Children's Cooking Party
Easy Menu and Activity Ideas for Chef-Themed Kid's Birthday
For your child’s next birthday party, invite his or her friends over for a meal they prepare. This simple menu of fruit kabobs with yogurt dip, quick-rise pizza and berry shortcakes can be prepared by groups of children as young as four. For maximum success, do the prep work of slicing fruit and pizza toppings ahead of time.
Preparations for the Cooking Party
Get everyone excited about the party by sending out a menu themed invitation like the example pictured below. Shop for the food, and then handle a few more pre-party preparations:
- Cut a variety of fruit into one-inch cubes and place each fruit in a separate bowl.
- Label small bowls or ramekins with each child’s name. Prepare 2 bowls per child.
- Prepare pizza toppings, such as, sliced mushrooms, pepperoni, peppers, tomatoes, olives, and sun- dried tomatoes. Grate a mix of provolone, cheddar, and mozzarella cheeses. Put each topping in a separate bowl.
- Mince garlic.
- Cut two 4” x 4” squares of parchment paper per party guest.
A half hour before the party begins, set out and organize all of the ingredients and cooking tools. Then make fizzy punch by mixing together 22 oz. of lemon lime soda with 11 cups of fruit juice. A child’s favorite juice or a blend would both be delicious.
As guests arrive, hand them cups of fizzy punch and have them decorate chef’s aprons. Plain canvas, child-sized aprons can be purchased at craft stores or online at party supply warehouses, such as Oriental Trading Company. Provide fabric markers for children to write their names across their aprons and add whatever embellishments they like.
Make Quick Rise Pizza Dough
Use quick rise yeast to mix pizza dough from a favorite recipe. Let children take turns placing ingredients in the bowl and stirring. When it is time to knead the dough, give each child a portion of the dough to knead and then replace it all in the bowl. Cover and set aside to rise while the children prepare the rest of the meal.
String Fruit Kabobs with Yogurt Dip
Show children how to string the fruit cubes onto skewers without poking their hands. Encourage children to make a number of different skewers. Make the dip by scooping ¼ cup of yogurt into each child’s labeled bowl. Place honey and two or three varieties of jam on the table. Invite children to choose a mix-in to stir, one teaspoon at a time, into their yogurt. Refrigerate the yogurt cups while the young chefs prepare the other parts of the meal.
Savor Berry Shortcakes for Dessert
Have children add sugar to berries, and set them aside to macerate. Lead the children to make an 8 or more serving sweet biscuit dough. A good one can be found in the October 2009 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. Using parchment paper with children’s names on them as work surfaces, scoop an individual amount of biscuit dough in front of each child. Have them shape the dough into mounds. Bake to recipe specifications.
Cool the biscuits on a wire rack. Later, when it is time to eat, cut each child’s biscuit in half crosswise. Children can spoon ice cream and berries onto one half of the biscuit and then top with the other biscuit half for a yummy ice cream sandwich.
Finish the Pizzas
Let each child prepare his or her own pizza sauce. Place ¼ cup of tomato paste into each child’s second labeled bowl. Provide olive oil, garlic, parsley, pepper, salt, and oregano for children to add to the paste as they desire. Encourage children to sniff and taste small amounts of unfamiliar ingredients so that they can decide what to add to their sauce.
The pizza dough should now have had sufficient time to rise. Portion the dough onto the second of each child‘s parchment paper. Children can shape their dough, spread on some sauce, and then choose desired toppings. Write each child’s name on the parchment paper in pencil so you will know to whom each belongs when it comes out of the oven.
Play Cooking Related Games
While the pizza is cooking, play some food inspired outdoor games like egg and spoon relays or hot potato. Then, bring the children back inside to feast on their creations. For a special touch, bring the children to a table set with tablecloths, cloth napkins, flatware, and china, porcelain, or any non-plastic plates.
As the party comes to a close, take a picture of each child in apron and chef’s hat to tuck into thank you notes later. Send guests home with full bellies, their aprons, and a chef’s hat full of cooking-related treats like cupcake stickers, recipe cards, small wooden spoons and spatulas, or plastic eggs filled with candy. The chef’s party will be one they remember
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Menu-Themed Birthday Party Invitation
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