Learning goals
- List the main kitchen hazards: sharp, hot, and slippery
- Demonstrate safe habits around knives and the stove
- Explain why we wash hands and keep raw foods separate
Key ideas
Sharp
Carry a knife pointed down at your side, cut away from your body, and never try to catch a falling knife — step back.
Hot
Turn pot handles inward, use dry oven mitts (wet ones conduct heat), and assume anything on the stove is hot.
Cross-contamination
Keep raw meat and its juices away from foods you'll eat raw; use a separate board and wash hands after handling it.
Hands-on activity
Set up a safe cooking station
A cutting boardA damp paper towelA clean towelAn adult helper
- Slide the damp paper towel under the cutting board so it can't slide around.
- Clear a workspace and push anything you're not using to the back.
- Roll up long sleeves, tie back hair, and wash your hands.
- Point out the three hazard zones in your kitchen: the knives, the stove, and the floor.
Teaching tips
- Make the safe habits a checklist the child runs every single time — repetition builds the reflex.
- Model calm: if something spills or smokes, the first move is to step back and tell an adult, not to grab.