After kids cooking games? 
 
If you are looking for fun games to keep the kids occupied this holiday then I really can recommend the following cooking game. Something I don’t really risk doing very often.  But this game keeps the kids entertained for ages. It is also a very educational game and best of all it is a cooking game that works in some form for all school age children.

The game is really simple, it is a crib on the TV programme Ready Steady Cook. The idea behind the game is that the kids have to plan, shop and cook a meal which you all then sit down and eat as a family.

You may need to adapt the game a bit depending on the age of the kids and how many kids you have to keep busy, but with four kids between the ages of seven and twelve it would go something like this.

Kids divide in to two teams.  Each team is given a sum of money and tasked to cook either a main course or a starter and desert.  Access to cookery books is good, but not absolutely essential – we first played the game on holiday and it kept the kids busy all day, and they managed without a cookery book in sight.

Once the kids have made a decision as to what recipes they are going to cook, they will then need to be taken to the shops, where they will do the shopping and also pay for the food required for their chosen recipes.   Always an interesting exercise.
 
Once back home it is then time to start cooking. Allowing loads of times is vital.  Needless to say supervision maybe required during the cooking and prep process.  It also maybe a good idea for teams to take it in turns to be in the kitchen, particularly if the kitchen is small. 

This Ready Steady Cook game can be carried over a couple of days. In fact this is a game which will take up most of any day – so it probably is not best to embark in this cooking game  all in one hit, unless you have plenty of time, which is one of the reasons it works so well during holidays.

Other pointers to direct the kids on is clearing up as they go along and setting the table. Being available in an advisory role, may be essential, although you may find you are banned completely from the kitchen.

This is also a great game for Dads (who don’t cook that often), to “play” with the kids. This game also gives kids the opportunity for kids to use their maths, reading and organisational skills, without them really realising. Optionally you can give a prize for the best course. 

The end result is probably a meal you would not have thought to cook and the kids will eat

If you have any ideas for other kids cooking games do let me know.