Cooking Birthday Parties for Children

Have your cake and bake it, too, with these cooking party ideas.

Birthday parties for children don't have to just be a massive sugar-fueled play-date. Celebrations offer great opportunities to introduce kids of all ages to the art of cooking. By incorporating cooking ideas into your child's birthday party, you can celebrate the day and teach guests about nutrition, kitchen safety, cooking basics and the importance of community.

Party with Pizza

Introduce young guests to the joys of cooking (and save yourself the hassle of catering to picky eaters) by hosting a party with a pizza-making theme. Buy pre-made individual crusts at your local grocery store, as well as sauce, cheese and a variety of pizza toppings. Let each guest customize their crust to their liking, then bake pizzas in the oven (no more than four at a time to ensure proper baking). Use this as an opportunity to teach children about kitchen safety, as well as a fun way to get their creative cooking juices flowing.

Tip-Top Taffy Pull

Sweets are a welcome treat for guests of any age, and making old-fashioned taffy to send home with guests is a fun way to incorporate cooking into a child's birthday party. Lay down tarps over your kitchen floor to protect it from splatters and spills, then instruct guests to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water. Following your favorite taffy recipe, let young guests help you measure ingredients, then cook the taffy as instructed. When taffy is cool enough to handle, divide guests into two equal groups and have them pull and fold the taffy until it has been thoroughly stretched. When taffy is hardened, snip or cut into bite-size pieces and send home in individual bags with your guests.

Stirring Up Surprises

For children in their early teens, and for those who want a healthful alternative to sugary sweets, host a soup-making party. In the invitation, assign a vegetable to each guest. When they arrive, assemble in the kitchen for a tutorial on basic cooking techniques. Show guests the proper, safe method for dicing, julienning, shaving and slicing vegetables. Supervise as guests learn how to prepare their given vegetable, making sure they handle their knives carefully to avoid any nicks or cuts. When the vegetables are ready, simmer in chicken, beef or vegetable broth until tender. Serve your soup with warm bread. Not only is this a great way to teach kids cooking basics, but it's a great way to teach the value of community. After all, without each guest's addition, the soup wouldn't be nearly as special or delicious.

Restaurant for Rent

If there's a particular restaurant that your child enjoys, talk to the management about scheduling a cooking class on site. Most restaurants are at their slowest in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday, which may limit your scheduling opportunities. However, restaurants come equipped with expert chefs, ample cooking space and a staff to help with clean-up.

References

• Pioneer Thinking: Old-Fashioned Taffy Pull Party
• Cooking Party - Bithday Party Ideas