10 Fun & Easy Cooking Recipes for Kids During Summer

Get creative in the kitchen with your kids this summer! Here are ten fun and easy cooking recipes for kids to make together.

I'm bored… Every mom's least favorite phrase heard around the world during summer vacation.

This time of year, keeping the kids entertained can be work! But don't worry, I've got you covered.

Get them out of your hair and into the kitchen with these ten easy cooking recipes for kids. From simple snacks to main dishes, your little chefs will not only have a blast helping prepare these meals but will also learn important cooking skills in this process.

Let's dive in!

Why You Should Cook With Your Kids

Before we list these 10 easy cooking recipes for kids, I wanted to talk about why cooking with your kids is a good idea. Especially as homeschoolers, cooking can be about more than just preparing something good to eat.

It can become a learning process full of quality time and memories that your child will remember long after summer break ends.

It's a life skill

The first reason you should make time to cook with your kids is because it's a life skill. As an adult, they're going to need to know how to feed themselves.

The more they learn about nutrition and preparing meals at home, the better off they'll be down the road. The basics in meal preparation, food safety, knife skills, nutrition information, and cooking techniques will serve them well into adulthood.

It's a great way to bond

Cooking with your kids is also a great way for you both to bond together. You can talk about the recipe, let them help you measure and stir ingredients, and enjoy the fruits of your labor together!

It's a way for you and your child to connect together with a shared activity. Even if the recipe is a flop, you still can have fun together in the process.

My kids and I have laughed and laughed over some of our kitchen disasters. No matter how the recipe turns out, the time spent together is always a win.

It's educational

Another reason to try out some of these easy cooking recipes for kids is because it's educational. Cooking is a great way to explore real-world math and science.

When kids measure ingredients they're using math. When discussions pop up on whether an apple is a fruit or vegetable, they're using classification.

When they see how food changes states of matter when heat is applied, they're learning science. There are so many ways that cooking can help reinforce important educational concepts.

And as homeschoolers, any opportunity to sneak a little extra learning into a fun activity is a win-win!

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It's fun!

The last reason to spend some time cooking with your kids this summer is because it's just plain fun! Especially at an early age, kids love to help cook.

They get to be creative, make something from scratch, and enjoy the delicious rewards in the end. Plus, it helps everyone have something to do over summer vacation that will offer them memories to last a lifetime.

10 Easy Cooking Recipes for Kids for Summer

Now, let's get to the fun part: 10 easy cooking recipes for kids to try this summer!

1.) Yogurt Parfait

The first recipe to try with your kids is a yogurt parfait. This recipe from feel good foodie is simple but delicious.

All you need on hand is some yogurt, granola, and berries. If you prefer, you can easily substitute the strawberries and blueberries with whatever fruit you have on hand.

2.) Tropical Summer Fruit Smoothie

A great way to cook with your kids and cool off this summer is with the Tropical Fruit Smoothie from Aberdeen's Kitchen. Made with mango, strawberries, pineapple, and orange juice, it's a healthy and delicious treat on a hot summer day.

If you're looking for more smoothie flavors to try, here are some more recipes.

3.) Fruit Popsicles

These yummy fruit popsicles from Joy Food Sunshine are sure to be a hit with the kids. All you need is fruit, yogurt or juice, a blender, and a popsicle mold.

You can mix and match whatever flavors you'd like, but the raspberry and strawberry combination is a hit at my house.

4.) Fruit Skewers with Apple Cinnamon Dipping Sauce

If you're looking for something you can cook with even your younger kids, try these fruit skewers from Allrecipes. You can cut up some fruit and let them have fun trying to get them on the skewers.

The apple cinnamon dipping sauce is also simple to make together and is great for kids who love to dip. Plus, the whole process is great for kids working on fine motor skills.

5.) No Bake Energy Bites

These No Bake Energy Bites from Gimme Some Oven are so fun to make. Combine the ingredients, chill for 1-2 hours, then let the kids have fun rolling them into balls.

They're also made of healthy ingredients, so you don't have to feel guilty if they eat a few too many.

6.) Summertime Fun Cookies

These adorable cookies from Taste of Home look like a blast to make. You can follow the whole recipe and make them from scratch if your kids like to bake.

If they're just into decorating, you could get some pre-made cookie dough and use that. Then when the cookies are done you can let them have fun decorating.

7.) Homemade Pizza

Another classic favorite to make with your kids is homemade pizza! This recipe from Thursday Night Pizza is simple enough for kids to help put together but also tasty enough to please the adults too.

8.) Breakfast Tacos

Next on our list of easy cooking recipes for kids are these Breakfast Tacos from Taste of Home. My kids aren't big fans of Mexican food, but these are something they would definitely be on board with.

You can mix and match your toppings with whatever you have on hand.

9.) Homemade Soft Pretzels

If you're looking for a recipe to help keep little hands busy for a while try these Homemade Soft Pretzels from Foodlets. The kids will have a blast working the dough and making creative pretzel shapes.

And then when it's done baking, they can enjoy their delicious handiwork!

10.) Rainbow Meringue Cookies

Last on our list of easy cooking recipes for kids are these Rainbow Meringue Cookies from Foodlets. They require a few more extra steps than the other recipes on this list, but they look so fun to make and then eat.

You will need a mixer to make these to properly whip the egg whites, but the rest looks pretty simple. They might be the prettiest thing you'll eat all year lol.

Conclusion to 10 Easy Summer Cooking Recipes for Kids

Summer is a great time to try out some new recipes with the kids. Hopefully, this list of 10 Easy Cooking Recipes for Kids has given you some inspiration and you found at least one recipe that would be fun to make together.

The important thing to remember when cooking with your kids is not so much about how the recipe turns out, but more about the time you spend together and the memories you make.

If you try out some of these easy recipes, let us know in the comments below. Happy cooking!

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Candice McDaniel

Candice is a mom of 3 who has been homeschooling since 2013. She has an A.A.S. in Early Childhood Studies and cares deeply about helping other parents get the information and resources they need to help them homeschool their children with confidence. You can follow her on her blog atouchofhomeschooling.com or on Facebook and Instagram @atohomeschooling.

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