Annabel Karmel's Cooking Playdate Ideas

Editor’s note: The following is a guest post written by Annabel Karmel, the British children's chef and kiddie cookbook author. This week Annabel shares some kid-friendly recipes ideal for a cooking playdate.


I have three children of my own and some of my happiest memories have been spending time with them in the kitchen. It became clear early on that one of the things that my children loved was helping me in the kitchen and so from the age of 3 I involved them. The delight and pride they showed in baking something themselves gave me a huge feel-good factor . . . and I also knew that they were learning many skills that would stand them in good stead later in life.


A great way to maintain children’s interest is to have cooking playdates. Invite their friends round and have them choose a recipe they would like to cook. Remember children have short attention spans, so offer them recipes that are easy and provide reasonably quick results. Be prepared for mess and repeating simple instructions frequently, but the end will result in proud, happy children, willing to try new foods!