Kid-Friendly Baking Projects Make Babysitting A Breeze (NAPSA)—According to a recent survey, 83 percent of par- ents believe that having children assist in the kitchen helps boost their child’s self-confidence. Since cooking projects are fun and teach skills like planning and organization, why not encourage your kids to do kitchen projects with the supervision of a babysitter? Here is a simple activity Wilton has created for your kids to do with their sitter the next time you're out. By providing the “canvas” for your kids to decorate—in this case a giant cookie—you can set the stage for a fun and safe, bake-free project to entertain the troops. Just supply the materials and instructions, then leave it to the sitter to guide the project. Prepare Before You Leave Gather everyone together for the cookie preparation. Allow the kids to press refrigerated cookie dough into a large cookie pan spreading it out evenly to the edges. Bake the cookie early enough that it has plenty of time to cool. Make sure to lay out the supplies, including a variety of colored icings, gels and sprinkles to spark their imaginations, as well as Wilton’s FoodWriter™ Edible Color Markers, Color Mist™ Food Color Spray and a variety of Cookie Stencils to perfect their yummy masterpiece. Also leave spoons or spatulas for icing and gel application and make sure the sitter knows where to find damp rags or paper towels for easy clean-up. If you have time, leave a variety of decorating ideas for the babysitter to show the children. Imaginethe Possibilities Encourage the sitter to start the project by having the kids plan how they will decorate and urging them to use their imagination and creativity. The sitter can provide an overall theme or just let their imaginations go to work. Place importance on the project by planning to use the cookie as a dinner centerpiece or a gift for friendsor relatives. Decorating To Do Once the kids havea plan, the sitter can help them use thevarious decorating supplies. For instance, children can position stencils on the cooled cookie and spray Color Mist Food Color Sprays over the openings to create designs, use icing to color an image or simply draw a picture with the edible markers. Every Creation Is a Work of Art Whatever the tasty outcome, a smile and a “great job” go a long way. Enjoy! For additional entertaining and decorating ideas, visit www.wilton.com.
