from the oven, but be sure you follow all the safety rules, as they'll be watching you. Instead of your customary dishtowel, actually use an oven glove or hot pad to take the cookie sheets from the oven.

Then, it's time to decorate! Depending on your kids' sophistication level, you can either let them have at it or supervise the activity. Eithe

It's a rare kid who doesn't at some point toddle into the kitchen and start dragging pots and pans out of cabinets. While these are generally used more for percussion practice than out of any interest in cooking, kids not much beyond toddler age can start learning the basics of cooking. Easy cookie recipes, salads, sandwiches and easy casserole recipes can be starting points for early culinary explorations.

The best way to get kids started in the kitchen is by letting them help make something they like to eat. What kid doesn't like cookies? Once they have learned that they can be an integral part in producing their favorite goodies, it's likely you'll have trouble getting them out of the kitchen.

One of the first things every kid learns to do is decorate cookies. You don't have to wait for the holidays for this! On a rainy day, mix up a batch of sugar cookies and get out your basket of cookie cutters. For little hands, there are plastic and silicone cutters that don't have the semi-sharp edges found on metal cutters. Let the kids pick the shapes, and help them cut them out and place them on the baking sheet.

If you have a window in your oven door, keep the kids at a safe distance from the hot surface and turn on the oven light. Let the kids watch the blobs of dough turn into golden brown, delicious cookie goodness. Keep them out of range, of course, while taking the hot pans from the oven, but be sure you follow all the safety rules, as they'll be watching you. Instead of your customary dishtowel, actually use an oven glove or hot pad to take the cookie sheets from the oven.

Then, it's time to decorate! Depending on your kids' sophistication level, you can either let them have at it or supervise the activity. Either

s can be starting points for early culinary explorations.

The best way to get kids started in the kitchen is by letting them help make something they like to eat. What kid doesn't like cookies? Once they have learned that they can be an integral part in producing their favorite goodies, it's likely you'll have trouble getting them out of the kitchen.

One of the first things every kid learns to do is decorate cookies. You don't have to wait for the holidays for this! On a rainy day, mix up a batch of sugar cookies and get out your basket of cookie cutters. For little hands, there are plastic and silicone cutters that don't have the semi-sharp edges found on metal cutters. Let the kids pick the shapes, and help them cut them out and place them on the baking sheet.

If you have a window in your oven door, keep the kids at a safe distance from the hot surface and turn on the oven light. Let the kids watch the blobs of dough turn into golden brown, delicious cookie goodness. Keep them out of range, of course, while taking the hot pans from the oven, but be sure you follow all the safety rules, as they'll be watching you. Instead of your customary dishtowel, actually use an oven glove or hot pad to take the cookie sheets from the oven.

Then, it's time to decorate! Depending on your kids' sophistication level, you can either let them have at it or supervise the activity. Eithe

hen.

One of the first things every kid learns to do is decorate cookies. You don't have to wait for the holidays for this! On a rainy day, mix up a batch of sugar cookies and get out your basket of cookie cutters. For little hands, there are plastic and silicone cutters that don't have the semi-sharp edges found on metal cutters. Let the kids pick the shapes, and help them cut them out and place them on the baking sheet.

If you have a window in your oven door, keep the kids at a safe distance from the hot surface and turn on the oven light. Let the kids watch the blobs of dough turn into golden brown, delicious cookie goodness. Keep them out of range, of course, while taking the hot pans from the oven, but be sure you follow all the safety rules, as they'll be watching you. Instead of your customary dishtowel, actually use an oven glove or hot pad to take the cookie sheets from the oven.

Then, it's time to decorate! Depending on your kids' sophistication level, you can either let them have at it or supervise the activity. Eithe

k the shapes, and help them cut them out and place them on the baking sheet.

If you have a window in your oven door, keep the kids at a safe distance from the hot surface and turn on the oven light. Let the kids watch the blobs of dough turn into golden brown, delicious cookie goodness. Keep them out of range, of course, while taking the hot pans from the oven, but be sure you follow all the safety rules, as they'll be watching you. Instead of your customary dishtowel, actually use an oven glove or hot pad to take the cookie sheets from the oven.

Then, it's time to decorate! Depending on your kids' sophistication level, you can either let them have at it or supervise the activity. Eithe

from the oven, but be sure you follow all the safety rules, as they'll be watching you. Instead of your customary dishtowel, actually use an oven glove or hot pad to take the cookie sheets from the oven.

Then, it's time to decorate! Depending on your kids' sophistication level, you can either let them have at it or supervise the activity. Either way, you'll have a great time, make some great memories and possibly find that those easy cookie recipes get a future chef started on their path.