Valentine Recipes Kids Can Make Themselves

Kids love to help out in the kitchen. Their adventures in cooking may not turn out the same way yours would, and may leave your kitchen in serious need of a deep clean, but children can learn a lot from helping out in the kitchen. They can learn how to read and follow a recipe, how to measure and do simple math. They can learn that all jobs are important and understand cause and effect. And just maybe, they can even learn how to clean up.

This Valentine's Day, let your kids have a little fun in the kitchen by letting them help create some delicious and easy Valentine treats. Kids will gain self confidence and a greater sense of self worth by creating something that others can enjoy. With a little supervision, kids will be on their way to learning valuable life skills.

Here are just a few ideas for Valentine goodies from the kitchen:

Dessert Pizza

This fun dessert is a great one for kids to make because they love adding their own toppings. For a fun Valentine's Day party, let kids make their own individual pizzas with lots of toppings to choose from.

A pre-made, refrigerated sugar cookie dough makes the crust. Just roll it out onto a pizza pan and bake according to the package directions. After your cookie pizza has cooled, mix together 8 ounces of softened cream cheese and equal parts of marshmallow cream and spread all over the cookie crust. Add sliced kiwi, pineapple, bananas, oranges, strawberries or any other fruit you like. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, slice, serve and this Valentine treat!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate covered strawberries are a great treat for kids to make because it does not require any baking and the red strawberries make a perfect Valentine snack. Simply melt a bag of chocolate chips in a double boiler. While chips are melting, lay out a sheet of waxed paper. Make sure your berries and clean and dry. If the berries are wet, the chocolate will not stick as well. Let your kids dip the strawberries in the melted chocolate and carefully set the berries on the waxed paper to cool and dry.

Frosted and Decorated Cookies

Kids love to frost and decorate their very own cookies, especially when they get to eat them afterwards. You can purchase unfrosted sugar cookies from your bakery, or make your own. If you make your own dough, kids will love to use cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. Don't invite Martha Stewart to this baking session either in person, or as your alter-ego. Just let it happen and think of the great memories your kids will have afterwards.

After the cookies are baked and cooled, use frosting, either home made or pre-made to frost the cookies. Great Valentine decorations include conversation hearts, cinnamon red hots, red, pink and white jelly beans, sprinkles and colored sugars. Other small candies would also work well.

Cupid's Love Potion

This is a fun punch to make for a valentine party and it will look great in a punch bowl. Also, kids are great dumpers, and that is pretty much the main skill you need to make this recipe. The ingredients are as follows:

1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 (6-ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 (16-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 large can pineapple juice, chilled
1 large bottle cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
1 large bottle ginger ale, chilled
1 quart club soda, chilled
2 cups frozen strawberries, thawed, sliced

In a large, chilled punch bowl, mix together orange juice, limeade and lemonade concentrates, pineapple juice, cranberry juice cocktail, ginger ale and club soda; stir to combine well. Add sliced strawberries on top of each individual cup serving.

Kids will love making these Valentine goodies and will enjoy eating them even more.