Every year, students desperately wait for the moment the bell rings for the last time, signaling the start of a two-month long break. However, this is the moment every parent dreads. “How will I keep my child busy? What can I do to keep my child from being on the phone all day? What activities can we do to spend quality time as a family?” These are only a few of the countless questions racing through parents’ heads as the students are dismissed from school before the summer break. Fortunately, there is an answer to all of these questions!
Baking is an amazing way to keep your children busy and entertained while they are home for the break. Baking is not only fun, but it is a great way to foster children’s creativity, collaboration, and organization skills. Many parents are hesitant about baking with children due to all the safety hazards in the kitchen. However, there are ways to allow your children to engage in baking while keeping all the dangerous items out of sight.
For instance, all you need to bake homemade cookies is cookie dough and any toppings your heart desires. I recommend buying or making all the ingredients ahead of time, so all the children have to do is assemble and design the cookies. This is where children can unleash their creativity as there are no rules or limitations to how a cookie should look like!
If you are looking for a healthier alternative, perhaps fruit skewers may interest you! All you need for this recipe is some fruit of choice and wooden skewers. You may also choose to pre-cut the fruit to avoid having the knife out in front of your kids. And like with the cookies, let your children’s creativity take control here! There is no wrong way to make these delicious treats, they will all taste amazing.
Finally, I saved the best for last…. homemade pizza! Who doesn’t love a fresh and warm pizza right out of the oven? Just like with the previous two recipes, pizza can be completely customizable and tailored to your needs and desires. Want to make it healthy? Use whole-wheat dough. Want to spice it up? Add new and unusual toppings. Want to make it extra cheesy? Add all the cheese your heart wants. There is no way to go wrong with pizza and your child will look forward to making it all day.
Summer break doesn’t have to be a hassle. Rather, utilize this time to spend quality time and bond with your children, and what better way to do that than by baking with them!