Guest Contributor Barbara Beery
What better way to welcome a new baby coming into a family with kids than an unforgettable parent-child Cooking Shower. Barbara Beery, who is also our very own "Kids Cooking Diva," dishes on creating a magical event ripe for parent-child bonding while giving special attention to Big Brothers- and Sisters-to-Be! Using The Shower Diva's Methodology of Plan, Prepare and Party!™, come along with me and let's find out how celebrity chef Barbara Beery works her magic!
PLAN
The power of one. Working with one recipe at a time keeps the kitchen organized and kid patience in check. Select recipes that are ideal for kids of a range of ages to participate in, such as the recipes suggested here. Donut Ice Cream Treats and Fancy Fruit K-Bobs are clever enough for older children and simple enough for kids as young as 2-1/2 to make. Smaller kids love cutting out pastry for Flower Quiche Cups. For a real crowd pleaser, try the Lemonade Lagoon Coolers. Each kid can get a half lemon to squeeze. The biggest deal for kids is showing adults what they've done. You'll find these recipes in the recipe section
It's yours! The most important thing about working with kids in the kitchen is giving them their very own everything. Ideally, each kid would get about a square foot of workspace supplied with everything she needs. If there's baking involved, use a Sharpie to write his/her name on tin foil. That way, when it comes out of the oven, the creation gets returned to its creator and tragedy is averted. Small lunchroom cafeteria trays, plates, foil work great. I love small lunchroom cafeteria trays; they're durable and available at restaurant supply stores.
Group effort. If a recipe calls for ingredients to be placed in a single bowl, split up the tasks. If you've got twelve kids, try to find a recipe with 12 ingredients. Then, send one bowl around as each child puts in his ingredient and magic touch. Diva note: Ooh, Barbara, way to share the love!
Favorite favors. Cafeteria trays, tools and utensils the kids can use again make instant party favors. I like to send them home with eco-friendly tote bags filled with baking utensils they've used. That way, they can use them again and again. Restaurant supply companies are a great source for creative favors.
Clean up. Cooking involves clean up. That's part of the deal. Creating a target destination for trash makes cleaning easier for kids. Place a punch bowl on the table and instruct everyone to put all scraps, clippings and trash in the "trash bowl." Plan to fill up the sink with soapy water, then instruct the kids to drop all their utensils in the water before moving on to the next activity. Each child should also be supplied with a pop-up sponge he can use to wipe up his area and voila, clean kitchen.
PREPARE
Arrange your workspaces. A regular-height table is the safest workspace for kids and parents. Taking all the chairs away will prevent kids from falling. Kids will be okay to stand. Setting up the area in a bar fashion with parents and kids getting their own work area works best. Card tables also make great work surfaces. The trick with both parents and kids according to Barbara is to "Let the child do what they want to do" instead of aiming for perfection.
Gather the tools for the task. If a recipe calls for cutting, supply kids with popsicle sticks or craft sticks instead of knives. The back of a spoon can easily be used to frost a cupcake instead of a knife. Small spatulas and big safety knives made especially for kids are also available.
Scope out gathering spots. If you seat guests together at a table, intermingle kid-friendly table décor with adult. Depending on how far along in her pregnancy your guest of honor Mom-to-Be is, you could spread blankets outside and create a festival of picnics. Kids love picnics.
Honor the Big Brother or Big Sister. Plan on making the soon-to-be Big Brother or Big Sister a big part of the celebration. If you're making cupcakes, give the Big Brother or Big Sister a larger cupcake or one with special decorations to celebrate their rising to the occasion of being the brother or sister of a newborn.
Honor your Mom-to-Be Guest of Honor. Surrounding mom with her children and friends is a celebration in itself. Make her place setting special. Or, if she'd rather get some social time apart from the kids, set up a parent table and a kid table. Either way, the Cooking Shower will be one guests won't soon forget.
Prep, prep, prep! Keep it simple with one recipe at a time. Working on one recipe is easier for everyone to learn and comprehend. Having everything divided and ready for each guest to make is crucial. For example, if you're making Fruit K-Bobs, cut up all of the fruit and supply each child with a cup of fruit to work with.
PARTY!
Think: Cooking Show. When guests enter the kitchen, their work areas should be ready to go. Supplies ready. Trash bowl ready. Kitchen sink filled with sudsy water. Oven preheated. What you don't want is downtime. You have to keep kids engaged all the time. Don't forget kids' pride of ownership. Keep counter space clear so kid projects can land and be claimed to their rightful creator.
Play favors. Have your favors ready to go home. Writing kids' names on the bags is always a good idea. Top off with a fun sparkly glitter twist-tie and make it extra special.
Have fun! As with many events, with a Cooking Shower, most of the work is in the preparation. You might find yourself with more time to take it all in during the actual party. At the end of our cooking classes, I tell the kids to throw pop-up sponges at me. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen! Kids have such an edge on magical fantasy. There's nothing more fun than watching kids at a party.
Diva tip: If you don't have many friends that have children, you can easily adapt Barbara's simple recipes for yourself. She's actually taught plenty of parents how to cook just by teaching their children how to cook! Her easy-to-make and easy-to-please recipes are just perfect for shower guests. I especially love her Princess-Tea Party recipes. One doesn't need children for these, but it's guaranteed to bring out the kid in each one of us! So why not make it a day filled with fun with your best girlfriends. Don your tiaras and bring out your fancy boas. Get some high heels on and snap some pretty pictures. I'd love to see them when you're through! Share your stories by email with me or on my facebook page at facebook.com/theshowerdiva.
About Barbara Beery: Take 12 to 15 kids, combine them with one exceptional cook, stir in a bachelor's degree in elementary education and 20 years of teaching experience and watch the magic happen.
Over the past 20 years Barbara has taught thousands of children through year-round classes, cooking birthday parties and summer cooking camps. Unlike other children's activities that require years of dedication and skill, cooking offers instant gratification with one major ingredient – imagination. While creativity and fun are the primary goals, kids also get the added benefit of tapping into science, math and reading.
The momentum behind Batter Up Kids, Inc. has led to many other successful ventures including the launch of a new, innovative website just for kids cooking products called, www.kidscookingshop.com.
Kids Cook! Austin opening June 5. See www.kidscookingshop.com for details!
