Get your kids interested in cooking by ditching the rules and the recipes.Try letting them loose in the kitchen to create their own culinary masterpieces using ingredients of their own choosing.

Once or twice a month, my eight-year-old will declare that it is Secret Recipe Time and we head for the kitchen. She carefully examines the contents of the pantry and fridge and chooses her ingredients. While she measures and mixes, my job is to keep track by writing it all down on a recipe card. In the end, we bake it or freeze it or whatever she thinks is best and then, of course, we have to eat it. The results are not always edible, but the experience is priceless.

This freedom in the kitchen allows her to experiment and learn first-hand what flavors work well together. And regardless of the outcome, she is learning to love the art of creating in the kitchen. Now, if she could just learn to love the art of cleaning in the kitchen, I would be set.

This week's DailyDish is all about cooking with kids. What's your favorite tip for cooking with little ones?