Plan the number of supervisors for the number of children present and the complexity of the task being undertaken. For example, the first time sharp knives are used with preschoolers, one adult for every two children would be best. Decisions will be based on how well the children respond to directions, previous skills in the kitchen, and the difficulty of the task. Supervision means giving positive, not negative, directions. Hints on how to do something give the child a way to check if the job is getting done correctly, so the task can be accomplished successfully.
Supervision also means clarifying the adult's job and the child's job.
Let the young child know that adults work with hot pots and pans or sharp or heavy equipment. Also, be sure to add the reason why. Explanations help children identify tasks within their capabilities and should prevent hasty, incorrect decisions when the adult is not looking or not present. The two-year old has many things to learn about coordinating muscles to get a job done. The two-year old can most easily learn to do food handling tasks which require the big muscles of the arms and legs.