If you cook and have kids, you know a 25-minute recipe can take 2 hours. And you simultaneously understand the need for and are baffled by the feasibility of "30-minute meals". Our little ones have a natural curiosity for what's happening in the kitchen and want to learn how to cook. But how do we give them tasks that are meaningful yet meet their skill levels? Is it possible to occupy them and keep them out from underfoot? Can our kids help us get dinner ready without making a larger mess for us to clean up? In this blog, full of adorable (I think so, but I'm biased) photos of my now 6-year-old son, Emory, I present 12 cooking tasks your kids can do to be helpful, stay entertained and learn safely. In the comments, tell me what your kids are doing in the kitchen and share photos with me @teachingtable on instagram. Label them with #teachingtablekids to get featured on this blog!

Other tasks not photographed:

• shaping meatballs, croquettes or patties

• piping frosting with a pastry bag

• washing and drying salad greens in a salad spinner

• shaking salad dressing or whipping cream in a tightly sealed jar

• scoop batter or cookie dough, especially with a spring-loaded ice cream scoop

• "painting" egg wash, glaze, oil or anything to be brushed on food

• removing kale from the ribs

• massaging kale and ripping greens