Benefits Of Cooking & Kitchen Activities For Children With Autism
Did you know…?
Cooking and kitchen activities for children with autism are beneficial for development. Especially during the winter holidays and when looking for things to do, cooking in a structured and sensory-rich environment gets you out of the cold and into the kitchen together.
Try not to put too much pressure on whatever you decide to make. Go slow while enhancing independence and sparking creativity for your child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook, try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all – have fun.”
Help us further our FUNdamental Kitchen initiative to bring cooking to students with ASD OR Shop Potential’s Amazon Wish List.
8 Benefits Of Communicating Through Cooking For Children With Autism
Join us as we explore the numerous benefits of cooking and kitchen activities for children with autism. Also, explore our FUNdamental Kitchen, aiming to bring these enriching experiences to students with ASD.
1. Extra Opportunities For Sensory Exploration
Most children with ASD (over 96%) report hyper and hypo-sensitivities in multiple domains according to the National Library of Medicine. This means many people on the autism spectrum experience sensory overload within their environment and towards certain foods. You may be familiar with one or a few of the most common aversions to food sensitivities:
- Texture (mushy, slimy, or mixed consistencies)
- Intense reactions to food temperatures
- Rejections based on visual appearance, color, or plate arrangement
- Strong negative reactions to certain food odors
Tailor cooking activities to their likes and dislikes to get them involved in the kitchen and during mealtimes. This can also be an ideal time to include non-preferred foods, familiarizing your child with them being prepared alongside preferred options. Support our mission further with a donation OR Shop Potential’s Amazon Wish List.
2. Fine Motor Skills Development
You can enjoy spending time with your child in the kitchen while fostering their fine motor skills. Cooking and kitchen activities for children with autism encourage them to practice hand-eye coordination and dexterity through chopping, stirring, and pouring. Also, cooking strengthens their grip and control while learning to use utensils and mix ingredients.
3. Enhance Routine & Structure Through Cooking
Creating a comforting environment for your child in the kitchen while establishing routine and structure is a game-changer for families and caregivers. This is because cooking provides a predictable framework to help the chef feel secure and focused following the recipe step by step. Maintaining a sense of order and predictability when cooking can reduce anxiety and enhance their ability to concentrate.
“Cooking with kids is not just about ingredients, recipes, and cooking. It’s about harnessing imagination, empowerment, and creativity.”
– Guy Fieri
Repeating certain cooking activities allows children to practice cooking skills, building a sense of accomplishment and boosting self-esteem along the way.
4. Improve Social Interactions
Use cooking as a platform for social interactions, and plan collaborative tasks to encourage communication and teamwork when possible. You can do this by cooking in a structured group setting with shared goals to promote teamwork and collaboration.
Cooking can also be a good time to practice communication and expand verbal skills by sharing instructions and preferences. Practicing patience also teaches important social skills through waiting and taking turns.
Using timers and visual schedules during cooking sessions assists with time management skills and helps children understand the concepts of waiting, patience, and self-regulation – all important in the kitchen.
5. Boost Confidence With Self Care
When you do things that serve or make you happy, you feel better!
In cooking, practicing hygiene is a skill children can carry outside the kitchen. Especially when dealing with food, you should review the importance of hygiene and food safety procedures. If you have an important story you can relate to safe food preparation, cooking, and serving, share it and make it easier to understand why individuals must:
- Wear clean cooking attire and close-toed shoes
- Wash hands and nails thoroughly with soap and water
- Sanitize food preparation surfaces
- Use separate cutting boards for raw meats and other foods
Have a stack of clean kitchen towels handy to clear quick spills and wipe messy hands. The cleaner your child feels while cooking, the less likely they will have a meltdown or similar issues. For older students and adults, cooking activities could mean learning how to wear oven mitts for burn protection, preparing raw meats, and properly handling food when serving.
6. Use Problem-Solving Skills To Create A Sense Of Accomplishment
For someone with autism, cooking is one way to focus on problem-solving skills to enhance their personal development with positive reinforcement. Need a few examples?
This looks like bridging communication barriers with visual aids and hands-on activities to help children express their personal preferences. Following a recipe also builds problem-solving skills, especially when things don’t go as planned. Measuring ingredients offers opportunities to practice math skills and understand cooking components such as volume and weight. Activities like measuring may be best suited for adults with ASD.
7. Expand Ways Of Coping
Cooking can be viewed as a calming activity for some children with ASD. A few common signs of experiencing overwhelming emotions or feelings in children with ASD include:
- Unexpected emotional outbursts or meltdowns
- Heightened repetitive behaviors or stimming
- Withdrawal or shutdown from social interactions
- Physical signs such as covering ears or seeking refuge
- Quick shifts in communication or responsiveness
Recognize these overwhelming signs and engage your child in cooking to soothe them. You can also keep headphones, a tablet, or a familiar object like a weighted blanket on hand in case they need it to calm down.
8. Improve Creativity & Expression
Play and real cooking equip children with ASD with tools to engage in imaginative action while developing their sensory awareness and self-expression. A few examples of creative expression in the kitchen are experimenting with different flavors and textures, choosing their own ingredients, and plating their choices. Each of these offers an example of better establishing a sense of ownership and individuality in children and adults with ASD.
Tips To Set Up A Cooking Experience At Home For Your Child With ASD
Follow these few tips to get your child’s cooking journey started:
- Using softer lighting
- Minimize noise
- Have headphones handy
- Incorporate familiar or comfortable scents
Create a structured schedule for meal prep, baking, and family cooking nights for better cooking and kitchen activities for children with autism.
Help Us Savor More Moments Together Through The FUNdamental Kitchen
Want to incorporate cooking into your travel plans? Prepare meals in advance, choose accommodations with kitchen facilities, and educate family members about patience and support during gatherings. You can even make cooking-related gifts to ease holiday stress using simple, easy-to-follow recipes.
Speaking of mixing things up around here…we need your help!
Our mission is to raise $75,000 to sprinkle in more opportunities for students with ASD from the kitchen at Potential’s Springtime School. The funds will be used to renovate our kitchen, creating a warm and welcoming space for our students to whip up delicious dishes and collaborate while enhancing their social skills.
Food and teamwork are the perfect recipe for bringing people together. Let’s deck the halls and make room for everyone at the table!
Support our FUNdamental Kitchen expansion OR Shop Potential’s Amazon Wish List.