Baking is a great way to get into the Halloween spirit. Children love to participate in cooking activities and it is a great, hands on way to get them engaged. Cooking teaches math skills through measuring ingredients. It teaches science through watching as the consistency of batter changes from a liquid to solid form, or as colors change when different ingredients are added. Baking with kids encourages the senses of sight, taste, touch, and smell. It also brings out creativity in children when they are active participants in the decorating process. In other words, there is so much to learn (and eat!) when incorporating Halloween baking with kids!
Here are five of our favorite Halloween themed baking activities to do with children of all ages! Adapt how the child participates based on his or her developmental abilities and let the fun begin.
Halloween Decorative Cupcakes
Use your creativity and decorate them however you want! Maybe use orange and black sprinkles on white frosting, or maybe green frosting and make mini Frankensteins! It’s totally up to you and the kids to use your imaginations and get into the Halloween spirit!
Click Here for Halloween Cupcakes Recipe
Pumpkin Bread Halloween Baking With Kids
This is a seasonally classic Fall baked treat! Children can help mix the ingredients and then watch as the bread rises in the oven (from a safe distance, of course!). This recipe is also a great opportunity to talk to children about seasonal smells. Does the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon remind you of the Fall? Make an Aroma Jar while you wait for the bread to cook and turn it into a guessing game with a blind fold.
Click Here for Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Try this Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Spooky Spider Cookies
This one actually doesn’t involve any baking at all, but it’s fun and hands on for the kids! Make a few extra to pack as a special treat on Halloween week in your child’s lunch box. You will need:
- A package of double stuffed Oreos
- Pretzel sticks
- M&M minis
- Frosting (any kind will work!)
Start off with double stuffed Oreos. Insert small pretzel sticks into each side of the cookie for legs (4 on each side!). Then use a little frosting to “glue on” the m&m minis for eyes. Did you know spiders have anywhere from 0-12 eyes!? Voila, you have spider cookies!
Halloween Baking With Kids: Cake Pops!
Decorate your cake pops like monsters, spiders, pumpkins, ghosts, or any other Halloween idea you come up with! Let the kids get creative and remember the process is more important than the product.
Click Here for a great cake pop recipe
Bat Sugar Cookies
For this halloween baking with kids activity, use a bat shaped cookie cutter to make your classic sugar cookie. Decorate using black or dark purple frosting! You can go the easier route and buy a tube of sugar cookie mix from the supermarket, or you can get down to basics and make them from scratch!
Click here for a great recipe for those brave soles making the cookies from scratch!
Click Here for Bat Shaped Cookie Cutter!
For more Halloween fun make a seasonal, spooky sensory bin or try these 5 Halloween paper plate crafts. Are you looking for a nanny who can help prepare more fun and education activities for your children? Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny is here to help you find the right match!
This article contains amazon affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
About The Author
Sarah Proctor has worked with young children for over 25 years as a teacher, childcare director, nanny, and mom of two girls. She has her Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education and Administration from UMass Amherst. In addition, Sarah has her Director 2 certification from the Department of Early Education and Care.
