Kids just love spending time with their parents so I try to include my kids whenever I'm in the kitchen. It is a great place to bond and laugh and just have fun. Chocolate chip pancakes are great because they can decide just how chocolatey they want to go. Also using garnishes or condiments to make smiley faces or race-cars (depending on their tastes)is a great way to get younger kids involved in cooking. Rice crispy Bars are always a hit at my house too. Basically, my advice is to choose simple one step meals (Rachel Ray has some great recipes) where you can slowly teach children about safety in the kitchen and basic measuring skills. Then, teach children about oven temps for different kids of foods and how to make a basic white sauce. Have fun cooking!