Teaching Your Kid How to Grill

Grilling over an open flame is exciting and primal. Combined with cooking in the outdoors and you have a unique, wonderful experience. Maybe its the sun warming you with its golden rays. Maybe its the wind blowing through your hair. Or maybe its just because it is outside of the routine of cooking in the kitchen. But whatever it is, grilling is fun.

Why not use this wonderful opportunity to share something special with your kids? Why not show your kids how fun and easy cooking can be? Why not inspire them to eat healthy and delicious food? Why not teach them how to grill?

Grilling is easy. And with a little supevision, any child hold enough to hold a spatula steady can grill. There are only three things to worry about when grilling. 1. Undercooking. 2. Overcooking. 3. Burning yourself. All of which can be easily mitigated with a keen parental eye.

One great way to do this is by purchasing a small, travel grill. You can usually pick one up at the local box store from less the $20.00. This will allow for your kids to have their own little grill that they can handle. They can load the charcoal themselves. Depending on their age you might want to pour the lighter fluid for them. But they will certainly be able to light it themselves; especially with the long handled lighter. Doing so will help draw them into the excitement and spark their interest even more.

Another advantage of using a small, travel grill for your kids is that the small amount of charcoal will not get too hot. It'll be easier for them to manuever around and service it without getting scared or burned. It will also ensure that they tend to it, instead of trying to watch one hamburger patty next to all the rest you are cooking on the big grill.

On their little grill, they can then easily cook their own hamburgers, hot dogs, or shish kebabs. Experimenting and eating your own cooking is the best way to learn. And having hands on experience from start to finish on a project is the best way to understand something fully.

If you keep at it, by the end of the summer, your kids will be grilling masters. And you'll be fighting with them over who gets to grill.

Written by Benjamin Ellefson, who is a grilling enthusiast and author of the children’s book The Land without Color. Learn more at http://www.benjaminellefson.com/Land-without-Color/