I can’t say this enough…Toddlers want to help with everything! Encourage them! This is your time to develop habits for a lifetime.

Start with washing hands with soap and water. Dry them well. You can then tell them what you want them to bring to you as you stand in front of the cabinet or shelf.

A note of caution: avoid glass and sharp utensils. We put all the sharp knives at the back with the blade in first, so they can’t get cut. (This is a good rule because anyone can slip and land on a knife sticking up.)

Keep your plastic dishes and metal pans in lower cabinets so they can help put them away (and get them out). You can let them play with those things when you are in the kitchen. We found that it makes a big mess and your dishes end up dirty. You could invest in a small child kitchen for play.