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

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DDs who’s 8 loves helping me in the kitchen but I’ve never let her have a sharp knife yet so she uses a peeler for carrots and potatoes and has a pull string chopper but I still do anything that needs a sharp knife.

What age did you let your child use a sharp kitchen knife?

Toddler age. They quickly learn.

Started at 4 with partner's daughter. Completely fine, just supervise.

I let my five year old use a sharp knife under supervision so I think 8 would be fine if she's sensible

8 is definitely okay to be using a knife, under supervision.

Norwegians start kids with knives from age 3. Under supervision of course.

Cubs definitely use knives (age 8).

We started DS under supervision from 6. He wasn't very good, but it's a process.

Eight is really when you should start imo. That gives three years before high school to learn basics. They will be doing cooking at most high schools.

I always say look at where you need to be and work backwards from that. Eight is reasonable especially if you don't have much time to do it frequently.

DD was 5 I think. They both started cutting mushrooms and things like that with a butter knife as toddlers and have been helping with cooking since they could stand. 8 is plenty old enough!

Sharp knifes are easier to use one always used sharp knives and scissors but were shown how to use them carefully

That’s fine at 8.

Teach her how to tuck her fingers under while cutting (holding with her knuckle) or make an arch with her fingers and thumb and cut in between

If you search for something like onion holder, vegetable prong holder, you'll find something with a handle and prongs you can use to hold the thing you're cutting still and away from your fingers, as a halfway house for when you start using a sharp knife.

Brownies and cubs both have cooking badges that involve using knives. Obviously under supervision.

i got mine using them from about 5.

Yes of course.

I started much younger than that, about 4-5 with supervision.

I think you're being overly cautious.

Also toddler age, sharp knives are safer than dinner knives when helping in the kitchen.

Around 3, obviously supervised, for our grandchild. At 5, extremely proficient now, loves cooking.

I started my dc on sharp knives under supervision between 4 and 6, and they were using them independently by 7 at the latest. Matches and fire-lighting, too. The later they were in the birth order, the earlier they started. Partly because they did things with their older siblings, partly because I had more attention to give to the younger one doing potentially dangerous things as the older ones needed less attention at that point. My youngest dc was doing all these things independently by 6, and cooking on the gas hob unsupervised by 7 (though only with permission and when I was at home).

I havebeen shocked when doing things like lighting candles with 10yos, that (a) they are afraid, and (b) they do not know how to strike matches. Dealing safely and confidently with fire and sharp knives are basic life skills!

Oops, double-posted.

About 4-5, but I chose the things to be chopped carefully. E.g. they didn't start with very hard things like carrots, and if a round thing like potato etc I would cut the bottom off first so that they had a flat surface and it wouldn't roll around.

Opinel (French brand) do a really cool kid's kitchen knife with a ring to train them where to safely position their fingers.

My DS is a bit older but nervous of knives (SEN) and I've got him one so he can start to help me cook.

depends on the child but with no special needs 8 is plenty old enough

similar to what others have said. A small sharp vegetable knife is easier to use.
For younger kids there is a lot they can do with a small pair of scissors.

Mine were using knives under very strict supervision, their favourite thing to help prepare was fajitas. I used to sit at the table with chopping boards and they loved it. They now at the age of 15 love cooking, one is doing hospitality GCSE, she wants to be a chef. They take it in turns to cook dinner at their request.

3 (They also do whittling at forest school with knives 😂), I was 5 when I first used one with mum in the kitchen

We use child safe knives, which are fine for chopping vegetables etc. My 6yo and 3yo can use them without much supervision as they can’t cut skin, but they chop up fruit and veg for snacks. When they use knives at nursery and at Rainbows, it’s the child-safe ones too.

This sort of thing:

https://amzn.eu/d/0Hkbels

I used to take Brownies on pack holiday where they all used to help cooking meals - sharp knives were definitely used under supervision, with rules such as no running, how to hold and pass knives etc being clearly explained before hand. They were aged 7-10.
My own kids were using them at 5.