Children learn by watching you. Whether it's warming up a meal in a microwave, stirring a pitcher of ice tea or marinating a steak, kids imitate you with pretend play.

As a toddler sits in a high chair waiting for his meal, thoughts of "how did this get hot?" and how does she get the cereal in the bowl all mushy when she adds milk? dazzle in his head!

It's a great idea to incorporate cooking skills with a young child not actually to teach them How to cook but to allow them to creatively learn how to mix ingredients, feel textures, and taste! By assisting in the kitchen, with appropriate supervision, of course, a child uses fine motor skills, intellectual thinking and imagination!

There are a variety of products available that Toy Tips tested with moms and kids to find out what makes meal preparation a fun activity.

NOTE: Proper adult supervision is necessary and a child should NEVER use any of these products alone. They are NOT intended as toys. We tested over 20 products and selected the top 4 that we found kids enjoyed the most as a family activity with mom and dad! None of these products should be used WITHOUT the supervision of an adult.

Toy Tips tested and compared similar kitchen appliances to see how kids can assist in cooking with mom and dad, grandparent or other adult!

Personal Blender $79.99 Physicians suggest that expectant moms require plenty of vitamins and fresh fruit for a healthy pregnancy. Nutritionists claim that juicing/smoothie making with real fruit 3 times per week can be beneficial for a healthy adult. Too much juice can leave extra mineral deposits in the body so you should first contact a nutritionist/doctor to learn what is right for you. Making fruit smoothies for yourself, child or any member of your family can be individualized for tasting preferences and ingredients. This blender crushes ice and blends an 8 ounce or 16 ounce single serving. After washing, it can be used again. The blending and grinding blades are enclosed for safety and the blades will not spin unless the cup is locked into its base, providing added protection from injury. Features include a 200 watt motor, two 16oz and two 8oz single serving cups (both dishwasher safe), a blending blade attachment, instruction manual, 30 recipe suggestions and an additional 2-pronged grinding blade for grinding nuts, seeds, etc. NOTE: For extra on-the-go convenience, commuter sipping lids and a carrying protective case are also available. Content-Disposition: form-data; name="sku" PB200 Physicians suggest that expectant moms require plenty of vitamins and fresh fruit for a healthy pregnancy. Nutritionists claim that juicing/smoothie making with real fruit 3 times per week can be beneficial for a healthy adult. Too much juice can leave extra mineral deposits in the body so you should first contact a nutritionist/doctor to learn what is right for you. Making fruit smoothies for yourself, child or any member of your family can be individualized for tasting preferences and ingredients. This blender crushes ice and blends an 8 ounce or 16 ounce single serving. After washing, it can be used again. The blending and grinding blades are enclosed for safety and the blades will not spin unless the cup is locked into its base, providing added protection from injury. Features include a 200 watt motor, two 16oz and two 8oz single serving cups (both dishwasher safe), a blending blade attachment, instruction manual, 30 recipe suggestions and an additional 2-pronged grinding blade for grinding nuts, seeds, etc. NOTE: For extra on-the-go convenience, commuter sipping lids and a carrying protective case are also available.

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Cookies By Design $1.25 to $7.00 For a Halloween-themed family craft activity, decorating cookies can be fun no matter how much artistic ability you have. These cooked and perfectly shaped sugar cookies come in forms of a bat, pumpkin or ghost. You can add frosting, writing gels and imaginative decorations to characterize them for sampling or gift-giving. Decorating enhances creativity, thinking and motor skills. Eating them is just fun! NOTE: Cookies do not come with decorating supplies. You need to be imaginative to decide what to use.

Mrs. Prindable's 8 Piece Specialty Apple Assortment $35.00 We tried 3 flavors of these caramel and candy dipped apples. All were tasty. This eight pack box includes an assortment of: - Two s'mores apples with marshmallow, milk chocolate and cookie coating - Two apples with milk chocolate, hazelnuts and raisins - Four apples with peanuts and chocolate chips These can be cut into slices as a dessert or treat for the kids. If served at a Halloween party, be aware that the apples will last for up to 3 weeks in a refrigerator. They should not be left out at room temperature.

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Disney Popcorn Popper $49.99 Even though it is time-saving to prepare a bag of microwaveable popcorn, popcorn popping in a real machine with children can be both educational and a fun family activity. The exploding action of popcorn kernels is visual through the clear dome and provides an opportunity to exaplain to a child the science behind popcorn and why the seeds pop into fluffy kernels. The hot plate and kernel sweeper in this unit works like the ones you see in a movie theater, only in a home version. Rounded to resemble Mickey Mouse, the design is juvenile and if left on a countertop, makes an interesting conversation piece. It is important that a child be supervised at all times. A child should not plug-in the unit or touch while in use. Once the kernels are popped, the popping dome can be turned over and doubles as a serving bowl. The Back to Basic glazes and popcorn seasonings are sold individually.

Disney Princess Waffler $29.99 This waffle maker is geared toward girls and wanna-be princesses! Pouring any store bought waffle mix or a home-ade batter into the hot waffler will create one waffle featuring Cinderella and Prince Charming. Included is a recipe book to enhance creativity while cooking. Cool touch handles prevent little hands from a hot touch. The ready light indicates when the waffle is baked and the non-stick coating helps with easy clean up. Adults are required to supervise use since an outlet is necessary to heat the waffler. Children should not use this product unsupervised. NOTE: Replace bread with two waffles to make a fun grilled cheese sandwich.

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Pizza Cutter & Pizza Peel Set $3 Pizza is amongst the favorite preferences of many children. For families who make or cook frozen pizzas, this is a blade-free pizza cutter tool that children can use with supervision. Once cut, the top of the spatula can be slid underneath the pizza and used for serving the slices. Made of hardwood, it is sized 14.5" X 3.75" and should be used by children ONLY if they have parental or adult supervision. Ideal as a replacement for the usual knives, scissors or rolling blades traditionally used for cutting.

Funny Face Pizza Party $14.95 Pizza is always voted one of the most popular amongst favorites of kids' foods. This recipe book and kit inspires a child to make pizza with fun and healthy toppings to create funny faces. The kit includes pizza crust mix, pizza sauce, a personal size baking sheet, child-safe pizza cutter and topping ideas to make 6-8 funny face pizzas. We suggest adult supervision but this can be ideal for a birthday party activity or just to spend time in the kitchen with your children preparing lunch.

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Mini Rolling Pin Recipe Cardholder $2.00 Following a recipe stimulates thinking, logic and sequencing skills. This is holder so the recipe card can stay put and the user can be hands-free. A flat bottom keeps the card upright. and cards of any size can slide into the 5.5"X1/5" hardwood card holder. TIP: Ideal as a tool for the earliest reader! This can also be used when making home-made modeling dough or other craft toys when both hands are needed.

The Nutcracker Sweet, Show-stopping Desserts Inspired by the World's Favorite Ballet $26.00 For any ballerina-enthusiast, chef or anyone who enjoys a really good dessert, this recipe book is a collection of over 60 desserts, all decadent in taste and presentation. Our testers made and tried each recipe but found one of the most interesting parts of the book is following the history of the ballet from the original 19th century fairytale to the present. The book features illustrations, food and performance photography. The favorite recipes of our testers include Marzipan Castle Pudding, Pumpkin Creme Brulee Tarts, Panna Cotta with Orange, Gilded Snowball and Pineapple Caramel Dessert Sauce. A glossary of terms and US/Metric conversion chart is included. TIP: The recipes can be used as rainy day activities with children. Measuring, mixing and tasting attribute to stimulating thinking, fine motor and tactile development skills.

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Slow Cooker $68.00 This model is both a slow cooker and griddle all in one! Slow Cooker cooking with kids is an easy way to prepare a meal and a time saver for busy families. Include the child in the menu planning, shopping and preparation. This not only teaches basic cooking techniques but also encourages the child about the basic preparation of a meal at a young age. Never allow a child to use a slow cooker alone. This is a 5 qt oblong style and the cooking vessel can be used on the included base, rangetop, oven and in the freezer. It can also be washed in the dishwasher. Our testers said that this was easy to clean. The surface features a non stick interior and the base doubles as a mini griddle with an adjustable temperature control. Ideal for pancakes, grilled cheese sandwiches or eggs sunny-side up stye, the grill feature provides additional uses for multiple meals. The insulated carrying tote and spill proof transport lid allows for portability. Treat grandma or the neighbors to a special meal created by you and your child.

Switchit Spatulas 9.99-12.99 Stirring utensils may be messy or hard for smaller hands to use.. These are dual-endedspatulas that are made fully 500-degree heat and stain resistant silicone and stabilized by a stainless steel core. It is sturdy and strong without one flimsy side and can be used in both hot and cold mixtures. The sturdy, wide handle makes it easy to grip. These are available in four sizes - Small ($9.99); Large ($11.99); Long ($12.99). Five colors are available, Strawberry, Blueberry, Lime, Mango and Frost.

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heart measuring spoons $38 Teaching kids to measure and mix ingredients enhances math skills and reinforces fractions, percentages and addition for early math learners. These measuring spoons are shaped like hearts and are made of culinary-safe pewter. Each spoon is engraved with its own unique unit of measurement (traditional measurements also engraved). The measurements are accurate and the set can also be hung as decor or for easy acesss in a kitchen. NOTE: Exclusively from RedEnvelope.com. TIP: Each spoon is ideal for tracing perfectly formed hearts for art projects.

Smoothie Plus The Ultimate Blender $59.99 backtobasicsproducts.com Depending on ingredients used, smoothies can be a healthy alternative for a snack or meal replacement. For the child who never has time to eat in the morning, this is a way to get nutrition on-th-go. Kids can help put ingredients in the maker while mom controls the button. Kids liked to watch the fruits mix and liquify. This one has a pouring valve for mess-free dispensing and a stir stick in case something gets stuck and needs a little nudge. This product made the creamiest smoothie of all the products we tried. To make this even more fun, have kids choose special smoothie glasses for serving their creations and allow kids to choose new ingredients at the grocery store to encourage trying new flavors.

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Translucents Blender $24.99 oster.com A blueberry blender! What a cool thing to see on the kitchen counter! Also available in grape and strawberry, the vivid colors match most kitchen decor. The trusted brand and classic function has been updated to include a 6 cup break-resistant plastic jar and a new look while the motor and durability stay strong. This blender is ideal for crushing ice, mixing batters, making breadcrumbs and blending milkshakes!. By mixing ingredients with the push of a button (parent operated) children learn color differentiaton, solid and liquid changes and how to mix ingredients into yummy treats!

Waffle Stix Waffle Maker $19.99 hamiltonbeach.com Used by adults in a "family" setting, kids can hand mix a waffle batter for breakfast while mom or dad pours it on the molded hot grill. In a few minutes, 6 break-apart waffle stix form that kids can dip into fruit sauces, syrup, honey or whatever they imagine tasted good to them! Our testers found these to be fun to make. These stix also make an easy finger food snack for little hands or an after school snack for hungry school-age kids.

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3-in-1 Waffle/ Sandwich/Grill $39.99 philips.com Kids can help prepare batters, sandwiches and grilling entrees while mom or dad controls the temperature of this appliance to cook the food. Ideal for families who have limited kitchen space, this appliance has 3 functions and is attractive to keep on a countertop. There are 5 temperature settings and a unique Smart Thermostat and Smart Hinge system work together to choose the appropriate temperature. Features non-stick detachable plates which are easy to clean and are dishwasher safe. We think this is well worth the price since it has 3 functions. NOTE: If preparing entrees, do not allow a child to handle raw meat.