Kitchen Narration Little Helper
Bring your toddler into the kitchen and narrate every step of a simple task — stirring, pouring, opening — to build action and object vocabulary.
What You'll Need
- 1Kitchen items for a simple task (bowl, spoon, safe food items)
- 2High chair or learning tower
What You'll Need
Kitchen items for a simple task (bowl, spoon, safe food items)
A high chair, learning tower, or low table for safe access
How to Play
Set up your toddler safely in the kitchen — high chair, learning tower, or low table.
Choose a simple task: making oatmeal, washing fruit, or mixing a drink.
Narrate every action: "I'm opening the box. Open! Now I'm pouring the oats. Pour, pour, pour."
Let toddler help with safe tasks: stirring, dropping fruit in a bowl, tearing lettuce.
Name each item as you hand it over: "Here's the banana. Banana!"
Describe their actions: "You're stirring! Stir, stir, stir. Great helper!"
Use sensory words: "The water is warm. The apple is cold. Feel the difference?"
Ask simple questions: "Where's the spoon?" Celebrate finding it.
Tips
The kitchen is one of the richest vocabulary environments in your house. In a single cooking session, your toddler can hear action words (pour, stir, cut, mix), object words (bowl, spoon, cup), description words (hot, cold, big, little), and sequence words (first, then, next).
Don't worry about the mess. A toddler stirring oats will spill. That's part of the learning — and you can narrate the cleanup too: "Oops! It spilled. Let's wipe it up."
Give toddler their own set of utensils and a small bowl so they can mimic what you're doing. Parallel activity is a great language teacher.
This becomes a daily habit easily. Every meal prep is an opportunity. You're already in the kitchen — just add narration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this activity take?
This activity takes about 15 min, with 5 min of preparation time beforehand.
What materials do I need?
You'll need: kitchen items for a simple task (bowl, spoon, safe food items), high chair or learning tower.
What age is this activity for?
This activity is designed for 1-2 years. You can adapt it for younger or older children by adjusting the complexity.
Can this be done indoors?
This activity is designed for indoor play, making it perfect for rainy days or when you're staying inside.
How difficult is this activity?
This is an easy activity that requires minimal setup and supervision. Great for busy days or when you need something quick.
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