hi everyone i am wondering if anyone out there has an opinion or advice for me on a kindergarten project. Last week my sis went to an open house for my nephew and the teacher said that one week out of the school year they were going to ask each childs family to participate in this is my family week. Which means if the family wants to its not mandatory and if the family cant do it no one else will know, not even the child but we are a close family, so my sis asked me to participate in my nephews week sometime next month . The family members of the child for the week being parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles will come in and read a book, or plan an activity based on their profession or hobby , here is what I need advice on, I want to do some sort of decorating project. I dont know if to take plain unfrosted cupcakes and let them go to town, or make each kid a 4 to 6 inch round cake with fondant and let them paint it, or to take plain white frosted cookies in and let them go to town on those? Any help or advice anyone could give me, also any tips on keeping the activity fun for the kids, I know some of you plan cake parties so anything would be a big help.

i think the cupcakes are a great idea.

I would do the cookie route. You never know about likes and dislikes when it comes to cake flavors. Cookies are a bit easier for their small hands to handle. Make sure to make extra for breakage!

I think you'll have a blast!

Speaking as a teacher, I wouldn't do a 4 or 6 inch cake... it's just too much for kindergartners. Cupcakes would be good, or even sugar cookies. You could even do sugar cookies, already frosted with with frosting or rolled fondant, then let the kids paint on them with watered down food coloring... just be sure to explain to them your using 'food paint' not regular paint. With using cookies, they could each paint 2, one to eat and one to take home.

Sounds like a great thing to do with the kids. If you really wanted to get into it (now I'm on a roll), you could take the ingredients, teach the kids some math and measuring while having the kids 'make' cookies, roll them, and cut them out. You would probably need to have to take prebaked ones with you to save time (just switch them out when the kids are at recess or something).

Good luck... I'm sure you'll have a ton of fun!!!

I would do some sugar COOKIES (NFSC)!!!!!! And bring some MMF fondant (less messy than BC) and cookie cutters, to match the cookies and then small cutters for decorating the cookie and also bring some light corn syrup and paint brushes to glue de decs, I would also bring cello bags for each kid, so they can take their cookie home to show Mommy, even a little ribbon... I know, I'm going all out! Can't wait 'till my son gets to that age What a fun thing to do with the kiddos!

I would totally do the cookies! If they were older then the other thins might be better but I think all those Kgraders would be a nightmare with frosting. You could apply fondant to the cookies at home and then let them use those food markers!

Oh I forgot to mention... Make sure to check with the teacher first about any alergies in the class or even any special diets....

I am in the early childhood setting, and i would say that it really depends on the time you have. Letting them ice and decorate cupcakes is a great idea, but will take time. (This includes cleaning time)I would suggest bringing iced cupcakes and letting them decorate. Just have different things for them to chose from. They can decorate with sprinkles, make animals, things like that. I like the cookie idea to, i just think they can do more with cupcakes. Good luck, and have fun. they will love it! Take plenty of pics if you can!

you can also bring some edible markers!!!!

I agree, pre-frosted cupcakes, and let them decorate with sprinkles, jimmies, confetti, chocolate/pb/butterschotch chips, gummi bears, m and m's, etc. Maybe bring in chocolate on chocolate, white on white, white on chocolate and chocolate on white.

I'd go with the edible markers on a royal icing. You probably won't have time to teach them all how to decorate and also clean up unless you have more than an hour. I'd let them color on a cookie or two. If you want to show off your talent's I'd send in a wrapped decorated cookie for them to take home. Maybe include your business card!

ps) Be careful of school rules too. At my public schools you cannot have anything homemade.

Last year I took plain sugar cookies and let them decorate them theirselves. I took a bunch of colored royal icing in sqeeze bottles and sprinkles and they went to town. They loved it.

i just wanted to thank you all for your suggestionsi talked to the teacher this morning when i dropped off my nephew and gave her the option of cupcake or cookie and we decided to go the cookie route, i will take them already frosted and then we are going to set up 4 different tables and let them rotate they will have
1. sprinkles
2. candy
3. drip bottles of chcoclate
4. edible markers
i am also going to print them some lables so they can write there name and take them home, again that you all for your help i was totally clueless on what to do.

How fun! Take some pictures of the finished art for us to see!