How to Whip Up a Chef-Themed Kid’s Birthday Party
Updated: Jul. 18, 2022
If your kiddo loves to help in the kitchen, they'll get a kick out of inviting their friends over to be mini chefs for a day.
Some kids just love to cook. Nikki Tombetta knows this best. When her whisk-wielding 4-year-old requested a chef-themed birthday party, she simply couldn’t resist.
From construction paper chef’s hats to hands-on activities, here are a few fun ideas Nikki came up with for pulling off the ultimate kids birthday party.
P.S. Here are 50 recipes you can bake with kids. Honest!
Get into Costume
A personalized apron for the birthday girl or boy make them feel like a top chef on their big day. We love this pretty apron available on Etsy. For a cute party favor, order kid-sized aprons for the whole crew. Have each child add their own personalized design using permanent markers at the beginning of the party. They not only make for adorable photos, but also keep party clothes flour-free.
DIY Chef’s Hats
Chef hats are a must, but the cloth versions can be a bit expensive. Make your own chefs hat by using a wide rectangular strip of construction paper as the band and a few sheets of tissue paper for the poofy top. Securing the pieces together using a stapler. Best part? You can make a dozen in less than an hour. Trust us: The kids will go wild for these special hats.
Decorate the Place
Giant pretzels are great. Giant pretzel balloons might be even better. Splurge on a themed balloon (or two!) from this Etsy designer, then decorate the rest of the room with colorful streamers, banners and balloons you get from the dollar store.
Craving the real deal? Check out our giant pretzel recipe.
Pizza Party
Let the kiddos get hands-on with the cooking. A pizza decorating station is the perfect activity. Buy (or make) the pizza dough ahead of time and divide it into individual portions for each guest. Let them roll it out, flip it up in the air, punch it down—whatever their technique may be—and then cover it in the sauce and toppings of their choice. Each batch of mini pizzas should take about 15 minutes to bake. Be sure to keep an eye the oven and remove when the crust turns golden brown.
Decorate a Cake
Asking a dozen preschoolers to bake one cake together is the definition of too many cooks in the kitchen. Instead, make cupcakes and let each little guest decorate their own. Prepare zip-top bags of icing ready to be squeezed (snip off one corner), as well as bowls of various decorations (from sprinkles to chocolate chips to coconut). Oh, you may need a few wet wipes, too, for those sticky fingers.
The Noodle Fishing Game
It’s a scientific fact that kids like messy games the best. That’s why noodle fishing is so much fun. Here’s how to play: Cook up a big pot of spaghetti ahead of time and rinse in cool water to prevent sticking. Then divide the spaghetti up into two big bowls and hide various small objects in it (an eraser, a wrapped candy, a bouncy ball). Two at a time, have the kids compete against each other to dig through the noodles and see who can find all the objects first. Just—erm—be sure not to let them eat the noodles afterwards.
Party Favors
Sticking to the theme, each child should take home a full-sized Viking range. JK. Try making DIY gift bundles. Wrap a wooden spoon (we love these!) with a colorful dishtowel and finish it off with a card featuring one of these easy recipes to make at home.
Originally Published: March 06, 2018
