Inclusion by Design — Celebrating 35 Years of the ADA!

• Knock knock. Who’s there? Bean. Bean who? Bean waiting for a class where everyone gets to join in!

 In all seriousness, creating spaces where everyone belongs isn’t just a goal — it’s a responsibility.

At Sticky Fingers Cooking®, inclusion isn’t a checkbox, it’s part of the recipe from the start. As we recognize the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we’re reflecting on what it means to create learning spaces where every child feels welcomed, supported, and expected to thrive.

The Vision

Sticky Fingers Cooking® began with a personal commitment. After her oldest child was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, our founder, Erin Fletter, saw how many kids’ programs treated inclusion as an afterthought – offering basic safety precautions perhaps, but rarely true belonging. She set out to build something different: a cooking program where every child could feel safe, capable, and included. That was nearly 15 years ago, and that vision still guides how we design, teach, and connect with every child.  

Designing for Access

When families register, they’re invited to share details about allergies, learning differences, and access needs. This information helps us prepare environments where everyone can participate fully and confidently. 

Sticky Fingers Cooking® recipes are 100% nut-free and intentionally flexible. We routinely adapt ingredients to accommodate a range of dietary needs – dairy-free, gluten-free, sesame-free, and more – so all kids can cook and taste safely, together. 

Inclusion isn’t one-size-fits-all (and that’s the point). We’ve taught kids using wheelchairs, kids with limb differences, and students with hearing and/or vision impairment. In partnership with the American Diabetes Association, we’ve designed camps where kids living with diabetes can cook confidently in environments that support their medical needs. At The Learning Zone at Real Life Colorado we recently led cooking sessions for K–8 students with complex communication needs who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. 

The point is: cooking doesn’t depend on any single way of moving, learning, or communicating. It depends on access, opportunity, and the recognition that every child has something to contribute. As we mark the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we recommit to what the law represents for: equity, dignity, and the right to participate fully.

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Our kitchen doors remain open — not just in principle, but in practice — because cooking is for everyone! 

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