I don't know how tall you are, but both the kids and I (I'm just under 5'4") have benefited from counters at a lower height than the standard 36". In our last house we put in an island at 33", thinking it'd be good for rolling and kneading baking projects, but we loved it for everything, and that 3" difference was enough to make the kids feel so much more comfortable helping out. Now, in our new kitchen, we have 33 or 34" counters almost everywhere...Only 36" on the cleanup sink run and the breakfast counter where we keep the toaster oven.

It has been a really great thing to have zones (clean up, baking, cooking, prep, breakfast/snack, pantry), so we can all work in the kitchen at once without running into each other and fighting for workspaces. A properly placed prep sink has helped a lot with that.

We have a couple seats at the island, but instead of a longer island with more seating, opted to put in a 42" round table. That way kids can work on schoolwork without being in the way or in a splash zone, or play a game facing each other, instead of sitting in a line...All while still hanging out with and conversing with those who are cooking and/or baking. It also makes for some nice couple breakfasts when the crew isn't up yet...or nice late night girl-talk around a snack with my older daughters.

I've found it invaluable to have storage for a step stool within the kitchen. An extra 6" space gave us this idea in our last home and it was one of my favorite conveniences of the remodel.

I will probably think of more, but those are the things that come to me off the top of my head. It's been 17 years since our oldest was 4, and we have 8 kids. They love to participate and hang out in the kitchen and so do their friends. Even the teen boys end up baking cookies or something, and the crowd is growing that comes to join us for our weekly Friday Pizza Night. :-D

Extra seats and extra table space for those extra friendly faces you'll be feeding every single weekend in addition to your own crew!

I think putting a microwave down low is not a good idea for future. I have always wondered about this anyway. If your kid is so little that he can only reach a microwave in a base cab, should he really be MWing anyway? I would put it up in an upper cab, but you could make it come down a bit lower than the other cabinets.

Otherwise, i think homework space is a good idea.

Also, try to keep snack items and stuff the kids will access in one area. In my new kitchen, the pantry, MW and fridge are all very close to each other. Not sure how it will work, but I hope it will be efficient.

Good luck!

Like rhome410, I also have a large family. With 6 kids the kitchen got crowded so we added on. I suggest if you are planning on staying in this house, design so that as your kids get older they and their friends will be able to move around easily. Kids tend to hang out in the kitchen. I also like to plan for an area for a flat screen tv. Once the kids are in school I found it nice to be able to turn a tv on at 6 in the morning while I was preparing their breakfast. Also, I don't have to nag at them for taking their fresh baked cookies or whatever hot from the oven into my carpeted areas. My kids also like to eat at the island. Plan enough seating their if you are doing one.

The best recommendation I can give you is to not design a kitchen (or bathroom) around small children! Children grow up very, very quickly! Before you know it, they'll be preteens & teens...and that means adult-sized!

That said, I don't mean to make it too difficult for children to use either. For example, I don't recommend seating any higher than 36"...so that means no raised bar seating (42") or higher. But, I would also recommend that for someone w/o children and who plan to have no children (or they're already grown). Table-height and counter-height seating are more comfortable for everyone...children, preteens/teens, adults, senior-citizens.

Lower counters, but not too low, will work for both children and adults. Unless they're tall, adults will appreciate 30" - 33" counters for things like rolling dough and chopping food. For other things like clean up and cooking, 36" is fine...younger children can use a stool, if needed. I would even venture to say that, with few exceptions, if a child cannot reach a range or cooktop w/o a stool they're probably too young to be cooking! They could use a stool off to the side to watch you & learn, but with an adult "driving".

As to "space", I think a homework as well as computer space are good ideas. While they don't have to be right in the kitchen, having them within view is a good idea. Children should not be using the computer un-attended so being able to see it while in the kitchen will help greatly to keep an eye on them. For homework, having it in or near is best for helping them when they need it. Again, you can keep an eye on them to (1) make sure they're really doing it and (2) see if they seem to be struggling and may need you to help.

It's also nice to have everyone around...less isolation! With that in mind, I think an open plan will help bring everyone together regardless of what they're doing. Since we opened up our DR to the kitchen, we now have the FR, Kitchen, and DR all fairly open to one another and there is definitely more interaction than there was before.

Another recommendation is be sure you have a welcoming space for family meals. Since one of the top recommendations for keeping kids out of serious trouble is to eat dinner all together most nights, a place big enough for everyone to sit down together in a configuration that encourages conversation is a must! Yes, island/peninsula seating is fine for quick meals, but sitting in a straight line like most seating of this sort is not conducive to conversation...TV watching maybe, but not conversation! As a matter of fact, I think the TV shouldn't even be visible from the DR to discourage watching TV while eating family meals!

HTH!

Having the refrigerator in a place that doesn't get in the way of cooking is a must for me. We now have adult kids and grand kids. I know you can't think that far ahead but it happens fast. When they are around there is always someone standing and staring into the refrigerator. Some people even put in separate refrigerators or refrigerator drawers and cabinets for kids. Look at Morton5's really well thought out family kitchen (I hope that is ok Morton5).

Here is a link that might be useful: Morton5's beautiful kitchen