The kitchen is often considered the heart of any home. Family members spend a lot of time together, bonding over casual conversations and good food. A kitchen must be perfectly functional and cater to the varied needs of the family. Though we ignore this, we must realise that it is very important to make the kitchen kid-friendly.
The safety of kids is a crucial point of consideration while designing or revamping your kitchen. It is a no-brainer that the kitchen has several risky things that can be hazardous when you have kids around. Hot stoves, faucets, appliances, sharp knives, fragile glassware, and many other things need to be tweaked to make the kitchen child-safe.
Modern designers, with the use of technology, have now made it easy to create a child-safe kitchen. Be it with the use of smart appliances or simply choosing better layouts, there are numerous ways to make a kitchen kid-friendly. We’ve curated this list of 10 effective ways to make the kitchen kid-friendly and safe for kids. Check it out.
10 Effective Ways to Make Kitchen Kid-Friendly and Safe
01. Open Layouts are best Child-Safe Kitchen Design Ideas
One of the best child-safe kitchen design ideas is an open layout. Open kitchens are often welcoming and sociable. They seem larger than they actually are, allowing kids to carry out their daily activities from the kitchen space. If the kitchen space is small, other family members can easily hang out in the dining area while interacting with people in the kitchen.
Open kitchen layouts look chic and are clutter-free because of the illusion of added space. They’re especially beneficial when moms need to keep an eye on kids.
02. Create Special Cabinets for Sharp Objects
A kitchen has several hazardous objects that you may want to keep away from the kids. Dedicate cabinets for all the sharp objects in the kitchen. Go for higher shelves that are inaccessible for the kids, even if they try to reach them with a stool or chair. These high levelled cabinets for hazardous objects are the best kitchen cabinets for kids.
You can also use these high shelves for storing your expensive crockery and appliances. In case it’s not possible to delegate high shelves and storage for sharp objects or the amount of storage isn’t enough, you can go for locked lower storage. This will ensure that the harmful stuff remains out of the kids’ reach.
If possible, install cabinets or drawers that have smooth hinges so children don’t hurt their fingers. For a house with toddlers, it is recommended that the drawers do not have handles. Have a magnetic lock instead.
03. Choose Kid Friendly Counter
Kids tend to create a mess, especially in the kitchen. It is thus important to have kid-friendly counters that are easy to clean. After all, you wouldn’t want to be constantly cleaning your kitchen. We know the chic marble tops are tempting, but they stain.
Try quartz, stainless steel, or Corian countertops. These are easy-to-clean alternatives for classic marble tops. Use laminates for cabinets, as they are easy to maintain. Lastly, for flooring, use vinyl, linoleum, Marmoleum, or wood. All these materials are easily wipeable and require less maintenance.
04. Make Kid Accessible Pantry
One of the best child-friendly kitchen ideas is to stock up on the most frequently used pantry items in the most accessible cabinet. Segregate them and label them properly. This will spare the barrage of requests, as the other members of the family will not have to rely on you every time they want something from the kitchen.
Dedicate a kid’s section in this pantry, so they can grab their favourite snacks even when you’re not around. Make sure the kid-accessible pantry has snacks that are healthy and portioned adequately for kids to have whenever hunger strikes.
05. Have an Exclusive Kid’s Cabinet
Having an exclusive kids’ cabinet will encourage them to be independent early on. Dedicate low-lying cabinets for kids to keep their plates, cups, cutlery, etc. These prove to be the best kitchen cabinets for kids. You can even include a few healthy snacks in these cabinets so that they don’t have to rely on you every time they’re hungry.
This will also encourage them to join you in the kitchen. Additionally, you might even discover their interest in cooking-related activities. Have a mini-kid-sized station with kid-safe equipment that’ll allow them to work alongside each other independently.
06. Plan your Layout well for Kid-Friendly Kitchen
There are several kitchen layout options that you can choose from. L-shaped counters work well in small family kitchens, as they allow you to keep an eye on the kids while you carry out the chores.
U-shaped counters are ideal for large and open kitchens as they shut off the access at one end while accommodating special kids’ zones in the layout. Other layout options include single countertops and G-shaped countertops; each of these can be adapted to suit the family’s needs.
07. Add a Whimsical Blackboard Surface to make your Kitchen Kid-Friendly
For family-friendly kitchens, add a blackboard surface for quick notes, messages, or even recipes to follow while cooking. This simple, engaging addition will encourage the family to spend more time in the kitchen. It can keep kids occupied and entertained for hours while you cook in the kitchen. Whimsical blackboard surfaces are the best child-friendly kitchen ideas.
Kids anyway love to draw all over the place; this might just prevent them from doing that. You can incorporate a blackboard along a wall, in a cabinet, on a breakfast counter, or on the backdoor. Wherever you position it, make sure it’s within comfortable reach of the kids.
08. Switch to Kid-Safe Kitchen Appliances
Kitchen appliances can be risky when you have kids around. Apart from being perfectly functional, they also need to be kid-safe. Induction hobs, for example, are safer alternatives to conventional stoves as they tend to remain cooler even while cooking.
When you’re buying new appliances, opt for kid-safe kitchen appliances that have child lock features. Smart kitchen gadgets, such as newer refrigerators, ovens, and microwaves have this safety feature that makes them safe to have around kids. You can even use child-lock systems such as stove knobs to make your existing appliances safer.
09. Go for Kid-Friendly Countertop with Soften Edges
Kids are bound to play around in whichever space they inhabit. While they do that, they may end up taking a fall or banging their heads against surfaces. Now, we know you cannot stop them all the time, but what you can do is make your surfaces softer.
Avoid sharp edges and corners. Round off the kitchen countertops and furniture edges to prevent serious injuries.
10. Install Touch-Free Faucets in Kid-Friendly Kitchen
Kids have a hard time operating faucet. They may end up switching on hot water that, if not set at the right temperature, will lead to scars and burns.
To avoid such accidents and make a kid-friendly kitchen, install touch-free faucets that come with pre-set temperature options. This will not only ensure ease of operation for kids when using water but will also help avoid mishaps.
11. Use Skid Proof Floor
Kids and toddlers tend to run around the entire home, the kitchen is no exception. Hence, installing skid-proof floors will help reduce slip and fall accidents. Cork flooring, bamboo flooring, and anti-skid tile flooring are some of the options to look for.
While operating in the kitchen, wipe up spills immediately to prevent any mishaps.
Top 5 Kitchen Design Tips to Make it Fun for Children
Making the kitchen safe isn’t enough for your kids to love the space. If you want your kids to spend time with you in the kitchen, you must adapt the interior design to suit their fun personalities. Here are 5 decor tips that you can use to make your kitchen fun and playful.
01. Add a Splash of Color
Add a pop of colour to a kitchen wall to transform it into a welcoming space. Vibrant hues of yellow, orange, or green look great in the kitchen. If you cannot commit to a whole wall of bright colour, go for colourful tiles used as a highlight. You can even incorporate murals or designer tiles as a part of your kitchen space. This will give it an edge.
02. Go for Kid-Safe Kitchen Equipment and Tools
Your kids may want to lend you a hand in the kitchen, but they might find the large tools and equipment difficult to use. Get them their own exclusive kid-safe kitchen equipment and toolset. Watch them learn and make their own snacks. This is a great way to engage them in cooking-related activities and encourage them to pick up essential life skills early on in life.
03. Give your Kids their Own Space
Create ones for kids in the kitchen to perform their daily activities like doing their homework or playing. Making homework stations or a play zone with storage for a few toys can be effective ways to have your kids in sight while cooking.
04. Quirky Furnishings and Objects make Kitchen Kid-Friendly
Plan kids-only zones in your kitchen. Make the kitchen kid-friendly with quirky furnishings and objects. Use kid-sized furniture in this zone. A low-height tea party area or a kids’ snack bar are good ways of making the kitchen inclusive. Look at incorporating multifunctional furniture like a two-tiered island where kids can sit and do their homework. Bring in a stepped stool that’ll allow them to reach the sink and do their own dishes.
05. Bulletin Board and Fridge Magnets can make Kitchen Kid-Friendly
A family bulletin board can be a charming addition to a quirky kitchen. Display kids’ artwork, party invites, or timetables on this board. If you don’t have the space for it, convert the fridge door into a bulletin board, with the use of whimsical fridge magnets. Decorating the board will become another entertaining activity that’ll keep the kids busy while you cook.
On the Whole…
It’s equally important to make a kitchen safe and fun if you want your kids to spend more time in it. This will ensure your kids remain in front of your eyes, and remain safe and entertained at the same time. Apply these child-friendly kitchen ideas and hacks to create the ideal inclusive family-friendly kitchens in your homes.
FAQs you might have Pertaining to How to make Kitchen Kid-Friendly
01. How can I make my Kitchen more Kid-Friendly?
Opt for open plans, baby-proof your appliances by using the child lock setting, and go for rounded edges. Make the space engaging by adding elements like bulletin boards or blackboards.
02. How can I make my Kitchen Warm and Welcoming?
Add a pop of colour, introduce non-kitchen items, and create a comfortable seating space.
03. What can Kids do in the Kitchen?
Kids can learn basic cooking skills, or engage in fun activities like decorating cookies or building cereal sandcastles in the kitchen.
04. Which is the most popular color for the Kitchen?
The most popular kitchen colours include white, cream, beige, and shades of blue.
05. Which Kitchen surfaces are Child-Safe?
Quartz and Corian are kid-friendly countertop options. Laminates are durable options for kitchen cabinets and vinyl, linoleum and Marmoleum are good flooring options for kid-friendly kitchens.
We hope you got a good number of tips to make your kitchen kid-friendly. By any chance if you are making a new kitchen or upgrading an existing one then the below-mentioned blogs are a must-read for you.
Ideas to Modernize Your Kitchen!
Things to Keep in Mind While Planning Kitchen for Your House!
Let’s Make Kitchen Corners Creative and Spacious
Author Bio
Saili Sawantt – She is an Architect and Interior Designer by profession. Writing is what she treats as her passion. She has worked as an Architectural Writer, Editor, and Journalist for various design as well as digital portals, both national and international. Formerly she has also worked with Godrej Properties Limited (GPL) Design Studio, Mumbai, due to her keen interested in learning about Sustainability and Green buildings. Apart from this, she runs her blog ‘The Reader’s Express’ and is a practicing Architect & Interior Designer.