10 Fun Desserts Kids Can Help Make

Desserts aren’t just delicious—they can be fun too! 😋 Getting kids involved in making desserts is a great way to teach them basic cooking skills, encourage creativity, and spend quality time together. Plus, it’s always exciting for kids to eat something they helped make! Here’s a list of 10 desserts that kids can safely assist in making, with simple steps and lots of fun.

1. Fruit Kabobs
Fruit kabobs are colorful, healthy, and super simple. Kids can pick their favorite fruits, wash them, and help thread them onto skewers. 🥝🍓🍍

• Ingredients: Strawberries, grapes, melon, pineapple, bananas

• Steps:

  1. Wash and cut fruits into bite-sized pieces.

  2. Let kids thread the fruits onto skewers.

  3. Optional: drizzle with yogurt or melted chocolate.

• Tip: Use blunt-ended skewers or popsicle sticks for safety.

2. Chocolate-Dipped Pretzels
Who doesn’t love chocolate and pretzels? This is a fun hands-on dessert. 🍫🥨

• Ingredients: Pretzel sticks, chocolate chips, sprinkles

• Steps:

  1. Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.

  2. Kids can dip pretzels into chocolate.

  3. Add sprinkles before chocolate sets.

3. No-Bake Cookies
No baking? Perfect for kids! These cookies are quick, messy, and fun. 🍪

• Ingredients: Oats, peanut butter, cocoa powder, honey

• Steps:

  1. Mix ingredients in a bowl.

  2. Kids can scoop spoonfuls onto a tray.

  3. Chill until firm.

• Fun Tip: Let kids press them into fun shapes!

4. Ice Cream Sandwiches
A dreamy, cool dessert kids love. 🍦

• Ingredients: Cookies, ice cream, chocolate chips

• Steps:

  1. Let kids pick their cookie and ice cream combination.

  2. Scoop ice cream between two cookies.

  3. Roll edges in chocolate chips or sprinkles.

5. Mini Pizzas with Dessert Twist
Yes, dessert pizza exists, and kids will love it! 🍕🍓

• Ingredients: Mini tortillas, chocolate spread, fruits, mini marshmallows

• Steps:

  1. Spread chocolate or Nutella on tortillas.

  2. Kids can arrange fruits and marshmallows.

  3. Chill or lightly bake for a warm twist.

Cool treat: Banana Yogurt Cups That Taste Like Ice Cream

6. Rainbow Jello Cups
Bright, wiggly, and easy to make. 🌈

• Ingredients: Different flavored gelatin, cups

• Steps:

  1. Prepare different gelatin flavors.

  2. Pour one flavor at a time, let set before adding the next.

  3. Kids can layer colors and even add fruit inside.

7. Banana Sushi
A healthy snack disguised as sushi! 🍌🍫

• Ingredients: Bananas, peanut butter, rice cereal, chocolate chips

• Steps:

  1. Spread peanut butter on bananas.

  2. Roll in rice cereal.

  3. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Kids love rolling and cutting!

8. Cookie Decorating
Simple, endless creative possibilities. 🍪🎨

• Ingredients: Plain cookies, icing, sprinkles, edible decorations

• Steps:

  1. Bake or buy plain cookies.

  2. Let kids decorate with icing and toppings.

  3. Enjoy their colorful creations!

• Fun Tip: Make themed cookies for holidays or birthdays.

9. Frozen Yogurt Bark
Healthy, crunchy, and easy to make. 🍓🥶

• Ingredients: Yogurt, fruits, granola, chocolate chips

• Steps:

  1. Spread yogurt on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

  2. Let kids sprinkle fruits, granola, and chocolate.

  3. Freeze for a few hours, then break into pieces.

10. Rice Krispie Treats
Sticky, gooey, and kids love squishing them. 🍚

• Ingredients: Rice cereal, marshmallows, butter

• Steps:

  1. Melt butter and marshmallows in a pan.

  2. Kids can help stir and then press the mixture into a pan.

  3. Optional: add chocolate chips or sprinkles on top.

Quick Comparison Table for Easy Reference

Tips for Cooking with Kids

• Always supervise children in the kitchen.

• Keep tasks age-appropriate—mixing, decorating, and assembling are safer than using knives or ovens.

• Turn it into a learning experience: teach them colors, textures, and simple measurements.

• Make it playful with fun names for desserts, like “Chocolate Rainbow Pizza” or “Banana Sushi Rolls.”

  

FAQs

Q1: What is the best age to start cooking with kids?
A: Kids as young as 3–4 can start helping with simple tasks like washing fruits, mixing ingredients, and decorating desserts.

Q2: How can I keep the kitchen safe while kids help?
A: Use blunt tools, avoid hot stoves for younger kids, and always supervise closely.

Q3: How do I prevent messes?
A: Use aprons, mats, and set up a “dessert station.” Kids love it when they feel it’s their own space!

Q4: Can these desserts be made gluten-free or vegan?
A: Absolutely! Swap regular ingredients with gluten-free or plant-based alternatives, like using rice cereal for vegan treats or gluten-free cookies.

Q5: How can I make these desserts more educational?
A: Turn dessert-making into counting exercises, color recognition games, or simple science experiments, like watching chocolate melt or Jello set.

Making desserts with kids isn’t just about the food—it’s about memories. 🍰🎉 The laughter, the little spills, and their proud smiles when they taste their creations are priceless. Whether it’s fruit kabobs, cookie decorating, or frozen yogurt bark, each dessert is a chance to bond, teach, and create fun experiences.