Letting children help bake cookies can get a little messy. But by assigning tasks based on their ages, you'll sprinkle in a sense of pride at the same time they learn key skills. See our age-related cookie-baking tips below.
Ages 2-4
Your little one will adore helping you with some of the easier tasks. Check out these cookie-baking ideas for preschoolers.
Mom or Dad can:
- Mix the cookie dough in advance (your child can shape the dough for baking).
- Bake cookies in advance (your child can help decorate).
- Have a sturdy stool or booster seat available to help children reach the countertop.
- Spread newspapers or towels on countertops to contain the mess.
Preschoolers can:
- Crack eggs into a small dark bowl. They'll love fishing out pieces of egg shell while you supervise.
- Pour already measured ingredients into the mixing bowl.
- Roll cookie dough into balls and flatten the balls with their fingers.
- Roll balls of cookie dough in sugar.
- Transfer cookie balls to a cookie sheet.
- Help Mom or Dad press the oven's "bake" button.
- Frost the cookies. Or simply drop decorative sugar or sprinkles on cookies that you frost for them.
Try out these skills with Russian Tea Cakes, Chocolate Snowballs, and No-Roll Sugar Cookies.
Ages 5-7
Your child is ready to take on a little more responsibility. Check out these cookie-baking ideas for early school-age kids.
Mom or Dad can:
- Have a sturdy stool or booster seat available to help shorter kids reach the countertop.
- Spread newspapers or towels on countertops to contain the mess.
- Premeasure the ingredients so all your child needs to do is pour or drop ingredients into the mixing bowl.
- If making cutouts, roll the dough to the correct thickness. Prepare cookie cutters for use by dusting them with a little flour.
- If cookies need to be decorated, set up an area with frosting, decorative sugars or sprinkles, and icing spatulas.
Early grade-schoolers can:
- Use a hand-held electric mixer to combine some of the ingredients. (They'll feel very grown-up!) You should take over when the flour needs to be added.
- Stir in chocolate chips, raisins, or other fun add-ins. You should pretend not to notice when they swipe some chips. It's part of the fun!
- Cut out cookie shapes from the rolled dough. But you should transfer the cookie cutouts to the cookie sheet for baking.
- Unwrap and press chocolate kisses into the tops of cookies.
- Frost and decorate cookies by themselves.
Try out these skills with
Classic Gingerbread Man Cookies,
Festive Peanut Butter Blossoms, and
Jolly Snowman Cookies.
Ages 8-10
Your child is now old enough to handle most of the cooking-baking responsibilities. Check out these ideas for older school-age kids—and get ready to sit back and supervise!
Mom or Dad can:
- Make sure you have the right ingredients on hand for this recipe.
- Get out the measuring cups and measuring spoons.
- If cookies will be decorated, set up an area with frosting, decorative sugars or sprinkles, and icing spatulas.
Grade-schoolers can:
- Spread newspapers or towels on countertops to contain the mess.
- Measure and pour ingredients into the mixing bowl.
- Mix the ingredients with a hand-held mixer. You may need to step in when the flour is added.
- Shape or cut out cookies for baking.
- Put the cookie sheet into the oven and remove it—under your supervision. Don't forget to get out the pot holders!
- Frost and decorate cookies by themselves.
- Dip cookies in melted chocolate.
- Drizzle melted chocolate over the tops of cookies.
- Put together sandwich cookies.
- Pipe frosting features on gingerbread men.
Try out these skills with
Easy Holiday Cutout Cookies,
Ginger-Brown Sugar Cookies, , and Ginger-Ski Men.
Get more fun ideas for baking with kids.