Baking bread with kids? Here are a few things you should know

The kitchen is a great place to spend time with your kids and baking is an excellent way to bond while having fun at the same time!

Baking with my kids has always been an activity we love doing together. There’s nothing that helps us connect and establish some common ground like experimenting in the kitchen and making our favorite baked goods!

​There are a ton of tasty things you can bake with your kids—cookies, cakes, and muffins (yum!)—and they’re all very easy to make. One of my personal favorites, however, is a classic—bread!

Baking bread with kids can be a lot of fun for both parents and kids. It’s a lot like making something for arts and crafts class, your kids can have fun molding the dough into all kinds of shapes. It’s a great activity that will keep them occupied and entertained for hours.

Before you begin, here’s a little look into what you can expect and some tips to make it a great experience!

Decide what kind of bread you want to make in advance

There are many different types of bread you can make with your kids, like cornbread and whole-wheat bread. Some of these may be a little complicated for kids, especially if they’re new to baking, so start with something simple like banana bread or a bread roll.

After you’ve picked a few simple recipes—gather your ingredients. Most types of bread have a similar foundation and it’s likely that many of the ingredients you need are already in your pantry! 

Then, give your kids a little bread menu—with pictures—and let them pick which one they want to bake. This helps them get excited about the process of baking and the final product.

It helps to have a selection of fruits like berries and bananas ready, just in case your little chef wants to experiment with some tasty combinations! Fruit in bread is like sprinkles on a cupcake in my experience baking bread with kids.

It’s time to have fun with the dough!

Now that you’ve made your decision, you can get started. 

Once all the ingredients are mixed in, it’s time to knead the dough. 

If there’s one thing I know kids love—it’s playdough. Just like playdough, bread dough is flexible and can be shaped in many different ways.

Now, this is the part your kids will absolutely love! Let your kids experiment with the dough. Let them get a feel for it and watch them shape it into their own works of art. You can even join in on the fun and make your own shapes! 

This is the best part of baking bread—in my opinion at least :)

Mistakes happen and it’s perfectly fine

Once your kids have molded their bread dough, it’s time to pop them in the oven. Make sure you chaperone this part and teach your kids the basics of oven safety.

Sometimes the bread might not turn out as planned—and that’s completely fine! Let your kids know it’s okay to fail; it’s all a part of the experience. Let them try as many times as they like and encourage them to look for different recipes.

As a baker, I’ve learned more from my little failures in the kitchen than I have from my triumphs. What truly matters is that you and your little ones have a great time baking.

Baking bread can get a little messy—and that’s okay!

It’s tough keeping your kitchen clean when you’re baking bread with kids—the first few times, it may even be difficult to identify kitchen surfaces that aren’t covered in flour! 

Just keep in mind that the mess is all part of the process when you’re baking bread with kids and it’s totally expected. 

While baking, your kids will make a little mess here and there. Teach them that it’s okay to make a mess while baking as long as they bake safely, have fun, and clean up after themselves.

Cooking isn’t done until the sink’s empty!

After a fun session of baking bread, it’s time to clean up the kitchen. For me, cleaning up is just as important and enjoyable as the baking process.

Your kids may find cleaning up a bit dull, but creating a game out of it will give you another opportunity to spend more time with them. 

Try having a little contest with your kids to see who can clean up the kitchen the fastest. This way they’ll have fun while they learn to clean up!

Once they’ve gotten used to cleaning up after themselves they’ll be much more independent and confident in the space.

Baking bread with kids has never been more fun!

Baking bread is a great way to spend time with your kids and help them learn their way around the kitchen.  

Always be patient with your little bakers and show them how to do things the right and safe way. As time goes by, your DIY kids’ cooking classes will teach them to be more independent in the kitchen and become more confident in their baking skills.

I hope you have fun baking bread with your kids as much as I have with mine, and I hope this is the start of many more kitchen adventures for your family!

Good luck on your future baking adventures :)