Mother's Day breakfast in bed: simple cooking for kids of all ages

A Mother's Day breakfast in bed is always more meaningful when the whole family pitches in to prepare the food, kids included. Here are some age-appropriate cooking tasks that will have even the youngest child helping out on Mother's Day. [Image credit: iStock.com/YakobchukOlena]

Babies obviously can't cook, so it's best to keep them doing what they do best, looking adorable while sleeping.

• If baby is awake during food prep, dad can wear baby in a carrier while supervising the kitchen activities, then give the baby a napkin or spoon to hand to mom when breakfast is served.

Children of this age haven't yet mastered their fine motor control, so give them things that are easy to hold.

• Toddlers can drop whole berries into a fruit salad and dust french toast with powdered sugar.
• They can also arrange pancakes, bacon and fruit into a smiley face on the plate just before serving.

Preschoolers have more control over their hands, so they're ready to help with any stirring.

• Mixing together a fruit salad and pancake batter are tasks that will give them a sense of pride when helping to cook.
• Preschoolers are also the perfect age for learning how to set a table properly. Just give them a photo of what the tray should look like when it's completed, along with all the forks, spoons and plates needed.

School-age children are ready to use measuring cups and spoons, and this task offers some great mathematical education as they put those fractions to practical use.

• Children this age are often quite invested in doing things properly, so show them how to level off measuring spoons and check a liquid measuring cup at eye level, and they will get your ingredients just right.
• They can also operate the toaster and spread butter without much supervision.

Older children and teens are ready to take on all the responsibilities of cooking. With a quick primer on proper knife handling and kitchen safety, they can follow a recipe from start to finish.

• Teens especially are at the right age to learn basic cooking techniques, and the griddle foods common in breakfasts are an easy way to practice flipping foods over and testing to see whether they're done by colour and texture.

No breakfast in bed is complete if mom ends up on cleaning duty afterwards. While older children wipe counters and wash large dishes by hand, toddlers and preschoolers can carry the rest to dad for loading into the dishwasher.