You can find a local cooking school, a health store that specializes in this, or even a food preparation business that host children’s classes. Some places have a special program for hosting birthday parties. Just be sure that the organizer and instructor is well versed in dealing with and teaching children.

Choose a dish that’s easy enough for them to cook and one that appeals to even the pickiest kid. Try for a chicken dish, pizza or a hamburger if the owner can accommodate that. Then you take them to the cooking source, give them a bit of instruction, introduce them to food tastes textures and facts, and let the cooking fun begin!

By Chris Molnar from Winnipeg, Canada. Chris is a writer, proud Dad of two preschool kids, and contributes theme party ideas to various websites. He is editor of Themeaparty.com

If you want a fun and memorable theme for a party, then let them cook! So long as they are the right age and you come up with a delectable treat that is easy enough to make, the kids will love them. The most important part of a kids cooking party is preparation so think it through and then let the kids cook and enjoy their first big meal.

Getting Ready

The most important part of a kids cooking party is that you get everything prepared. You will likely have to do the chopping the night before as you don’t want to leave that much work for them. You want them to feel involved and let them create their own culinary masterpiece, but you do want to do some of the preparation work ahead of time to make it easy and enjoyable.

You also want to be sure that each child gets their own little station that they can put things together and then get everything ready to cook. Divide the ingredients and the supplies into equal parts so that each child has what they need to create. Then set up little stations so that with your instruction they can get ready. With the right food and a bit of instruction, kids can really enjoy cooking and have a fun party!

A True Pizza Party

Kids love pizza, they absolutely adore it! This means that it works well as the theme of a party and of course the delectable masterpiece that they will create. You can give each of them their own blob of dough to start with here. Let them roll it out and stretch it to get it just right for the toppings. Let them have their practice with the rolling pin and feel the dough so that they get a feeling for the texture.

Then, let the fun begin! Have them scoop on their own tomato sauce, just to their liking. Then comes the cheese and with both of these things there is no right or wrong – let them throw on as much or as little sauce and cheese as they like. Give them loads of different toppings to play with and use, and encourage them to have fun with it, like making a smiley face with toppings.

This type of activity is also perfect for a party with a theme – for instance, if it’s an Elmo birthday party, you can easily made his face as the pizza – add mushrooms and the cut ends of black olives for his eyes, mushrooms for his nose, and strips of bacon or pepperoni for his mouth!

Offer up favorites like pepperoni, ham, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and throw in some different things like olives and carrots. Then each child takes their turn at putting their own little pizza on a baking sheet or pizza stone, with your help.

When they come out it’s time to smell, eat, and enjoy! Get pictures of their little pizzas and the fun that they had putting them together.

Pasta, Pasta, Everywhere

Kids love spaghetti because it’s such fun to eat and yet so yummy too! So if you want to get them set up for some culinary fun, let them make their own delicious pasta dish. You can let the kids take turns at throwing different types of noodles into the hot water, just be sure that you supervise with this step.

You can prepare the sauce ahead of time but just let them take turns at stirring it and seeing it bubble. Then set up a fun pasta bar where they can create their own yummy pasta dish. Have out a few sauces such as marinara, meat sauce, and Alfredo to please any taste.

Cook up a few different types of pasta, and separate them in different bowls. Once cooled a bit, let them build their owl meal. Some suggested types of pasta include long angel hair, curly rotini, exotic seashells and fun bowties. They then get to put on their own toppings such as olives, meat crumbles, veggies like peppers and carrots, and of course a couple types of cheese.

A pasta party is sure to please and yet it’s so easy to do!

For other children’s party ideas try a cupcake making party or going to a cooking classroom.

From Chris Molnar, Winnipeg, Canada. Chris is a writer, proud Dad of two preschool kids, and contributes theme party ideas to various websites. He is editor of Themeaparty.com.

Then let the kids watch as the cupcakes bake up to perfection in the oven. In the meantime, show them different frostings and sprinkles, read a book on baking, or sing to some songs.

Once the little gems have cooled, remove from the pan and place in a freezer for five minutes. Then they can decorate their own cupcakes. Have out frostings in varieties like chocolate, white, strawberry, and funfetti. Put out sprinkles, candies, sparkles, and gel frosting that they can write on the cupcake with. This is delicious, super easy and they will love to create their own tasty cupcake!

By Chris Molnar from Winnipeg, Canada. Chris is a writer, proud Dad of two preschool kids, and contributes theme party ideas to various websites. He is editor of Themeaparty.com

Ingredients

1 large bought pizza base
4 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups grated cheese

1. Heat the oven to 220° C.
2. Lay pizza base on a lightly floured board
3. Place a saucer over the pizza base  so that you can cut two circles from the base
4. Spread each with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
5. Scatter grated cheese over the top
6. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

 Note

You can use this pizza to introduce your child to new or different toppings.  The child is more likely to try something new if it is on something they have made themselves. This can be a useful idea if you have a child who is not keen on trying something new or is a fussy eater.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons water
Food colouring (yellow, red, blue and green)
1 packet vanilla wine biscuits
small sweets, such as jelly beans, pebbles (chocolate inside and brightly coloured coating)
licorice straps
Hundreds and thousands (or sprinkles)

Method

1. Sift icing sugar into a bowl and add enough water to make a spreadable paste
2. Divide paste into several small bowls, one for each colour
3. Add 2 drops of food colouring to each bowl, using  a different colour in each
4. Spread about a teaspoon of icing onto the biscuit and then use the sweets to make the faces
5. Complete the face with pieces of licorice strap and hundreds and thousands