A Cooking Birthday Party for Kids

Imagine throwing a birthday party for your little one, where little elves come and do all the work… well sort of.  That is the idea of the cooking birthday party for kids. You’ve got the cooking and entertainment all in one and you’re not doing the work! #winning

Well there is a little bit more to it than that I suppose, I’ve taught a lot of kids cooking classes, so I have a few things to say about it. First of all, there’s no shame in going to a professional.  The Culinary Center of Kansas City in Overland Park is the big daddy in the kids cooking game; Whole Foods on 91st and Metcalf has a studio dedicated to classes and kids’ parties and A Thyme for Everything in Lee’s Summit has wonderful instructors! As someone who gets paid to routinely hand knives to kids while their parents catch up on Facebook and get some much needed downtime, I TOTALLY recommend hiring a chef if that’s what you’d like to do.

However if you’re game for a home birthday party that’s lots of fun and most of the action is done by little party goers then I have some ideas for you.

Pizza is obvious, but awesome.
Make a big batch of pizza dough. (I have a great recipe for you) Buy some toppings, and you are done.  Little ones need only top their pizzas with sauce and toppings and bigger kids can do all the chopping.

Tips:

• Put pizza toppings in muffin tins for easy/cheap separation.
• Invest in a roll of parchment paper so pizzas don’t stick to your pans.
• Lettuce knives are safer than real knives!

Kids really love to decorate stuff.
Psssst.  If you make a bunch of cupcakes the kids will do the rest… really! You won’t even have to buy a cake! Set out a myriad of toppings, have kids mix together simple icing and the cake portion of the party is done. Decorate for fun or have “cupcake wars.”

Tip: If you’re having a contest give out silly awards instead of “best cupcake” award “most alien friendly” or “best use of icing in a weird application.” It’s just supposed to be a fun day.

Kids will (usually) eat salad they make.
No kidding.  If they get to make it together, make the dressing, have the peer pressure of other kids liking it your kid may actually want to eat a vegetable-based dish.  I’m totally serious.

Tip: Kid friendly dressings rule here, pick something they all know and love (I’m looking at you, ranch)

Don’t forget pasta or rice.
Everyone’s favorite starches make the kid party. Fried rice is delicious easy kid food and a customizable vehicle for veg…you are welcome. As for pasta how can you go wrong? Kids love to make meatballs and a great sauce is theirs to spice!

Need more crafts crafty mom?
May I suggest aprons? Matching aprons for kid and doll even? Less hardcore, how about decorate your own paper chef hat? Or even make your own cookbook (crayons and writing down the recipe you just made are all that’s required) check it out, now your party favor is done, too!

Tips:

• Limit your menu to one or two things, kids want to go in depth and will have more fun with time to be creative.
• Print out recipes so kids can refer back to them.  Everybody learns differently, help out the visual and tactile learners by giving them something to look at.
• Show them what they’re going to do.  Demonstrate, and answer questions. They’ve all seen food tv, it will be cool I promise!
• I tell all the kids that cleaning up is part of being a chef, make them help you mama you deserve it! (Most important tip of the day)