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I wanted to share a new #Holiday with you which takes place on August 24 National Knife Day #KnifeDay. Knives are used in our daily lives in so many ways that I thought it would have been fun to study knives when Charlie was #Homeschooling but since Charlie has graduated that doesn’t mean learning should stop
Our family enjoys cooking and we need to upgrade our pots and pans and why not upgrade our knives as well. I found 12-PC Colorful Kitchen Knife Set, I would like to get for our kitchen. As well as this pocket knife for Charlie for Christmas and this pocket knife for David.
To get out of the house this week I was thinking we would visit a knife store so the guys can check out the knives in person. Then stop by a cooking store to look at pots and pans and see if they have any knives. Would you want to come with us?
Here is a lesson plan on knives you can use with your children?
Teaching knife skills in a homeschool setting can be both practical and empowering. Especially when done with safety and confidence-building in mind. Here’s a structured lesson plan tailored for homeschoolers, blending hands-on learning with essential safety principles.
Homeschool Knife Skills Lesson Plan
Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Identify different types of kitchen knives and their uses
- Demonstrate proper knife grip and guiding hand technique
- Apply basic knife safety rules
- Perform simple cutting techniques (e.g., slicing, dicing, chopping)
Introduction (15 minutes)
- Discussion Prompt: “Why do we use knives in cooking? What makes knives dangerous?”
- Visual Aid: Show various knives (chef’s knife, paring knife, bread knife, etc.)
- Safety Talk: Emphasize that a sharp knife is safer than a dull one
Safety First (20 minutes
- Knife Rules:
- Always cut away from your body
- Keep fingers curled under (the “claw” grip)
- Never leave knives in a sink
- Use a damp towel under the cutting board to prevent slipping
- Resting Position: Teach that knives should be placed down safely when not in use
Hands-On Practice (30–45 minutes)
- Activity: Practice cutting soft items like bananas or cucumbers with a child-safe knife
- Progression: Move to firmer items like carrots or apples as confidence builds
- Technique Focus:
- Slicing vs. chopping
- Uniform cuts for even cooking
- Using a bench scraper to transfer ingredients safely
Clean-Up & Review (15 minutes)
- Sanitation: Demonstrate how to clean knives safely
- Sharpening Demo: Show how to use a honing steel or sharpening stone
- Quiz/Game: Match knife types to their uses or play “Knife Safety Jeopardy”
Optional Resources
- Knife Skills & Kitchen Safety PDF – Great for printable handouts
- Kids Knife Skills Homeschool Course – A full cooking class designed for homeschoolers
- Culinary Arts Knife Skills Lesson Plan – More advanced curriculum for older students
Would you like a version of this Lesson Plan tailored for younger kids, teens, or even a multi-age group? I can also help you build a printable checklist or quiz to go with it.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
