Is 8 too young to use a sharp knife for cooking?

A sharp knife is safer than a blunt one.

From about age 2 or 3. Teach them how to do it safely with bridge technique and closely supervise with very strict rules in place about only using knives with supervision.

That's a really bad idea. A child or anyone needs to know how to use a knife safely.

OP if you don't already know, the hand not holding the knife should have the fingers folded so the knife side ( not the blade) brushes the knuckles.

Sharp knives are safer than blunt and 8 is more than old enough to start using one.

Have an 8-year-old who loves cooking things and making cups of tea and coffee. He can do pancakes from scratch.

Yes, he's touched the odd hot pan, etc., but I do the same, and I'm 40, so he'll probably never learn.

They’ve helped us cook dinner since they were old enough to stand. First they watch/steal pepper, then they rip the food apart, then they have a toddler knife, then they get annoyed with how blunt the toddler knife is and move onto to a normal knife with my hands on it too.

Before they were old enough to stand they were in a sling or being held whilst watching the cooking.

Seems like a pretty natural progression to me. They aren’t running round the house with knives, just helping with the broccoli!

Just seems weird letting toddlers use sharp knives, even supervised. Plenty of time for that when they are a bit older.

My 2 year old uses an adult knife with my hand on it too, my 4 year old under supervision.

By 8 I’m expecting to be able to give them a carrot and let them get on with it!

I think 8-10 is a good age to start with very carefully supervised and monitored "risky" things - I was pondering this recently because I saw a thread on reddit where a poster approx age 16/17 was worried they were the only person ever to be afraid of lighting the gas hob, and their parents were dismissive and thought they were being precious.

It kind of made me think that I probably learnt to light a hob at a much earlier age. And DS1 apparently was learning how to build and light fires on a camping holiday and school trip aged ~8-12 (we are in Germany where they have a more old fashioned approach to risk). If you think about it, if you were going to teach something risky to children this age you'd be very thorough and careful with it and educate them fully about the hazards and what to be aware of, but by the time someone is nearly an adult, it's not something you'd think to do because you'd assume it's obvious or patronosing to tell them. And I am not sure that it is, if you live by the more modern attitude of keeping everything that could possibly cause harm away from children, then suddenly just expect them to cope with it at 18. It's like we've skipped a stage in the middle.

Eight seems about right. Would definitely not start as toddlers.

Watch Joe Wick’s latest instagram reel where his 6 year old son is chopping garlic like a ninja with a huge sharp knife.
With correct instruction and supervision, kids can use knives / saws / chisels etc from nursery school age.

My kids both use sharp knives (5 and 7) with supervision and support. My eldest has poor fine motor control so I’m more cautious with him but it’s important he learns.

Quite young around five is suitable. My ten year old twins are competent so peeled Brussels sprouts and carrots for dinner yesterday. They’ve been helping cook since they were toddlers plus brownies/ guides.

Toddler age. A sharp knife used safely is much safer than a blunt knife, because you don't need to put any pressure on.

But teach them the basics like making a fist of their fingers (ie., not putting their fingers in the line of the knife!), always cutting onto a matt on a flat surface, always pressing gently, etc.

DD is 8 and I am teaching her to cut against her thumb, which is how I grew up cooking. But early on you definitely go for hyper-safety.

My 5 year old does with strict supervision. It does kind of set me on edge tho!

This is interesting as I’ve had far worse cuts from a peeler than a knife! 😂

3 is old enough to use a sharp knife under supervision. I think it depends what they are cutting too. Things like strawberries or cucumber (soft-ish with uneven surface) are easier (and safer to cut) than tomatoes or grapes (soft with smooth surface) or something hard/tough like a melon or turnip.

At 8 I might expect her to use a sharp knife to cut raw carrots with supervision.

I thought it was too young but I seem to be in the minority. I have an 8yr old and I just think she’s still too young. Would be scared she would cut herself even under supervision, it just takes one slip. Wouldn’t want to put her off for future either.

I was actually just talking to DH about when she shld be allowed to use the kettle and make tea. I’m sure I wasn’t much older. She doesn’t show an interest in cooking though. My 6yr old does. I let her peel carrots, stir the pans, use the blender and handheld mixer (with help) but yet to let her use a sharp knife. She can butter things with a butter knife.

I don’t tuck my fingers under when using knives, I’ve tried but it’s not comfortable, I’m just careful and haven’t cut myself. I’m not exactly a great role model for knife using!

Age is just a number…it depends on maturity and ability to follow instructions.

I think from age 6 she started using a small sharp knife to cut easier things like pepper/cucumber, she’s 9 now and uses the bigger knives and can cut carrots/broccoli etc. She loves helping with food prep.

From 4, with supervision

This is exactly what I did! With scissors too, her nursery were so surprised she cut out shapes.

Aged 7 on a Brownie camp, which made me realise I was being too cautious.

Thank goodness 😀 6 months later, when I did my back in and spent 10 days unable to move, she was able to cook simple things e.g. spag bol. I lay on the floor and talked her through it.

Both of mine were using the knife block knives by upper end of juniors. Think by that point the eldest was occasionally cooking the full family meal - but she is a really good little cook. Younger child is very dyspraxic so we were a bit more cautious but she had to learn as well at some point so we've just gone slow and steady.

I bought mine her own knife at age 3 and she's never had an accident with it.

Preschool age as long as they are supervised.