Cooking teaches little ones so much more than simply the steps to making a gourmet grilled cheese or primo pancakes. It’s a veritable science that explores chemistry and math, physics and socialization. It can help children understand the concepts of responsibility (like cleaning up as you go along), measurements (how many sticks of butter equal a cup?), preparation (such as making sure you’ve got all of the ingredients before you start and pre-heating the oven) and process (one must finish step one before starting step two).

Plus, if you do it right, following a recipe encourages a love of cooking — which will serve them (and those who benefit from their pursuits in the area!) so well in years to come.

Hint: The very first step to cooking is to scan the recipe all the way through, from the name of the dish to the cooling process. This not only helps ensure you have everything required on hand, but also provides an opportunity to explain unfamiliar cooking terms to your children. It also allows you to give the kids an idea of how long it will take to make your quesadillas or brownies and determine whether you have adequate time to make them appropriately and patiently. Do you have enough time to follow the recipe through to the end? Will you be able to allow it to bake or simmer all the way through? Look at the clock with your child to make certain.

Servings
"Servings" tell you how many people this recipe will feed. Understanding how the servings designation works is critical (plus, it also helps your child understand some basic math concepts). If the recipe serves eight and you have a family of four, you can cut the amount of each ingredient by half in order to make the appropriate amount for your family (unless you love leftovers!).

Ingredients
The "ingredients" list the name and amount of each item in the recipe. When teaching children how to cook, it’s a good idea to read the recipe the day before – or a few hours earlier, at least – so you can together determine which things you already have in the house and which need to bought at the supermarket. Point out that most recipes list the ingredients in the order in which they are used. Make a list of each and set aside a time to purchase those not already on hand.

Measurements
Ingredients are preceded by the measurement, or amount, of each item that is to be used. Sometimes, an ingredient will be followed by the words "to taste," which means that you put in a little bit and taste it to determine if you wish to add more to your liking. Other ingredients may be listed as "optional," indicating that their use is up to the discretion of the cook.

Measurements are very important. Teach kids to use actual measuring utensils, such as measuring spoons and cups. Too much or too little of an ingredient can dramatically change the taste of a dish. If your tot wrinkles his nose at the thought of using a particular ingredient – such as the zucchini in the zucchini bread – explain how particular foods taste different when they are used in various combinations.

Directions
Directions are the step-by-step instructions for making the recipe. It’s important to follow the directions in order, which ensures that the dish comes out as desired. Reading the directions to children provides a great opportunity to talk about the different cooking skills involved, such as chopping versus grating, stirring versus mixing, and simmering versus baking. You can also stress the importance of getting adult help with particular areas of cooking, such as using a knife or heating on the stove.

Time
Sometimes, recipes will provide two different time designations: "prep time" and "cooking time." Prep time denotes how long it should take to prepare the dish. That can include washing the vegetables, mixing, stirring and cutting. Cooking time designates how much time it will take to simmer, stir-fry, bake or broil once you’ve finished the preparation.