There are two trains of thought when it comes to children's knives. There are those that are happy for their children to use 'child safe' knives. These are knives like the Rikon Kuhn KinderKitchen and KiddiKutter (AU), that can be used from a young age as they are blunt, they are not sharp enough to cut a child's hand.
There are others that prefer their child to use a 'real' (sharp, but with a round tip) knife as soon as practicable. In all of the Montessori toddler classes I've attended, the children use real knives under close supervision. The benefit of using a real knife is that the food is easier to cut and the children learn to safely and respectfully use a real knife from the start. I've given my children, child-safe knives (we particularly love the KinderKitchen Serrated Knife) under three years. As my children reach four years, we start using a sharper knife like the Opinel Le Petit Chef Knife (AU here), or a paring knife or similar.
But let's talk about KiddiKutter knives. These are possibly Australia's most popular Child Safe Knives - based on my rough count of Australian toddlers using them on Instagram! KiddiKutter is an Australian brand that is available worldwide. We've used the KiddiKutter knife previous but I was super excited to try out their new and improved knives. The new range includes the KiddiKutter Wooden Edition and the KiddiKutter - New Edition (which comes in eight different 🌈 colours).
I want to note these aren't necessarily the Montessori option but they are a safe way to introduce children to knives. They may be particularly useful for children and adults with additional needs, and even just for busy parents who don't want the risk of the child cutting themselves.
Otto (4yrs) above is using the new KiddiKutter Wooden Edition. I love the aesthetics of this knife, it has a stainless-steel blade and a beechwood handle. Because of the wooden handle, this knife is to be hand-washed only. With a bit of effort Otto can cut through hard foods like carrot, although I recommend starting with softer foods. These knives need to be used with a sawing (back and forth) motion to cut through the food.
Above Otto is using the KiddiKutter - New Edition. The cutting blade is thinner than the original to make it easier to cut foods while still keeping it safe for little fingers. Of course, check it for yourself, but there is no way to cut yourself with these knives, they are truly child safe. The KiddiKutter - New Edition can go into the top rack of the dishwasher. It comes in a fun range of colours too! The handle of this knife also feels a little grippy.
KiddiKutter Wooden Edition top, and the KiddiKutter - New Edition in Pink bottom.
If you are interested in other children's knives check out our previous post We Road Test Ten Children's Kitchen & Chef Knives. Here's What We found! For Ages 2-12yrs + Safety Accessories.
Otto uses this kitchen helper (on the lowest height level) to safely work at the kitchen counter.
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