Summer Kid’s Camp: Cooking With Kids

It’s natural to worry about your kids losing some of what they learned in school over the summer. But, it’s also hard to justify making them study or practice while they should be outside having fun. Luckily, we’ve got a kid’s summer camp solution that’s the best of both worlds. Cooking with kids!

Kid’s cooking is one of the best ways to bond with your children while having fun and secretly building valuable skills. That’s why the final theme in our Summer Kid’s Camp series is Cooking With Kids.

Summer Cooking Games for Kids

Cooking time is bonding time. It builds self-esteem and makes kids more willing to try new foods. Plus, it actually helps teach children valuable math, reading and chemistry skills. And with the countless unhealthy options available to children, it can teach them the value of healthy eating.

Use the following activities and cooking games for kids to get your campers excited about being in the kitchen:

• Test children on the basic rules of cooking
• Take a trip to a local farmer’s market
• Have children identify different foods while blindfolded
• Let kids write a story about their idea of the perfect meal
• Visit a local restaurant and tour the kitchen
• Pick a culture and study all the different foods from that region
• Give kids a basket of ingredients and tell them to create something new

Summer Cooking Craft Project With Kids

(Photo courtesy of Amy Renea. Get detailed instructions for her kid’s chef apron.)

Cooking by itself is a fun and creative process, but by adding in a personalized craft project your lessons will stick and kids will be even more excited about cooking.

Every good chef needs an apron! Creating a personalized apron is a great way to get your campers thinking creatively before they try out their skills in the kitchen.

What you’ll need:

• Kid’s apron
• Kid’s chef hat
• Fabric paint
• Fabric rhinestones
• Fabric iron-ons
• Fabric glue

Directions:

1. Prepare your work area by covering tables with plastic and making sure kids are wearing old clothing that can get dirty.
2. Have kids make a template that says “Chef” or let them freehand their name onto the aprons. Learn how to make a simple cardstock template for a kid’s chef apron from our blogger, Amy Renea
3. Allow children to use any color fabric paint to fill in the letters and add any other freehand designs.
4. Once the paint is dry, use fabric rhinestones, iron-ons or other embellishments to personalize the aprons.
5. Let dry, and enjoy!

Get inspired by the clever kid’s aprons created by some of our Crafts Unleashed bloggers. Learn how to create Katie’s natural fabric dyed apron and Jenny’s mother-daughter apron set.

Summer Recipes for Kids

What good is a kid’s cooking camp without some great recipes to try? Your recipes can differ based on the age group of your campers and their culinary expertise. However, there are always staples that are pretty safe for any age and any taste buds.

Here’s just a few to get you started:

• Kitchen s’mores
• Grilled cheese sandwiches
• Banana bread
• Fruit smoothies
• Rice krispie treats (kids can dye the treats different colors)
• Chocolate pudding or jello
• Pancakes
• Monkey bread
• Popsicles
• Sugar cut-out cookies
• Homemade hot chocolate
• Chocolate covered strawberries

All it takes is one quick trip to Pinterest and you’ll find more recipe ideas than you could ever make in one day. Find things that will get the kids out of their comfort zones and exploring new food groups.

Thanks for being a part of our Kid’s Summer Camp Series. Hopefully you’ve found some inspiration.

Have any kid’s camp ideas of your own? We’d love to hear them. Comment below.

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