For my Daughters 5th birthday, we planned a COOKING PARTY.
I made 12 aprons in advance out of heavy duty clothing fabric then stitched a rainbow ribbon around the whole thing. They each had a pocket on the lower half that I used puffy paint and wrote their names, after receiving RSVP. I bought a table cloth from the Party store that was like fabric with plastic underneath. I cut French chef hats out for each of them. My husband bought dowel rods from the Hardware store and cut small rolling pins out for them. We sent out two recipe cards, one with invition on it, requesting child, clothes that can get messy and an empty stomach. As an RSVP I request that the second card sent be filled out with the childs favorite recipe (food or project that is made in kitchen). The recipe requested that each child was placed in the kitchen at our home, left to cook for approx 2 1/2 hours and then picked up. The night before the party I made 4 different batches of cookie dough and had lots of mixins for the kids. I also made individual cakes which they all would decorate as they were gathering for the party. I also made homemade pizza dough, cut up pizza toppings and had them ready to go. (Pepperoni, Green/Black Olives, Tomatoes, Green Peppers, Minced Garlic, Onions, and sausage) I planned two games. "I know my Sugar and Spices". I placed 10 sugar and spices in a muffin tin and they were to tell me what they were, they really enjoyed this. The other, "Guess the kitchen utencil's," I had multiple things gather and had them raise their hands, children certainly pay attention. The last one was a garlic press, they passed it around and were clueless, then I added a garlic clove and one child got it. Outline of Party: When each child arrived, they received Apron and Chef hat, escorted to bathroom to wash hands, they sat at table and started to decorate cake with different colored base frostings and then sprinkles and whatever their little hearts desired. When done with decorating, they wrote their names on take home boxes and placed cake inside. When everyone was done with cakes, I passed out cookie dough and had them start mixing in chips, cherries, nuts, M&M's, and Marshmellow's. When done with this I had my kitchen helper (Adult) start to place in oven. While the cookies were baking we started our pizza's, each rolled out their own dough and then (helpers) helped pour Pizza Sauce on Pizza. Toppings were handed out and the pizza's were created, Each child had a design so the pizza's were not mixed up after cooking. While the pizza's were cooking, we played our games and then washed hands. Then it was present time since we needed time for the pizza's to cook. We opened gifts, played and then the pizza's were ready. We washed hands again and then ate pizza, the children enjoyed their very own creations. After pizza we sang happy birthday and presented my daughter with her pizza cake. I picked up a pizza box and make an 18 inch pizza the night before the party. Colored frosting red, I initally frosted the edges with white frosting then piped on the red frosting to resemble sauce. I spread shredded white chocolate on the pizza to resemble motzerella cheese. Then placed brown M&M's and cut fruit by the foot on pizza for toppings. The children thought it was awesome. They all had time to play before pickup time started. Their gift bags were red and white gingham paper bags, filled with apron, hat, rolling pin, cookie cutter (purchased at craft store), recipe book made from RSVP cards in advance, tied with ribbon, bagged cookies from party, and small kitchen tool with magnet on it for fridge, and cake they made. I received phone calls the next day thanking me for having such a wonderful party, they kids just loved it and the parents loved the recipe books.
