Everybody Bake! Kid-Friendly Baking Tips by Age

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.