Cooking is a great party activity. Its hands-on, it’s creative, it can be done in a small group, and best of all it’s fun.
Let me give credit where it’s due and refer you to the kids cooking party article on FamilyFun. You’ll find several good ideas there, including paper and tissue paper chef hats that you can make for the kids [or if they're old enough they can make themselves as a craft activity at the beginning of your party]. The article also suggests putting names on placemats for the kids: I would suggest having them make their own placemats that also become a take-home. I’ll give you instructions for weaving paper placemats tomorrow.
The FamilyFun article suggests having the kids make lasagna. It’s a great idea, but lasagna is expensive to make. Pita pizzas would be more economical- cut the pitas in half so you have two flat halves, and top with bottled sauce, shredded cheese and pepperoni. While the pizza cooks, have the group make their salad- either regular salad where they wash and tear apart the lettuce, and cut and add tomatoes, cukes, peppers, carrots, or assemble the ‘Salad on a Stick’ mentioned in the article.
If your group is small enough, the kids old enough (i.e older than 8 or so), and you’re feeling adventurous, make the pizza dough ahead and let the kids try to shape it for individual sized pizzas.
After the pizza’s been devoured, bring out your pre-made cupcakes, the multiple colors of icing you’ve also made ahead of time, and the M&M’s, Reese’s Bits, sprinkles, chocolate jimmies and any other edible decorations they can use to finish up those cupcakes for their desert. Of course, the birthday child gets the one with the candles.
Kids birthday party themes are more than character plates, and as we find themes that the kids will like with relevant activities to keep them busy, we post them for you on our website.
