Rob

It's nice to have YOUR kitchen set up exactly how YOU want it... but making some accomodations for the tikes can make both of your lives easier.

I saw these in a FamilyFun article and thought you might like them:

1. Snack Station: Even before the last meal's dishes have dried, the cry comes: "I'm hungry!". Let the kids cure their own snack attacks by placing some plastic dishes and snacks in a designated self-service area. Select the items together and put them in a lower cabinet or on a low shelf in the refrigerator so the kids can easily reach them. Add a few rules if you need to such as no eating an hour before dinner. And keep a cloth towel or a roll of paper towels down low as well for self-service cleanup.

2. Think Small: Providing a selection of kid-size tools is an inviting way to say "Wanna help?" Whether it's a junior set of cooking utensils kept in a special drawer or a toy broom and dustpan hung within a kid's reach, the gear lets children experience the satisfaction of pitching in.

3. The Chalkboard Nook: Turn the side of a kitchen island or an open stretch of wall into a doodling nook by hanging a chalkboard at a child's height.While you're busy working, kids can draw or leave funny jokes and messages to one another.