Our friends at Common Sense Media have rounded up some of the most educational (and fun!) apps for little chefs who can't get out of the kitchen.
Cooking games can be fun for kids as they learn how to sequence tasks, measure ingredients, and manage their time. Mix up some of our favorite games, apps, and websites.
Age 4+
Toca Kitchen is an imaginative cooking game with no rules is just right.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Fire phone, Kindle Fire (2011)
Age 4+
Dora's Cooking Club is a fantastic, fun math game baked into a cooking sim.
Platforms: Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi (2010)
Age 7+
Fun all-ages cooking sim with a SpongeBob twist.
Platforms: Nintendo DS (2009)
Age 10+
Kid-focused recipe app needs a dash of quality control.
Devices: iPad (2014)
Age 4+
Open-endedcooking game lets kids play with their food.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Fire phone, Kindle Fire (2015)
Age 3+
Exceptionally fun way to practice letter, word recognition.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2011)
Age 9+
Restaurant time management game is entertaining fare.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, Android (2010)
Age 4+
Use creativity to decorate the cake of your dreams.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2010)
Age 10+
Cooking game teaches the basics of how to use a kitchen.
Platforms: Nintendo Wii (2009)
Age 8+
Feels more like a game than a cooking sim, with a nice menu.
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS (2011)
Age 7+
Popular cooking sim gets 50 new ethnically flavored dishes.
Platforms: Nintendo Wii (2008)
Age 8+
Cooking sim still fun, with new modes and 80 new recipes.
Platforms: Nintendo DS (2009)
Age 6+
Cheerful resource serves up valuable health lessons.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2015)
Age 7+
Fun time-management game, even if you aren't TV show fans.
Platforms: Nintendo DS (2012)
Age 6+
Web-exclusive animated series promotes good nutrition.
URL: http://pbskids.org/lunchlab/ (2009)
Age 8+
Fun slicing arcade game is like Fruit Ninja with a twist.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2011)
Age 9+
Fun, accessible cooking sim teaches international dishes.
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3 (2012)
Age 5+
Kids practice literacy, math skills with fun kitchen theme.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2014)
Age 3+
Entrée into PBS's tastiest online goods for healthy eating.
URL: http://pbskids.org/healthykids/ (2014)
Age 3+
Monster-licious, creative decorating for young bakers.
Devices: iPad (2014)
Age 5+
Kids cook up fun foods and plenty of math skills.
Age 5+
Kids make fanciful facial art using everyday objects.
Devices: iPad (2013)
Age 4+
Transform iPad into a tea table with cute, imaginative app.
Devices: iPad (2013)
Age 6+
Super-fun game gets kids cooking and creating.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire (2014)
Age 9+
Kitchen time-management sim an engaging time-killer.
Devices: Android (2011)
Age 3+
Catchy tune, favorite characters introduce variety of foods.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Nook HD (2014)
Age 4+
Catchy tunes and bright colors teach kids healthy eating.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2013)
Age 7+
Healthy meal planning made fun and practical for kids.
URL: http://www.zisboombah.com (2011)
Age 5+
Fun food stacking game gets kids giggling.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2010)
Age 4+
Have simple fun making virtual ice cream treats.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2010)