Our friends at Common Sense Media [1] 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.
Toca Kitchen
Age 4+
Toca Kitchen [2] is an imaginative cooking game with no rules is just right.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Fire phone, Kindle Fire (2011)
Dora's Cooking Club
Age 4+
Dora's Cooking Club [3] is a fantastic, fun math game baked into a cooking sim.
Platforms: Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi (2010)
SpongeBob vs. The Big One: Beach Party Cook-Off
Age 7+
Fun all-ages cooking sim with a SpongeBob [4] twist.
Platforms: Nintendo DS (2009)
WeCookit - recipes, cooking tips and food for kids
Age 10+
Kid-focused recipe app [5] needs a dash of quality control.
Devices: iPad (2014)
Toca Kitchen 2
Age 4+
Open-ended [6]cooking game lets kids play with their food.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Fire phone, Kindle Fire (2015)
ABC Food
Age 3+
Exceptionally fun way to practice letter, word recognition [7].
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2011)
Pizza Shop Mania
Age 9+
Restaurant time management [8] game is entertaining fare.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, Android (2010)
Cake Doodle
Age 4+
Use creativity to decorate the cake of your dreams [9].
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2010)
Food Network: Cook or Be Cooked
Age 10+
Cooking game teaches the basics of how to use a kitchen [10].
Platforms: Nintendo Wii (2009)
Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic
Age 8+
Feels more like a game than a cooking sim, with a nice menu [11].
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS (2011)
Cooking Mama: World Kitchen
Age 7+
Popular cooking sim gets 50 new ethnically flavored dishes [12].
Platforms: Nintendo Wii (2008)
Cooking Mama 3: Chop & Shop
Age 8+
Cooking sim still fun, with new modes and 80 new recipes [13].
Platforms: Nintendo DS (2009)
This is my Food - Nutrition for Kids
Age 6+
Cheerful resource serves up valuable health lessons [14].
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2015)
iCarly: Groovy Foodie!
Age 7+
Fun time-management game [15], even if you aren't TV show fans.
Platforms: Nintendo DS (2012)
Fizzy's Lunch Lab
Age 6+
Web-exclusive animated series [16] promotes good nutrition.
URL: http://pbskids.org/lunchlab/ (2009)
Food Processing
Age 8+
Fun slicing arcade game [17] is like Fruit Ninja with a twist.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2011)
Order Up!!
Age 9+
Fun, accessible cooking sim teaches international dishes [18].
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3 (2012)
Grandma's Kitchen
Age 5+
Kids practice literacy, math skills [19] with fun kitchen theme.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2014)
PBS HealthyKids
Age 3+
Entrée into PBS's tastiest [20] online goods for healthy eating.
URL: http://pbskids.org/healthykids/ (2014)
Foodo Kitchen
Age 3+
Monster-licious [21], creative decorating for young bakers.
Devices: iPad (2014)
LeapFrog Explorer Learning Game: Cooking Recipes on the Road
Age 5+
Kids cook up [22]fun foods and plenty of math skills.
Faces iMake - Right Brain Creativity
Age 5+
Kids make fanciful facial art [23] using everyday objects.
Devices: iPad (2013)
Toca Tea Party
Age 4+
Transform iPad into a tea table [24]with cute, imaginative app.
Devices: iPad (2013)
Dr. Panda's Restaurant 2
Age 6+
Super-fun game gets kids cooking and creating [25].
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire (2014)
Bistro Cook
Age 9+
Kitchen time-management [26] sim an engaging time-killer.
Devices: Android (2011)
Yo Gabba Gabba! Party in My Tummy
Age 3+
Catchy tune [27], favorite characters introduce variety of foods.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Nook HD (2014)
Yummiloo Rainbow Power
Age 4+
Catchy tunes and bright colors teach kids healthy eating [28].
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2013)
ZisBoomBah
Age 7+
Healthy meal planning [29] made fun and practical for kids.
URL: http://www.zisboombah.com (2011)
Scoops: Ice Cream Fun for Everyone
Age 5+
Fun food stacking [30] game gets kids giggling.
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2010)
More Sundaes!
Age 4+
Have simple fun making virtual ice cream treats [31].
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad (2010)