up getting a cheap $10 set at Menards just for the kiddos.

[dahlialia]

She has 3 shelves of packaged foods and other odds and ends she can safely explore. A tupperware/other misc items drawer, wooden spoons, potato masher, etc. I also give her a dog bowl of water, with spoons and measuring cups to play with. Not to mention toys, and a noisy electronic learning table.

And she still wants to be up with me