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Lesson 2 of 12
Knife Skills & Fruit Salad
What You'll Learn
- The claw grip that protects your fingers
- How to hold a knife properly
- How to make a cutting board stable (damp towel trick)
- Slicing soft foods into even pieces
Safety Checklist
- Always cut AWAY from your body
- Use the claw grip on your non-cutting hand — every time
- Put a damp towel under the cutting board so it doesn't slide
- Never leave a knife near the edge of the counter
Watch & Learn
Ingredients & Tools
Ingredients
- 5–6 strawberries
- 1 banana
- 1 apple
- 1 orange (pre-peeled by adult)
Tools
- Kid-safe knife
- Cutting board
- Medium mixing bowl
- Damp towel
Let's Cook!
- Set up your station (Lesson 1 routine)
- Place the damp towel under your cutting board so it doesn't slide
- Practice the claw grip 5 times before touching any food: curl fingertips under, knuckles face the knife, flat side of blade rests against your knuckles
- Strawberries: Hold with claw grip. Slice off the green top. Cut in half. Cut each half in half. Into the bowl.
- Banana: Peel it. Lay it on the board. Claw grip. Slice into rounds about as thick as your pinky finger.
- Apple: Your adult cuts it into quarters and removes the core. You take each quarter and slice it into thin pieces using the claw grip.
- Orange: Already peeled. Pull it apart into segments. Cut big ones in half.
- Gently mix everything together with a spoon. Serve and eat!
Pro Tips
- Wet fruit is slippery — pat it dry with a paper towel first
- Aim for pieces that are roughly the same size
- Go slow. Speed comes with practice, not pressure.
Skills Checklist
- I used the claw grip every time I cut
- I cut away from my body
- I put a damp towel under the cutting board
- My fruit pieces are roughly the same size